BCAP Broadcast Codes and where to find them

08 December 2004

Now that OFCOM has contracted-out the regulation of broadcast advertisements, the broadcast ad codes, which most of us know as the Radio Authority’s Radio Advertising and Sponsorship Code and the ITC Television Advertising Standards Code, have a new owner.  In effect, that is you, or at least most of those who are reading this article.

If you are a marketing or an advertising professional or work for one of the OFCOM-licensed broadcasters, the Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice (BCAP), which is now responsible for the broadcast advertising codes, represents your professional interests in ensuring broadcast ads both respect the generally accepted principles of fair competition and continue to enjoy high levels of consumer respect and trust that are the envy of other countries.

In your capacity as a consumer, too, you have a stake in the codes, because both codes exist to ensure the public benefits from ads that are legal, decent, honest and true and are prepared with a sense of responsibility to consumers and society.

If you already have a copy of the ITC or Radio Authority Codes that has been issued in the last few years, you will find some changes.  Obviously, the BCAP branding is new and references to those two former organisations are now likely to be to OFCOM, BCAP or the ASA. 

And radio code sections that dealt with programming, sponsorship and broadcaster discrimination between advertisers have been deleted – they remain the responsibility of OFCOM; the BCAP code covers ad content only. 

The TV Advertising Standards Code is complemented by separate sections that cover: text services, appeal to children, scheduling, text and subtitles, interactive TV and the complaints-handling process that the ASA now operates on complaints about broadcast ads.  Both the radio and TV codes have been updated to reflect recent legislation that affects advertising and marketing in the UK.

You may see the broadcast codes on both the ASA website and the CAP website, alongside the CAP Code for non-broadcast ads.

The new rules for advertising alcoholic drinks on TV are included; separately at present, because they will be effective from the beginning of January for commercials on-air from the beginning of October next year.

BCAP will work with OFCOM to consider new rules for food advertising on TV but otherwise will not change the substance of the codes in any meaningful way in the near future.  In the long term, we shall seek to harmonise and simplify the codes.

When making changes to the broadcast codes, BCAP will consult an independent Advertising Advisory Committee, chaired by Elizabeth Filkin, which will meet for the first time early in 2005.

Broadcasters continue to have responsibility for ensuring compliance with the codes.  And advice on and pre-transmission clearance of commercials continues to be available from the RACC and the BACC.  Both clearance centres will continue to play their important role in ensuring radio and TV ads comply with the relevant codes; and they will liaise closely with the ASA and CAP and BCAP in doing so. 

Meanwhile, on the non-broadcast side, CAP continues to serve its stakeholders in maintaining the present high standards in non-broadcast ads.  The CAP Copy Advice team will continue, as before, advising advertisers, agencies and the media on non-broadcast ad content.  If you haven’t consulted the team yet, what are you waiting for?  The advice it gives you is fast, free and confidential from competitors.  So far this year the team has given advice within 24 hours on 97% of enquiries to it.  You may reach Copy Advice on 020 7492 2100, by e-mail on copyadvice@cap.org.uk or by the using the online CAP Copy Advice Form.

The BCAP Radio Advertising Standards Code