Day 054 - 24 Nov 94 - Page 55

     
     1        practice, the recommendation that was put to the
     2        Independent Television Commission by the National Food
     3        Alliance this summer in Responsible Food Advertising, one
     4        of a large number of recommendations was for the
     5        restriction of advertising of fatty and sugary foods.
     6
     7   Q.   What, by number of ads?
     8        A.  No, because, as I say, we were told that that was
     9        unworkable, but completely during programming.
    10
    11   Q.   You mean not having them?
    12        A.  When children are likely to be watching.
    13
    14   MR. MORRIS:  A ban, in effect, before a certain time?
    15        A.  A scheduling restriction.
    16
    17   MS. STEEL:  I dragged you off the point there we will come back
    18        to that, but going on about other countries, I think you
    19        were going to say something about France and then you
    20        stopped.  Could you go back to that?
         A.  Yes, you are right.  Until recently France placed
    22        restrictions on the use of children in advertisements to
    23        other children.  It was considered that this was not a
    24        technique that was permitted; that was the situation
    25        I understand until two years ago when an EC directive no
    26        longer allowed them to have that restriction in their
    27        regulations in their advertising regulations.
    28
    29   Q.   On what grounds?
    30        A.  My understanding was that most EC regulations seek to
    31        harmonize regulations in different countries, and that had
    32        they maintained it it could have been deemed to be a
    33        barrier to trade which is not acceptable.
    34
    35   Q.   Do you know why there was a restriction on the use of
    36        children in children's advertisements, why they felt that
    37        that was something that needed to be covered by
    38        legislation?
    39        A.  My understanding was that it was considered to be a
    40        technique that was not permitted in advertising to children
         because it was too persuasive.
    42
    43   MR. MORRIS:  What exactly was banned or not allowed?  You did
    44        not say exactly what was?
    45        A.  The use of children.
    46
    47   Q.   No children in children's advertisements were allowed?
    48        A.  Yes, that is my understanding of the code.
    49
    50   MS. STEEL:   Was there anything about other countries that you 
    51        wanted to add? 
    52        A.  I think I have given some examples of where the Codes 
    53        of Practice differ.
    54
    55   Q.   Do you know what the -- I do not know whether you have
    56        covered this, I do not think you did, but do you know what
    57        the situation is in Canada?
    58        A.  Yes, I have been informed that some channels in Canada
    59        do not permit advertising to children at certain times.
    60