The Broadcasting Authority is set to relax the time limit on title sponsorship on domestic free television programme services.

At its meeting today, the authority, upon the recommendations of its Codes of Practice Committee, approved revisions to the Generic Code of Practice on Television Advertising Standards to relax the time limit.

The existing time limit restricting the broadcast of title sponsorship to 15 seconds per programme segment of 10 minutes or more was introduced in June 2003.

Relaxation effective August 13

Under the amended provisions the authority approved, the licensee will be allowed to increase the duration of title sponsorship in programme segments longer than 10 minutes on an incremental pro-rata basis, at the ratio of 15 seconds per 10 minutes.

Arising from the enactment of the new Securities & Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571), the authority also approved the Codes of Practice Committee's recommendation to introduce consequential amendments to the provisions in the television and radio advertising codes relating to financial advertising.

The revisions to the relevant Codes on title sponsorship and financial advertising will come into effect on August 13, 2004.

As regards the proposal to amend the advertising codes to extend the time restriction for broadcast of lotteries and football betting advertisements on television and radio, from between 4pm and 8.30pm to between 4pm and 10.30pm, the authority noted there are diverse views within the Codes of Practice Committee.

The BA considered that its family viewing hour policy which regulates broadcast of material which is unsuitable for children and youths is a long established policy.

No lottery, football betting ads from 4-8pm

Since there has not been any public complaint against football-betting related advertisements since the provisions were introduced in August 2003, it would not be appropriate to make exceptions to this well-established policy, the authority says.

Lottery and football betting advertising is covered by the relevant provisions on Unacceptable Products or Services in the Television & Radio Advertising Codes, which mirror  the existing restrictions, prohibitions and exemptions stipulated in related statutes.

Having carefully considered the issue, the authority decided to uphold the existing advertising codes which prohibit lottery and football betting advertisements between the hours of 4pm and 8.30pm on domestic free television and radio.

At the same meeting, the authority considered PCCW VOD Limited's submission on the milestones on capital expenditure according to its domestic pay television programme service licence.

The authority was satisfied that PCCW VOD has complied with two milestones regarding the cumulative capital expenditure incurred for providing its domestic pay television service, that is not fewer than $20 million and $32 million by the dates specified in the licence.

Deadlines for Galaxy to defer

In addition, the authority approved an application from Galaxy Satellite Broadcasting Limited to defer the deadlines of two milestones falling due on August 23, 2004 and August 23, 2005 by one year to August 23, 2005 and August 23, 2006.

The milestones require that the numbers of premises passed by its domestic pay television programme service should not be fewer than 500,000 and 800,000.

The authority approved the application having regard to the difficulties of Galaxy in developing its distribution network and required Galaxy to submit a progress report and a rollout forecast to meet the remaining premises-passed milestones by end of February 2006.

630 complaints received in June

The authority also noted that in June, the Office of the Commissioner for Television & Entertainment Licensing dealt with 431 cases involving 630 complaints (including 143 cases involving 219 complaints received in June ).

Of these 431 cases, the authority considered two cases (two complaints, the Commissioner for Television & Entertainment Licensing dealt with 153 cases (249 complaints), and 276 cases (379 complaints) are still under investigation.

In relation to the 153 cases (249 complaints) considered by the commissioner, 18 cases (19 complaints) were classified as minor breaches, 83 cases (161 complaints) as unsubstantiated, and 52 cases (69 complaints) as outside the authority's remit.

For details, please refer to the Broadcasting Authority's website.