NTV in trouble for excess advertisng

Bengali entertainment channel NTV has been found in breach for excess advertising.

Media regulator Ofcom noted that an advertising scroll continuously in a banner towards the bottom of the screen throughout a 20 minute episode of the family drama serial, ‘Maya Nigom’, which started at 21:00 and the 21:30 News, which ended at 22:10.

The channel accepted it had made a mistake, and apologised, adding that the banner shown in News and ‘Maya Nigom’ contained both editorial and an advertisement that the Licensee considered it “should have dealt more cautiously.”

The channel’s advertising was in excess of the 12 minute maximum permitted in each of the clock hours 21:00 to 22:00 and 22:00 to
23:00. This was in breach of Rule 4 of COSTA.

Ofcom welcomed the action the channel had taken in this instance to avoid recurrence. Ofcom added: “We were concerned, however, that the procedures the Licensee had had in place to ensure Code compliance had been inadequate and reminded NTV of the importance of ensuring its staff were able to comply content.”

NTV breached rule 9.2 of and rule 4 of COSTA.