Advertisers concerned over inconsistency

Press, 9 April 1980, Page 20

Advertisers concerned over inconsistency

“The Association of New Zealand Advertisers has become more and more concerned recently at the increasingly more arbitrary and inconsistent manner in which various branches of the media judge what can and cannot be printed, screened or broadcast,” the president of the Association (Mr Colin Mortensen) says in his Annual Report to members. Advertisers have often found that advertisements I which are approved by private radio are turned down! for broadcast by Radio New,' Zealand. Similar situations! apply within the print media, : and television standards do

[not seem to apply equally to •all advertisements. I “Not only is this inconsistency confusing and costly to the advertiser but it is also encouraging Government and regulatory intervention by ’public demand,” Mr Mortensen said. “In order to avoid more Government regulations to control and direct advertisitng, the industry must be seen Ito be monitoring and contrbliling itself.” I A.N.Z.A. has been actively pursuing two avenues within I the industry, Mr Mortensen ■said. I The first is the formation 'of an Advertising Industry Council to co-ordinate and foster advertising within New Zealand. The second is the promotion of the need to establish an all-embracing and consistent self-regulatory system, and A.N.Z.A. has suggested the adoption of the British Code of Advertising Practice as a viable starting point, he said. In his report Mr Mortensen also expressed A.N.Z.A.’s concern over the continued high level of funding by advertising revenue of Broad-; casting’s operations. “Advertisers will fund some!

)i75 per cent of Broadcasting’s [operational costs during the ■l9BO years. That is up from ’labout 50 per cent in 1978. i| “This sort of level is, I; A.N.Z.A. believes, neither in ’: the best interests of the pub■|lic nor the advertising industry. >: “A.N.Z.A. will continue to 11 lobby actively for a more .[equitable television licence i, fee.” . I During the year A.N.Z.A.

had made various representations and public statements 11 concerning advertising rates J .in New Zealand. G’l T : “However, there • still ret mains within the'advertising , industry —' and in particular ji within the orbit of the teleJi vision industry •— a notion | i that the advertisers’ expenditure bucket is bottomless. ' “A.N.Z.A. both privately and , 1 publicly, has waged a cainp- ' aign to dispel this misguided • notion, and, together with a ' new mood of questioning and l of reappraising traditional 1 1 media purchasing, among ad- ’ vertisers, both the media and j the advertising agencies are-; | now realising that the point L ; has been reached where the;. 1 cost of advertising has be-|| ’ come a real influence on the ; [supply of, and demand fori; advertising,” Mr Mortensen h Isays. I]