The BAI has today (27th April) published the revised General and Children’s Commercial Communications Codes.
The Codes detail the rules that apply to advertising, sponsorship, product placement and other commercial communications aired by Irish radio and television stations.
The two statutory Codes will come into effect from Monday 2nd May next. From that date onwards, Irish broadcasters will be permitted to include paid product placement in programming that they make or commission. However, paid product placement will not be allowed in children’s programmes, during news and current affairs programmes, documentaries, religious programmes and services or talk/chat shows where more than 20% of the programme regularly includes news and current affairs.
Commenting on the changes to be introduced, BAI Chief Executive Michael O’Keeffe said: “On behalf of the BAI, I would like to thank all those who contributed to the consultation undertaken in early 2011 on these two codes. Their input was an essential part of the process used to finalise the two Codes and shaped in a significant way the final decisions on the rules to be applied to product placement.”
Copies of the revised codes and guidance notes are available on the BAI website