TRAI extends date for comments on ad regulations

New Delhi: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has extended till 24 September the date for comments by stakeholders on its draft amended regulations with regard to advertisements on television channels.

Trai has reiterated in the draft amendments that the advertisement duration ceiling of twelve minutes per hour announced by it on 14 May this year was as mandated by the central government.

TRAI said in a statement on Tuesday that the decision to extend the period for comments was taken at the request of stakeholders. The amended regulations were issued on 27 August and responses were sought by 11 September.

In the amended regulations, while TRAI suggested that the restriction on maximum duration of advertisements carried in the programmes of a TV channel shall be regulated on a clock hour basis, it brought live telecast of sports into the ambit of the regulations.

The draft regulation "Standards of Quality of Service (Duration of Advertisements in Television Channels) (Amendment) Regulations, 2012" said the provisions in the Cable TV Networks Rules 1994 with regard to the maximum duration of advertisements that can be carried per hour cannot be applied differently for different hours of the day, thereby discriminating the consumers? viewing experience depending upon the hour of the day.

Noting that the duration and the format of advertisements on TV channels were generally not in accordance with the provisions laid down in the advertising code under the Rules, TRAI had on 16 March this year issued a consultation paper, "Issues related to Advertisements in the TV channels", with the primary objective of striking a balance between giving a consumer a good TV viewing experience and protecting the commercial interests of broadcasters.

Based on the views/comments of the stakeholders, including consumers and consumer organisations, analysis of various aspects, facts and available studies, TRAI had notified the "Standards of Quality of Service (Duration Of Advertisements in Television Channels) Regulations" on 14 May 2012.

This had been challenged by several broadcasters in Tdsat and so the regulator decided to review the Standards of Quality of Service (Duration of Advertisements in Television Channels) Regulations, dated 14 May 2012.