The greatest television turn-off is when an advertisement breaks into your favorite show, but soon, employers may be able to air even more advertising.
Public service broadcasters (PSBs) like ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 are subject to restrictions on the number of advertisements they may air, according to watchdog Ofcom.
If they don’t make more money, it’s thought they won’t be able to compete with ad-free streaming services like Netflix.
However, Ed Feast, the head of an advertising firm, is concerned that if viewers feel overrun by advertisements, they will just hit the off button. Any change in the level of service would have an impact and drive some customers away, he said.
The likes of ITV are limited to seven minutes of advertisements per hour throughout the transmission day by regulations from thirty years ago.
Between the peak times of 6 p.m. and 11 p.m., that number increases to an average of eight minutes.
Ofcom is conducting a survey to determine whether PSB stations like ITV should be subject to more lenient regulations than non-PSB networks like E4.
If public service broadcasters (PSBs) don’t increase their revenue, it’s believed they won’t be able to compete with Netflix and other ad-free streaming services. (File photo)
The likes of ITV are limited to seven minutes of advertisements per hour throughout the transmission day by regulations from thirty years ago. Ofcom is considering relaxing these rules.
Every hour, these stations may air an average of 12 minutes of teleshopping and advertising.
Ofcom is also looking at whether PSBs should be permitted to run longer and more frequent commercial breaks as part of any new hourly advertising minute cap.
Given the skyrocketing costs of producing shows like high-end dramas, some in the TV business are yearning for a change. Although many in the advertising sector would have been expected to support the Ofcom inquiry, many are being more circumspect.
They contend that just increasing the amount of ads won’t result in marketers reaching more viewers; rather, the same viewers will simply watch the same commercials more often.
One of the most successful marketing and advertising firms in the world, All Response Media, led by Director of Planning Ed Feast, stated: “The issue is establishing the balance between the experience of the viewer and the demands of the advertiser.”
Broadcasters, production businesses, and advertising agencies are now being consulted by Ofcom. We will react to the consultation in due time, an ITV representative stated.
As for a reaction, Channel 4 stated it “was evaluating.” Channel 5 continued by saying that it was debating whether to submit anything.
We’re not currently consulting on concrete proposals, according to Ofcom. We are looking for early opinions on the defenses of eliminating the tighter regulations.