Day 047 - 07 Nov 94 - Page 46

     
     1        all the time, it's not necessarily a problematic conflict.
     2
     3   Q.   But the more children are, rather than using pester. In
     4        your word, nagging their parents, the more conflict there
     5        is likely to be created?
     6        A.  That may be so, yes.
     7
     8   MR. MORRIS: I think we are talking here about something of
     9        enormous public health implications which is the fact,
    10        which I think you probably accept, that a lot of children's
    11        advertising, advertising directed at children during
    12        children's programming, is of foods that are sugary and
    13        fatty foods, is that correct, you would accept that?
    14        A.  Certainly.
    15
    16   Q.   And there have been concerns, have there not, through the
    17        Health of the Nation pamphlets and percolating to the ITC,
    18        that advertisers and advertising has a responsibility to
    19        try and improve the health of the nation or try not to
    20        undermine efforts in anyway to improve the health of the
         nation?
    22        A.  Yes.
    23
    24   Q.   And we are talking here, if we are talking about effective
    25        advertising on children, then a substantial part of that is
    26        going to be the kind of foods that have health implications
    27        because of the amount of that advertising that is going out
    28        to children, is that correct?
    29        A.  I think all foods have some health and diet
    30        implications, but yes, what you say is broadly correct,
    31        yes.
    32
    33   Q.   And so, your example about vegetarianism, which is not an
    34        issue in this case -- .
    35
    36   MR. JUSTICE BELL: No, we are not worried about that.
    37
    38   MR. MORRIS: But the thing is, that is not as a result of a
    39        massive advertising influence on children. There is no
    40        massive advertising, basically urging children to become
         vegetarians.
    42        A.  I find it difficult to draw a distinction between the
    43        validity of a message that comes through an advertisement
    44        and the validity of a message that comes through any other
    45        form of activity. It is the view that we hold that all
    46        statements by organisations should be subject to the same
    47        kind of rules, the fact is that there are only rules about
    48        advertising. There are no rules over what can be said in
    49        editorials, what can be said in public places, what can be
    50        said in court. I think there are rules on that point --  in 
    51        advertisements we do actually have very well constructed 
    52        and very well argued over standards, but I believe that the 
    53        morality of what one can say outside advertising and what
    54        one can say in advertising should be viewed in broadly the
    55        same way. So if a non advertisement urges people to do
    56        something of an outrageous nature I think that, personally,
    57        that is just as much deserving of scrutiny as if an
    58        advertisement does.
    59
    60   MR. MORRIS: Well, is it not true though, that advertising is a