Seeing double... plan for more TV adverts

TELEVISION viewers face being bombarded with more adverts.

And it has led the media regulator Ofcom to look at whether to shake-up the TV advertising rules.

It is looking at the “frequency and length” of ads, which could see extra minutes set aside for commercials.

Further product placement could also be considered for screening during dramas and entertainment shows.

It has led to fears that British television will become more like the US, which is renowned for commercial breaks and goods being seen during programmes. One MP last night raised concerns the impact of additional advertising would lead people to “vote with their feet”.

Tory Giles Watling, who sits on the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, added: “They may well not watch a television channel that has too much advertising.

“If you want to have a lot of advertising then have a lot of advertising but you might not get the results you want.

“It could lead to the US model, which would not be desirable at all.” A broadcasting consumer group pledged it would be “looking at this issue very carefully”.

In this week’s document, which looked at the relicensing of ITV and Channel 5, the media regulator said: “We are looking at the rules that set the frequency and length of advertising on broadcast TV.

“These are complex, with limits for public service broadcasters that are stricter than the rules set for commercial broadcasters.

“We have had initial discussions with stakeholders and we expect to be able to outline our next steps later this summer.”

Ofcom will also examine the “trade-off between more adverts or instead allowing more product placement,” according to the report.

It said: “On content subject to commercial arrangements, we are conducting audience research to gain a better understanding of attitudes towards commercial references in programmes and views on the potential trade-off between exposure to more advertising versus more in-programme branding.”

Ofcom is also looking at whether the maximum minutes of advertising per hour remains at the right level or if it needs to be changed.