Alcohol ads on music channels before 9-10(and 11)PM too early says ASA
Regis Magnae
Posts: 6,810 Forum Member
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http://www.asa.org.uk/Rulings/Adjudications/2014/6/Box-Television-Ltd/SHP_ADJ_233301.aspx
...and so on.
An interesting precedent. The watershed is becoming increasingly irrelevant it seems in both programming and advertising.
We considered that a 10 pm restriction would have been more appropriate based on the spirit and intention of the rule, based in turn on the hard audience information available and knowledge of the audience profiles.
We therefore concluded that the third party had not demonstrated that the decision to allow alcohol ads from 9 pm to 9.59 pm was a reasonable scheduling decision.
The scheduling of 72 alcohol advertisements from 9 pm to 9.59 pm on 4Music in the period February, March, April 2013 breached BCAP Code rule 32.2.1 (Scheduling of Television and Radio Advertisements, Under-18s).
....
We considered that a 10 pm restriction for alcohol ads on The Box, Smash Hits and Heat would have been more appropriate based on the spirit and intention of the rule, based in turn on the hard audience information available and knowledge of the audience profiles.
We therefore concluded that the third party had not demonstrated that the decisions to allow alcohol ads from 9 pm to 9.59 pm on Heat, Smash Hits and The Box were reasonable scheduling decisions.
The scheduling of 8, 21 and 28 alcohol advertisements from 9 pm to 9.59 pm on Heat, Smash Hits and The Box respectively in the period February, March, April 2013 breached BCAP Code rule 32.2.1 (Scheduling of Television and Radio Advertisements, Under-18s).
...
We therefore considered that an 11 pm restriction would have been more appropriate based on the spirit and intention of the rule, based in turn on the hard audience information available and knowledge of the audience profiles.
We therefore concluded that the third party had not demonstrated that the decision to allow alcohol ads from 9 pm to 10.59 pm on Kerrang was a reasonable scheduling decision.
The scheduling of 101 alcohol advertisements from 9 pm to 10.59 pm on Kerrang in the period February, March, April 2013 breached BCAP Code rule 32.2.1 (Scheduling of Television and Radio Advertisements, Under-18s).
...and so on.
An interesting precedent. The watershed is becoming increasingly irrelevant it seems in both programming and advertising.
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Comments
It'll be interesting to see if similar rulings follow for MTV, ChartShow and the other music broadcasters.
Seems quite a technicality, makes you wonder who made the complaint (all 1 of them!)? Would be interesting to see the data for some other channels (e.g. ITV2, E4) post 9pm...suspect they'd have a much higher proportion of under 18s watching than the average as well.
It seems the ASA did this one all by itself. If so, it strikes me as not proper. The ASA, Ofcom and BBFC are meant to reflect the attitudes of the public they serve not shape those attitudes.