ADVERTISING ON TELEVISION

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27678, 7 June 1955, Page 8

ADVERTISING ON TELEVISION

NO FORTUNE TELLERS OR UNDERTAKERS (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

(Rec. 8 p.m.) LONDON. June 6. In the rules of advertising issued by the Independent Television Authority, fortune tellers, undertakers and moneylenders will be banned from advertising on commercial television. They will also bar advertisements for marriage bureaux, smoking cures and treatment of alcoholism, and for the first six months at least there will be no betting advertisements. The authority says that the general principle which will govern all television advertising wril be that it should be legal, clean, honest and truthful. Advertisers are told they should use the word “guarantee’*' sparingly and with caution. Irresponsible use of testimonials must be avoided.

Regulations for advertisements in children’s programmes forbid the screening of- anything which might harm them “physically, morally or mentally,” or which “takes advantage of the natural credulity and sense of loyalty of children.” Nothing may be advertised which encourages youngsters “to enter strange places or converse with strangers in an effort to collect coupons or labels.” No advertisement will be allowed “which will lead children to believe, that if they do not own the product advertised they will be inferior in some way to other children.”