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The following is issued on behalf of the Broadcasting Authority:
The Broadcasting Authority is inviting public views on its review of the provisions on advertising of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) products; and identification of repeat children's programmes under the TV and Radio Advertising Codes and the Generic Code of Practice on Television Programme Standards respectively.
The existing TV and Radio Advertising Codes prohibit advertising of products or services concerned with smoking cures. To correspond with the Government's anti-smoking policy, the Broadcasting Authority is considering whether to relax the restrictions to allow advertising of NRT products on TV and radio, subject to, among others, conditions to protect the young audience and to ensure safe use of NRT products.
In addition, the authority's Generic Code of Practice on Television Programme Standards contains repeat frequency restriction on children's programmes on domestic free TV. The provision requires the domestic free TV licensees to identify any repeat children's programmes in advance either on air or in the published programme schedule to avoid viewers being misled by outdated information. As the provision governing accuracy of factual contents of programmes was revised to cover children's programmes with educational purpose, which has addressed the issue of inaccuracy, the identification requirement was rendered less significant. To alleviate the regulatory burden on the relevant TV licensees, the Broadcasting Authority is considering relaxing the identification requirement on repeat children's programmes while maintaining the existing repeat frequency restriction.
Details of the consultation are available at the authority's website at http://www.hkba.hk/en/doc/consultation_oct_08_e.pdf
All views and comments should be sent in writing to the Broadcasting Authority Secretariat by November 6 by the following means:
By post:
Broadcasting Authority Secretariat
39/F, Revenue Tower
5, Gloucester Road
Wan Chai, Hong Kong
(Attn: Content Regulation Section 1 - Consultation on Revision of Codes)
By fax:
2507 2219
(Attn: Content Regulation Section 1 - Consultation on Revision of Codes)
By email:
cr@tela.gov.hk
For enquiries, please email to cr@tela.gov.hk or call the Content Regulation Section 1 at 2594 5723.
Ends/Thursday, October 16, 2008
Issued at HKT 11:30
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