Pr10 asa tasksheet

1. BTEC ExtendedDiplomainCreativeMedia:Unit 45 Commercial ProductionforRadio
PR10: Regulation&ItsImpact onContent
Answerthe followinganduse youranswerstoconstructa secondarticle onregulation,with
images/logos of all organisations toillustrate yourarticle.
Anyadvertisementhastoabide bya code of advertising andworkwiththe AdvertisingStandards
Authority.
Followthinktothe ASA website
https://www.asa.org.uk/
Clickon ‘ABOUTASA’
1. Describe whatthe ASA isand whatit does
The ASA (AdvertisingStandardsAuthority) isa UK Independentregulatorof advertingacrossall
formsof the mediaindustry.Theyhave strictguidelinesandcodeswhichare writtenbythe
committeesof advertisingpractice.Theirworkincludestakingactionagainstcomplaintsand
proactivelychecking the mediatotake actionagainstany misleading,harmfuloroffensiveadverts.
The ASA isa non-statuary organisationand therefore cannotinterpretorenforce legislation,
howeverit’sadvertisingpractise broadlyreflects legalisation inmanyinstances. Itisa non-
governmental organisationtherefore the governmentcannotcontrol the advertisingindustryand
use it forpropagandauses,butthe ASA isfundedbya levyonthe advertisingindustry.Nomarketing
communicationshouldbe mislead,orbe likelytomisleadorinaccuracy,ambiguity,exaggeration,
omissionorotherwise. The ASA isthe one of the onlyadvertisingregulators,if notthe only
advertisingregulatorwithinthe UnitedKingdom.
2. Nowscroll downand clickon‘AboutRegulation’.Whichorganisationregulatesthe ASA
undera contract?
As the ASA are the UnitedKingdom’sadvertisingregulatoracrossthe mediaindustry,theirwork
includesactingoncomplaintsandcheckingthe mediawhethertotake actionagainstadsthat violate
theirtermsand conditions.The ASA carriesoutmanyregulatingactivitiestomake sure advertising
stayswithinthe rules,forexamplethe ASA activelychecksadsinadsinall mediacategoriesand
conductssurveysof advertisementspublishedbysectorswhere there iseitherunsatisfactory
compliance withtheirbroadcastingcodesorwhere concernsare made aboutthat sector.ASA works
togetherwithCAP(Committee of AdvertisingPractice)theyworktosupportthe industryandto
make sure that ads are rightbefore theyare published,like forexample,providingguidance,pre-
publicationadvice andtrainingforthe industry. Withmillionsof advertsthataren’tbroadcasted

2. BTEC ExtendedDiplomainCreativeMedia:Unit 45 Commercial ProductionforRadio
each yearwithinthe UKso it wouldbe impossible forthemtopre-cleareveryadvert,thoughwith
helpfromCAPwiththeirAdvice andTraining,lotsof advice andguidance isavailable
3. Whichindustrycommitteeswritethe codeswhichare followedbythe ASA?
The committee thatwritesthe non-broadcastingcode are the CAP(Committee of Advertising
Practice) as a formof to be enforcedbythe ASA whocan take stepstoremove or have amendedany
ads that breachthese rulesof conduct. Asfor the broadcastingcodes,the committee thatwrites
themare the BCAPwhoare the Broadcast Committee of AdvertisingPractise,bothCAPandBCAP
are independentlyadministeredbythe AdvertisingStandardsAuthority(ASA). Thesethree
organisationsworktogethertoprovide asafe andreliable adspace forall advertisements
broadcastedwithinthe UnitedKingdom
4. Clickon the link ‘Industry’then‘UKCode of Broadcastadvertising’.Read throughthe code
and listthe points,withaBREIF summary
From the picturesabove,youcansee the broadcastingcodespresentedbythe BCAP(Broadcast
Committee of Advertising whichare setinplace tostop advertisersoffendingorcausingharmto any
listeners. These guidelinesare necessaryforadvertisersasif theywere notinplace thenthe
advertisercoulduse misleadingandoffendingcontenttotryand promote theirproduct.There are
too manycodesto mentionbutthese codesstandoutthe most.For example,withgamblingthey
ask the advertisersnottoportray,condone or encourage gamblingbehaviourthatisseenas socially
irresponsible orwhichcouldleadtofinancial,socialoremotional harm, theyshouldalsonotsuggest

3. BTEC ExtendedDiplomainCreativeMedia:Unit 45 Commercial ProductionforRadio
peerpressure intogambling,withthisspecificcode theyhave rulesthataimedatall advertisements
thentheyhave a subsectionthatisspecificallyaimedatgamblingadvertisementswhichisagood
optionas theyare able to grouprulesunderone code.Thisis notthe case withothercodesas some
justhave rulesthat are just groupedasone,like harmand offense forexampleastheyhave one
code whichisfollowedby12 rulesthatexplainwhatadvertiserscanandcannot do.For example
withHarm and Offense there isarule thatsays “TelevisionOnly –Animalsmustnotbe harmedor
distressedasaresultof the productionof anadvertisement” whichissayingif ananimal isharmed
duringany stage of productionof an advertthenthe ASA can take actionagainstthe advertas it has
brokenthe UK Codesof Broadcast Advertising.The codesof advertisingare keptupto date on a
regularbasis.
5. Clickon howto complywiththe codesandbrieflysummarisehow anadvertisercanuse ASA
to helpthemcomplywiththe code
There are manywaysus as the viewerandadvertiserscancomplywiththe broadcastingcodes,for
example of the easiestwaysistophone inand talkto one of the advisersatCAP (Between9AMand
5:30 PM) it’ssimple andeasyto do whetheryouwanttocomplainaboutan advertisementorif they
justwant general knowledgeonacertaincode/rule. There are alsotrainingandeventsthatoffera
great range of trainingand eventstohelpyougetto gripswiththe advertisingrules,thisiswhere
you’re a beginneroranexperiencepractitioner.Thisincludesthe ASA Agencygraduate training
seminarswhichtake place everyOctoberforgraduatesfromadvertisingagencies,itisanexcellent
opportunity forgraduatestogainan understandingof the advertisingregulationsystemissetup
and howit issupportedbythe advertisingindustry.AsCAP’scommitmenttoincrease the advice and
trainingtoeverybusiness,theyhave introducedonline training,givingthe opportunitytofindout
howto complywithparticularsectionsof the code fromthe comfort of your ownhome or desk,this
systemisa workin progresswhichiscurrentlynotfinishedsodon’texpecttosee all modules
finishedandofferedout.
6. Clickon the section‘make acomplaint’andsummarise whathappenedif acomplaintis
made (tohelpwiththisclickon rulingsand non-compliantadvertiser,witha‘naughty’listof
those that are currentlynotcomplyingwithcode…interestingreading!)
There are manywaysthat a listenercanmake a complaint to the ASA,firstlyyouwanttomake sure
on whatthe ASA coverand if theycan act upon yourcomplaint,if youare unsure youcan call upto
discussthe complaint. If youfail tomeetthe demandsof ASA withyouradvertisement,thenASA will
take action againstyouradvertisementandstopitfrombeing broadcasted.Onthe website youare
able to viewNon-compliantadvertisersandwhytheiradvertisementwastakendown.The Non-
compliantlistingswillremainonthe websiteuntil theyhave appropriatelyamendedtheirmarketing
inline withthe advertisingcode,atwhichpointtheywill be removed. If the advertiserwouldlike
helpor advice aboutadvertisingthentheycanvisitCAP’sadvice Website.