Ofcom looks at further easing of UK ad rules

UK communications regulator Ofcom wants to review the rules governing UK TV advertising with a view to further relaxing some of the regulations introduced following the merger of ITV companies Carlton and Granada in 2003.

Various rules were introduced at that point, as the largest ITV franchise holders joined forces. As part of its draft annual plan, Ofcom would like to review the Airtime Sales Rules. This would stretch to reviewing advertising minutage and break patterns for public service and other channels.

Ofcom chief executive Ed Richards said: “In the last few years the TV sector has moved on with substantial increases in the take-up of digital services and in the number of available channels, and consolidation in the advertising buying sector. If regulations have no public interest then they should be removed; that is what we will be considering here.”