Latest news with #alcoholads
The Sun
2 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
Plans for nanny-state ban on prime-time alcohol ads binned by Wes Streeting
PLANS for a nanny-state ban on prime-time alcohol ads have been binned by the Health Secretary. The Sun understands Wes Streeting has now rejected calls to outlaw advertising booze between 5.30pm and 9pm. The ban would have included ads such as David Beckham' s for Stella Artois. The crackdown was set to be part of Mr Streeting's landmark 10 Year Plan for the NHS, which will be unveiled on Thursday. A source confirmed the ad-ban won't feature but there will be new proposals for tackling problem drinking. Responding to news that ads will stay, an industry source said: 'Sports supporters, clubs and boozers will all raise a glass to this decision, whether they watch games on the terraces or on TV. 'It keeps a vital source of money flowing into sport from top to bottom.' Shadow Business Secretary Andrew Griffith had previously said of the plans: 'This is nothing but nanny statism from an incompetent Labour government waging war on pubs. 'This would be the final nail in the coffin for many.' Junk food ads are to be banned between 5.30pm and 9pm from October. 1
The Guardian
20-05-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
New Australian free-to-air TV rules could allow alcohol ads from 10am, even on weekends and school holidays
Free-to-air broadcasters want classification rules changed to allow an additional 800 hours of alcohol ads every year despite one in three children already being exposed to liquor commercials on television. Despite laws banning alcohol marketing during children's viewing hours, broadcasters have a 'sports loophole' in their code of practice which permits the airing of alcohol ads during televised sporting events. A revised code of practice, which the Australian Communications and Media Authority (Acma) is considering this month, does not close the loophole and instead proposes extending M programming slots, during which alcohol ads are allowed. The code would establish a revised set of rules for what can and cannot be shown on commercial television. The extension proposed by Free TV Australia would mean daytime M programming would expand from three to five hours a day – from 10am to 3pm – and there would be no allowances for school holidays and weekends when children are home. On the eve of a decision by Acma on whether to register the revised code, the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education (Fare) has released a study which found 70% of Australian children aged 15 to 17 recalled seeing alcohol ads in the previous month. Television is the major source of the ads. Sign up to get Guardian Australia's weekly media diary as a free newsletter The Fare CEO, Ayla Chorley, said more needs to be done to protect children and young people from the harms of alcohol advertising. 'This really underscores the need for reform to the regulation of alcohol advertising, like the commercial TV code of practice, which allows a sports loophole,' Chorley said. 'It defies logic that even though alcohol companies aren't supposed to market their products to under 18s, they are allowed to advertise during televised sporting events when they know thousands of kids are watching. 'This new data highlights how critical it is that the Acma rejects Free TV Australia's draft code of practice and demand an approach that meets community expectations – one that protects our children from harmful alcohol advertising at all times.' Julia Stafford from the Cancer Council of Western Australia said the 'insidious creep' of alcohol marketing into every area of children's lives must be stopped. 'We know that when children are exposed to alcohol ads, they are more likely to start drinking earlier in life and at riskier levels,' Stafford said. Acma has already indicated the proposal may not meet community standards and said in a response to the draft revised code in November: 'Viewers may have concerns about any extension of time when alcohol advertising is permitted on television.' The proposal to extend M zones is just one of the changes to the self-regulatory Free TV code of practice, which has not been updated for a decade. Sign up to Weekly Beast Amanda Meade's weekly diary on the latest in Australian media, free every Friday after newsletter promotion Children and Media Australia's submission on the draft code argues it will make it unsafe for children because they will encounter M content during weekends and school holidays as well as from 7.30pm. 'These proposals show a profound lack of concern for children and their lives, and a lack of interest in serving the family audience,' CMA said. Free TV has ignored Acma's suggestion that it update the code to include content provided online, which would take in their streaming services 9Now, 7Plus and 10Play. 'The Acma considers that viewers would benefit from broadcasters committing to voluntarily extend some or all of its broadcast television safeguards to all television content provided online,' the response said. These catchup services are not subject to regulation by Acma. The broadcasting watchdog urged Free TV to follow ABC and SBS's lead and provide content safeguards for all of its audience. Acma said viewership of broadcasters' on-demand services continues to grow, rising from 18% in 2017 to 43% in 2023, while free-to-air viewership continues to fall. Since 2022, more Australians watch streaming services than free-to-air television. However, the self-regulatory codes of practice for broadcasters do not apply to the streaming services, or to the online catchup TV services offered by the networks.
