The amount of advertising permissible on independent commercial television in Ireland looks set to be increased under draft broadcasting rules published by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI).
If adopted, the rules will see the maximum amount of advertising permitted rise to 12 minutes per hour from the current maximum of 10 minutes per hour. In addition, the maximum amount of advertising permitted per day would increase from 15 per cent of daily broadcasting time up to 20 per cent.
If adopted, the rules will apply only to independent commercial television channels licensed in the Republic of Ireland such as TV3, Setanta Ireland and City Channel.
Public service television stations RTÉ and TG4 will not be affected by the rules.
“The BAI’s proposal to increase the permitted daily and hourly advertising limits is informed by an awareness of the need to ensure that the independent commercial television sector in Ireland competes effectively with competitors in the wider European commercial television sector including UK channels targeting Irish audiences" BAI chief executive Michael O’ Keeffe said.
"The BAI is also of the view that the proposed increases in advertising limits will help to protect and stimulate Irish employment and sustain Irish programme content in a context where the television sector has suffered a significant decline in commercial revenue.”
The authority has begun a public consultation on the draft rules.
It is anticipated that all responses to the consultation on the draft rules will be considered by the BAI at its meeting in July and that the finalised BAI Rules on Advertising and Teleshopping will be introduced in August 2010.
