BCI bans loud adverts -

r3nu4l

According to this the latest Broadcasting Commission of Ireland rules have banned television stations from turning up the volume durign advert breaks

What I noted in teh article was that the stations said that advertisers have the right to expect the stations to do something to attract attention to the adverts!

Now, I recall not so long ago a certain television station represenattive saying that they did not increase the volume during ad breaks and that this was a natural difference between the program being aired and the volume the ads were set at! Seems that was a lie!

Anyway, this is great news and will hopefully save us all rushing for the remote to turn down the volume during the ads but does anyone know does this apply to broadcasters beaming adverts into the country from another country? In other words, will Channel 4 et al., have to obey this rule?

Mossy Monk

r3nu4l wrote:

In other words, will Channel 4 et al., have to obey this rule?

it would be nice if they did but i wouldnt think so

Our man in Havana

You mean TV3 surely?

r3nu4l

I mean TV3 what? ...and don't call me Shirley, boom boom

Seriosly, TV3 what? representative saying they don't increase ad volume?

Channel4 beams adverts from the UK to Ireland.

Are you being funny? Do you mean because TV3 is no longer Irish owned that it's foreign?

Forgive me, slow day

Our man in Havana

TV3 has very loud ads. I would have thought that the BCI would tackle TV3 first.

r3nu4l

Bond-007 wrote:

TV3 has very loud ads. I would have thought that the BCI would tackle TV3 first.

Did you read the article? Registration is free!

They have tackled the Irish channels, in the new draft of the code of practice, increased advert volume will be banned for Irish broadcasters. My question is will this code cover channels from outside the Republic who beam signals into Ireland - Channel 4, UTV, Sky etc. Can the BCI stop them increasing the volume of adverts?

Here is the article in full so you can read it:

Irish Independent wrote:

THE irritating practice of pumping up the volume for TV ad breaks was almost unanimously rounded on by the public in the recent consultation on advertsing codes for Irish broadcasters.

This practice is one of the only aspects of advertising which has been banned in the new draft codes for advertising, which have taken a light-handed approach to restrictions.

Overly-loud ads are one of the more recent advertising developments, and show why advertising rules need to be updated regularly.

Product placement and the sponsorship of news programmes - currently a controversial topic in the US - were also given the thumbs-down in the new advertising code for broadcasters.

With regard to noisy ads, TV channels had argued that advertisers had a right to attract attention. But ad breaks running louder than the programming came under fire in most submissions received by the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland (BCI).

Under its new draft codes, channels will have to do "everything reasonably possible to ensure that advertisements do not sound louder than adjacent programming".

The draft code, which contained few surprises, did open up sponsorship and clarify the rules for bookies. It also removed some archaic measures, such as a ban on ads for money lenders.

The last thing that the Irish broadcasters and advertising industry want is more restrictive rules at a time when more and more TV stations offer advertising in this market.

There were fears that a highly detailed set of statutory codes would be imposed on the sector, at a time when competition for Irish broadcasters is heating up.

The Children's Advertising Code introduced in 2005, for example, was seen to be too detailed by giving exact rules for products such as fizzy drinks.

However, the code published last week outlined principles, rather than exact details. While statutory codes for the advertising of alcohol are included in the draft code, advertisers are also pleased that they include a reference to voluntary guidelines drawn up last year.

Steve Shanahan, of advertising body IAPI, said: "They have appeared to take a very different approach to this than they did with the Children's Code. They've gone with broad principles."

He said that while the body would like to have seen restrictions on political advertising lifted, for example, it generally found the proposals reasonable.

Radio stations will also be impacted by the rules, with the new guidelines restricting the way in which presenters talk about products during shows. While broadcasters and ad industry insiders had urged a broad approach to the codes, others might see this as a vague document.

On the one hand, we are living in a world where the internet sends messages to us in a unregulated manner. In these circumstances, is it unfair to clamp down on radio and TV?

On the other hand, advertising is a powerful medium and lobby groups have rightly raised concerns about its impact on young people and other vulnerable members of our society. And these groups may feel that the codes have not gone far enough.

One of the big questions is what punishment stations which breach the codes will face.

As the BCI's annual report revealed, 30 stations breached advertising codes last year, while time limits for advertising was breached by three commercial stations The BCI has been criticsed for its light-touch approach to regulation and the watchdog will be heavily reliant on "a culture of compliance" in order for the latest code to make any difference.

However, a document published by the broadcasting watchdog earlier this year signalled that the body would be taking a tougher line on compliance in the future.

The regulator said that in takeover deals, compliance records will not be taken into account before it gets the green light. The BCI needs to have a tough sanction available which will ensure that stations stick to the rules, however sparingly it is used.

Sorry if I wasn't clear before, hopefully this is better.

r3nu4l

Mossy Monk wrote:

it would be nice if they did but i wouldnt think so

I know Channel 4 and UTV are different so they probably can't control those channels, so I guess you are right there.

So what about Sky etc.? These channels broadcast from abroad but the adverts come from Irish companies and are specifically targetted to Irish customers. It probably depends on the wording of the code of practice but I imagine this should be tackled.

Evil_Bilbo

bad news for barry scott - good news for the nations sanity.

Ruu_Old

Bye bye Barry! No more "WHOOOOOAAAA BODDDYYYFOORRMMM, BODYFORM FOR YOOUUUUU!"

Mossy Monk

Ruu wrote:

"WHOOOOOAAAA BODDDYYYFOORRMMM, BODYFORM FOR YOOUUUUU!"

lol, is that ad still running

r3nu4l

Ruu wrote:

Bye bye Barry! No more "WHOOOOOAAAA BODDDYYYFOORRMMM, BODYFORM FOR YOOUUUUU!"

A perfect example of why this rule should stay in the new draft proposal from the BCI

Ruu_Old

Mossy Monk wrote:

lol, is that ad still running

I think from time to time yes.

byte

Ruu wrote:

Bye bye Barry! No more "WHOOOOOAAAA BODDDYYYFOORRMMM, BODYFORM FOR YOOUUUUU!"

ROFFLE! I hate the ad but in this thread that was hilarious!

mike65

Y'know the absolute volume level is no higher - they achive the loudness factor by COMPRESSION!

Mike.

OFDM

mike65 wrote:

Y'know the absolute volume level is no higher - they achive the loudness factor by COMPRESSION!

Mike.

This is also the reason why dialogue in a movie on TV will often be a lot quieter than for TV programmes - cinema audio isn't compressed because of the high volume generally used in cinemas.

Do the BCI actually have any power over RTE? I thought they could only direct TV3 and independent radio stations on what to do?

Lump

What Mike65 said It's not louder, just all the sounds are compressed into the level.

John

Dave!

hmmm, never noticed the volume being any louder on ads to be honest wierd

J.R.HARTLEY

OFDM wrote:

Do the BCI actually have any power over RTE? I thought they could only direct TV3 and independent radio stations on what to do?

Interesting question, i couldn't find anything on BCI.IE that explicitly states whether they do or not. but they do have power over all braodcasters so in a vague statement it seems like they do..... but

mickd

Its about time bloody ads were deafening. Now can they do something about the RTE news theme it lifts you out of the seat particularly at the beginning and end of ad breaks.

mike65

Its designed to wake you up or call you from the kitchen.

Mike.

monkeyfudge

OFDM wrote:

Do the BCI actually have any power over RTE? I thought they could only direct TV3 and independent radio stations on what to do?

They do have some power now since the last broadcasting act. It's the BCI who gets to allocate the 5% of the license fee that anyone can apply for to make programming, of course they pretty much gave all the money back to RTÉ and TG4.

Wertz

Indo article wrote:

Radio stations will also be impacted by the rules, with the new guidelines restricting the way in which presenters talk about products during shows.

I feel this little gem was overlooked (yes I know it's the TV forum).
The constant twittering by Irish radio presenters (I won't call them DJ's since they're not) about whatever item the marketing department is whoring themselves out to this week....the bombardment of sponsored competitions and sponsoring of whole programme slots by brand names for breakfast cereal, coffee or some other banality is downright insulting to the listening public and is a real turn off.


Also an interetsing point about the fairness of restrictions V the Internet advertising system...the difference being that for the most part you can avoid most of the internet marketing systems or make them a lot less invasive if you so deem...the only way to do that on TV/Radio is to turn the channel or hit the power off switch...

Milktrolley

TV3's ads are loud.

I was at one of them Public Service Meetings that RTÉ do have in Tullow two years ago, where the topic was brought up. Cathal Goan asked for a show of hands where an overwhelming majority complained of loud ad breaks. He said it wasn't something he was aware of, but if it's that noticeable then clearly "they'd have to look into it".

TempestSabre

Those changes in volume drive me nuts. As others have said you usually notice it during movies the worst. That said a lot of DVD's are poorly mixed aswell, you are deafened by the effects, but can't hear the dialog. Its not just me either you find everyone in the room is asking you to turn the volume up and down constantly.