Longer and more frequent ads: Ofcom weighs up advert rules as the UK eyes American model to stay competitive
Ofcom said it may extend the time and frequency allowed for advertising breaks on UK TV as the watchdog eyes up an American-style model.
As part of a review of broadcasting rules, the change could mean Brits have to see more ads, with less time in between them.
Current rules set by Ofcom mean that public broadcasting channels are limited to an average of seven minutes of advertising per hour across the day, blocking the likes of Channel 5 from serving long segments of ad footage.
Meanwhile, private channels like Sky are allowed nine minutes for advertising and an extra three for teleshopping.
Discussing the move, an Ofcom spokesperson said: “We’re scoping a range of options, but before we form any plans we’ll listen to different views and examine what TV viewers say.
We need to strike the right balance between protecting viewers’ interests and sustaining our traditional broadcasters”.
The move comes as Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries eyes up privatisation plans for Channel 4, and the landscape becomes increasingly competitive for broadcast TV in a world of video streaming.
Dorries recently pushed back against critics of privatisation, stating that it is about saving the broadcaster rather than destroying it.
Speaking during a phone-in session on LBC radio last month, the Culture Secretary defended accusations that the government pushed forward with privatisation because of the broadcaster’s contrasting politics.
“It’s not ideological”, Dorries told listeners, adding: “I have said that Channel 4 sometimes doesn’t do itself any favours, but I couldn’t care less what they report on the news”.
She admitted that she “quite liked” C4 shows, even citing Gogglebox and First Dates as some her favourite to watch.
The minister focused on the investment opportunities that a private Channel 4 would bring.
“The sale of Channel 4 is about saving Channel 4”, she said. “And the reason why we’re selling Channel 4 is because it’s state-owned and Channel 4 wants to raise funding in order to make more of that great content”, Dorries explained.
She said the margins in the linear advertising space were getting thinner and thinner, leaving C4 at the mercy at some of the bigger players dominating and entering the market.
Dorries added that the government ultimately needed to “set Channel 4 free” to allow it to be a bigger and better.
She also said that although the broadcaster was in a good financial position at the moment, this may not always be the case; Dorries raised concerns that it would be down to the government to lend it money or bail it out of any financial woes.