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The following is issued on behalf of the Communications Authority:
The Communications Authority (CA) approved the recommendation of its Broadcast Codes of Practice Committee to make the following revisions to the Generic Code of Practice on Television Advertising Standards, the Generic Code of Practice on Television Programme Standards, the Radio Code of Practice on Advertising Standards and the Radio Code of Practice on Advertising Standards of Ancillary Visual Service:
1. Placement of commercial references within programmes on channels acquired for direct re-transmission on domestic free television programme services
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* To extend the exemption from prohibition on placement of commercial references within programmes currently granted to channels acquired for direct re-transmission on domestic pay television programme services (domestic pay TV) and other licensable television programme services (other licensable TV) to domestic free television programme services (domestic free TV). The exemption is subject to the same conditions currently applicable to domestic pay TV and other licensable TV and additional conditions imposed on domestic free TV as follows:
(i) the licensee should provide a declaration that the channels are produced primarily for reception outside Hong Kong and do not contribute to any advertising revenue of the licensee;
(ii) announcements should be displayed on-screen to adequately inform viewers that advertising materials may be placed within programmes on a channel acquired for direct re-transmission for 15 seconds at the start of each programme and at regular intervals for 15 seconds once every 30 minutes; and
(iii) the aggregate advertising time during advertising breaks on a channel acquired for direct re-transmission shall not exceed the limits set out in section 11(1) of Schedule 4 to the Broadcasting Ordinance (Cap. 562).
* To exempt channels acquired for direct re-transmission on domestic free TV, domestic pay TV and other licensable TV from the prohibition on indirect advertising;
* To replace the term "satellite feed services" with "channels acquired for direct re-transmission";
2. Applicability of aggregate advertising time limits to promos for television and radio advertisements
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* To amend the codes of practice to make it clear that promos for advertisements are advertisements and should be counted towards the aggregate advertising time limits; and
3. Identification requirements for television advertisements adopting a programme style
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* To require that the caption "Advertisement" or "Advertising magazine" be superimposed throughout the broadcast of an advertisement adopting a programme style to identify the materials as advertisements.
The CA conducted a public consultation from September 20 to October 11, 2012, to gauge views from members of the public and the licensees on the proposed amendments to the Television and Radio Codes of Practice. A summary of the responses from members of the public is at www.coms-auth.hk/filemanager/statement/en/upload/156/20121116.pdf¡¡.
In approving the revisions, the CA has taken into consideration views from the public and the licensees and has fine-tuned the proposed amendments where appropriate. The CA considered that the revisions struck a proper balance between protecting the interest of viewers and safeguarding the editorial freedom of the licensees.
The first two proposals will take effect upon gazettal in January 2013. To give licensees sufficient lead time to arrange with advertisers for compliance with the new requirement of the last proposal, licensees will be given a grace period of three months from the date of gazettal to comply with the new provisions.
Details of the revisions are in the Appendix.
Ends/Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Issued at HKT 16:56
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