British Junk-Food Ad Ban Rocks TV Business

BRITISH JUNK-FOOD AD BAN ROCKS TV BUSINESS
[SOURCE: AdAge, AUTHOR: Emma Hall]
Marketers and media owners are counting the cost following U.K. regulator Ofcom's surprise decision to end junk-food advertising to all children under 16. Under the ban, U.K. media owners could lose $75 million in ad revenue in 2007. Hardest-hit will be the dedicated children's channels, which will lose up to 15% of ad revenue. For all commercial broadcasters, the lost ads represent up to 0.7% of their income, according to Ofcom's own calculations. Ofcom's ruling includes a total ban on advertising foods high in fat, salt and sugar (referred to as HFSS), not only around children's programming but also in youth-oriented and adult programs which attract a lot of viewers under 16. Many of the marketers involved have voluntarily stopped targeting young children in recent years, and moved their campaigns onto youth channels such as MTV, believing they were safe in targeting teenagers.
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