Government maintains stand on surrogate advertising
13 Dec 2008
The Government has not decided to maintain its stand regarding surrogate advertising on television. Private broadcasters had requested the government to withdraw its notification prohibiting surrogate advertising on television.
Minister of state for information and broadcasting Anand Sharma said that Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF) in a representation to the ministry dated March 31, 2008 had requested it to withdraw the notification prohibiting surrogate advertising of alcoholic and tobacco products.
The contention of the IBF was that due to the notification, interests of advertising and media sectors were allegedly being affected adversely.
The ministry had received reports about widespread violation of the Advertising Code and had issued the notification.
"Keeping in the mind the sensitivity involved, especially the impression that such advertisements create on minors, the government issued the notification dated February 25, 2008," the minister told Lok Sabha.
The notification said that "no advertisement shall be permitted which promotes directly or indirectly production, sale or consumption of cigarettes, tobacco products, wine, alcohol or other intoxicants".