Broadcast Code For Advertising to Children Complaint Case Summaries

Non-Identified Case

Clause 6: Scheduling
Industry: Children’s Advertisers and Broadcaster
Region: Ontario
Media: Television
Complaint(s): 2 separate complaints about commercials airing in two different programs

Description: Commercials for children’s products were broadcast during television programs directed to children under 12 years of age.

Complaint: The complainant identified two viewing occasions during which multiple commercials for the same product were aired during the same half-hour program, contrary to the 6(a) of the Broadcast Code for Advertising to Children (Children's Code), which states: "the same commercial message or more than one commercial message promoting the same product cannot be aired more than once in a half-hour children's program."

Decision: The broadcaster explained that this had occurred due to inadvertent scheduling errors, and that measures had been put in place to avoid future such occurrences. Based on the acknowledged facts, Council upheld the complaints, finding that the scheduling of these commercials contravened Clause 6(a) of the Children's Code.

Given that appropriate corrective action was taken, the involved parties are not identified in this case summary.

Infraction: Clause 6(a) of the Broadcast Code for Advertising to Children.

April 2014

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