Ofcom allows more teleshopping on TV

Against the background of falling advertising revenues, media regulator Ofcom has made changes to allow broadcasters to generate additional revenues from teleshopping.

For the first time, Public Service Broadcasters (PSB) such as ITV, Channel 4 and Five will be able to telecast teleshopping slots but only between midnight and 06:00.

In limiting teleshopping on PSB channels to overnight transmissions, Ofcom balanced the recognition that teleshopping services could contribute to PSB funding with its view that teleshopping content does not contribute to the public service remit.

In yet another change, non-PSB channels will be able to broadcast more than three hours of teleshopping a day. The previous rule of three hours of teleshopping has been relaxed. Non-PSB services include Asian TV channels such as ZEE TV, Sony Entertainment Television Asia and STAR, all of which show teleshopping slots various times per day.