Broadcasting Act 1981

Section 8.

SCHEDULE 2 Rules as to Advertisements

1 (1) The advertisements must be clearly distinguishable as such and recognisably separate from the rest of the programme.

(2) Successive advertisements must be recognisably separate.

(3) Advertisements must not be arranged or presented in such a way that any separate advertisement appears to be part of a continuous feature.

(4) Audible matter in advertisements must not be excessively noisy or strident.

2 The standards and practice to be observed in carrying out the requirements of the preceding paragraph shall be such as the Authority may determine either generally or in particular cases.

3 The amount of time given to advertising in the programmes shall not be so great as to detract from the value of the programmes as a medium of information, education and entertainment.

4 Advertisements shall not be inserted otherwise than at the beginning or the end of the programme or in natural breaks therein.

5 (1) Rules (to be agreed upon from time to time between the Authority and the Secretary of State, or settled by the Secretary of State in default of such agreement) shall be observed as to the classes of broadcasts (which shall in particular include the broadcast of any religious service) in which advertisements may not be inserted, and the interval which must elapse between any such broadcast and any previous or subsequent period given over to advertisements.

(2) The Secretary of State may, after consultation with the Authority, impose rules as to the minimum interval which must elapse between any two periods given over to advertisements, and the rules may make different provision for different circumstances.

6 In the acceptance of advertisements there must be no unreasonable discrimination either against or in favour of any particular advertiser.

7 (1) The charges made by any programme contractor for advertisements shall be in accordance with tariffs fixed by him from time to time, being tariffs drawn up in such detail and published in such form and manner as the Authority may determine.

(2) Any such tariffs may make provision for different circumstances, and. in particular, may provide, in such detail as the Authority may determine, for the making, in special circumstances, of additional special charges.

8 No advertisement shall be permitted which is inserted by of on behalf of any body whose objects are wholly or mainly of a religious or political nature, and no advertisement shall be permitted which is directed towards any religious or political end or has any relation to any industrial dispute.

9 If, in the case of any of the broadcasting stations used by the Authority, there appears to the Authority to be a sufficient local demand to justify that course, provision shall be made for a reasonable allocation of time for local advertisements, of which a suitable proportion shall be short local advertisements.