NBTC, FDA work to bar illegal content
Ads cut for dietary products, make-up
Almost 100 products such as dietary supplements and cosmetics have been removed from TV broadcasts and social media between May 4 and 25 through collaboration between the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The NBTC and FDA yesterday held a joint press conference reporting on the progress of effort to eliminate the broadcast and posting of disqualified dietary supplements and cosmetics on TV and social media from May 4.
Takorn Tantasith, secretary-general of the NBTC, said both organisations already banned the broadcast of illegal ad content for dietary supplements and cosmetics on 54 TV channels, 80 websites and one radio station. The 54 TV channels include 12 terrestrial digital TV channels and 42 satellite TV channels.
Mr Takorn said the joint measure was made possible through fast-track regulatory enforcement to enhance efficiency.
The NBTC held special discussions with the FDA and all broadcast operators to resolve the problem of illegal ad content on TV and social media. The FDA assigned six officers to move to the NBTC’s headquarters to monitor improper or illegal content.
Mr Takorn said the latest move helped shorten the procedure. A process that previously took 45-60 days per case now takes only one day, he said.
“After three weeks of collaboration, the number of illegal ads and content via TV broadcast has been significantly reduced because of the efficiency of the working team from the two agencies,” he said.
However, illegal dietary supplements and cosmetics have still been widely broadcast on websites, with 50 URLs found having banned content on this subject matter between May 21-25. All of these websites have now removed the content, said Mr Takorn.
He said the working team will now focus more on prohibited content on websites and all 6,000 community radio stations across the country.