Codes

Review of Provisions Governing Television Programme Sponsorship

The revised codes for programme sponsorship for domestic free television programme service came into effect in June 2003. The relevant licensees were required to submit a written report to the Authority by end December 2003 on the use of sponsorship in drama programmes and the public's response to the new sponsorship format. After having considered the reports, the Authority was pleased to note that there was no adverse viewers' reaction on the use of new sponsorship formats in dramas. The Authority was also glad that the licensees welcomed the relaxation and anticipated that the new measures would help to increase their sponsorship revenues in 2004.

Review of Provisions Governing Title Sponsorship in Television Programme Segments

In association with the review of the provisions on product/service sponsorship in dramas, the Authority approved the revisions to the Generic Code of Practice on Television Advertising Standards to relax the 15 seconds time limit on title sponsorship for programme segments exceeding 10 minutes on a pro-rata basis on domestic free television programme service. To safeguard the viewing interest of the audience, the licensees are required to exercise reasonable efforts to avoid clustering of such references within certain segments of the programmes. The new provisions came into effect on 13 August 2004.

Review of Provisions Governing Financial Advertising on Television and Radio

Arising from the enactment of the new Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap.571) in April 2003, the Authority also approved the recommendations of the Codes of Practice Committee to introduce consequential amendments to the provisions relating to financial advertising in the television and radio advertising codes. The purposes of the amendments were to remove those ordinances which had been repealed and to fine-tune the text of the provisions on financial advertising to reflect the latest statutory provisions. The revisions to the relevant Codes came into effect on 13 August 2004.

Review of Provisions Governing Advertisements for Lotteries and Football Advertising on Television and Radio

Under the Betting Duty (Amendment) Ordinance (BDO) (Cap.108), the authorized licensee, i.e. the Hong Kong Jockey Club, is permitted to advertise betting on football matches on television or radio outside the hours between 4:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. on any day.

To tie in with the commencement of the BDO in July 2003, the Authority made consequential amendments to both its Television and Radio Codes of Practice on Advertising Standards in August 2003 so that the advertising of football betting and information on related products and services are permitted on domestic television and radio on a restrictive basis. Such advertisements are further prohibited from broadcast on radio and on domestic free television during the "family viewing hours", i.e. between the hours of 4:00 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., or at times when the programme is targeted at young persons under the age of 18.