RTVV: IGEM against paternalism and advertising bans
The Executive Board of the Electronic Media Interest Group (IGEM) has issued a statement on the Radio and Television Ordinance (RTVV). In particular, it criticizes the tendency to patronize citizens when it comes to advertising in electronic media.
In its statement on the Radio and Television Ordinance (RTVO), the Board of the Interessengemeinschaft elektronische Medien IGEM has taken a stand. The IGEM is particularly opposed to the intention to patronize the population, which is evident in various places. IGEM advocates the most liberal possible regulation of advertising regulations and as few restrictions as possible on commercial communication options in all electronic media and for all providers.
As the IGEM announced in a communiqué on Monday, there is therefore no need to overprotect consumers in the electronic media. The vast majority of citizens would have sufficient competence in dealing with commercial communication and advertising. Accordingly, the IGEM believes that the extremely detailed regulation for split-screen advertising goes too far. However, it considers the principle that advertising should be clearly visually separated from the rest of the program and identified as such to be fundamentally important. IGEM is of the opinion that split-screen advertising must be permitted in all programs of all providers. Programmes with advertising interruptions IGEM considers the rule that consumers must confirm their exit from the program twice in the case of interactive advertising to be unnecessary and patronizing. A more liberal regulation for commercial breaks is expressly welcomed. The IGEM takes the position that all programs should be allowed to have at least one commercial break - similar to cinema and television. The application of this regulation to radio is still unclear, as the regulations regarding program interruptions are too one-sidedly geared towards television.problem case of alcohol advertising IGEM also rejects the regulation that advertising for non-alcoholic beer in programs with an alcohol advertising ban may not have any advertising effect for alcoholic beer. In effect, this would lead to a ban on advertising for non-alcoholic beers that are marketed under the same brand. This results in unequal treatment of the individual producers, argues IGEM.
The new regulation also provides for a ban on alcohol advertising - before, during and after programs aimed at children and young people. According to the IGEM, however, this definition is unclear. Both the term "young people" and the definition of programs are vague. The IGEM therefore proposes replacing the term "young people" with the term "minors". The broadcasts could be defined in such a way that more than 50 percent of their audience must be minors.
As the IGEM announced in a communiqué on Monday, there is therefore no need to overprotect consumers in the electronic media. The vast majority of citizens would have sufficient competence in dealing with commercial communication and advertising. Accordingly, the IGEM believes that the extremely detailed regulation for split-screen advertising goes too far. However, it considers the principle that advertising should be clearly visually separated from the rest of the program and identified as such to be fundamentally important. IGEM is of the opinion that split-screen advertising must be permitted in all programs of all providers. Programmes with advertising interruptions IGEM considers the rule that consumers must confirm their exit from the program twice in the case of interactive advertising to be unnecessary and patronizing. A more liberal regulation for commercial breaks is expressly welcomed. The IGEM takes the position that all programs should be allowed to have at least one commercial break - similar to cinema and television. The application of this regulation to radio is still unclear, as the regulations regarding program interruptions are too one-sidedly geared towards television.problem case of alcohol advertising IGEM also rejects the regulation that advertising for non-alcoholic beer in programs with an alcohol advertising ban may not have any advertising effect for alcoholic beer. In effect, this would lead to a ban on advertising for non-alcoholic beers that are marketed under the same brand. This results in unequal treatment of the individual producers, argues IGEM.
The new regulation also provides for a ban on alcohol advertising - before, during and after programs aimed at children and young people. According to the IGEM, however, this definition is unclear. Both the term "young people" and the definition of programs are vague. The IGEM therefore proposes replacing the term "young people" with the term "minors". The broadcasts could be defined in such a way that more than 50 percent of their audience must be minors.
