Broadcasting Act, 1990

Advertising broadcasts by Authority.

3.—(1) The total daily times for broadcasting advertisements fixed by the Authority shall not exceed 7.5 per cent. of the total daily programme transmission time and the maximum period so fixed to be given to advertisements in any one hour shall not exceed five minutes. In the case of the sound broadcasting service known as “Atlantic 252” operating on a longwave frequency and licensed under section 16 of the Principal Act the total daily time for broadcasting advertisements shall not exceed 20 per cent. of daily programme transmission time and the maximum period to be given to advertisements in any one hour shall be as determined by the Authority.

(2) In respect of each financial year beginning with the year commencing on the 1st day of January, 1991, it shall be the duty of the Authority to ensure that the total revenue derived by it from advertising, sponsorship or other forms of commercial promotion in broadcasts in any year does not exceed the amount paid to the Authority pursuant to section 8 of the Act of 1976 in the preceding financial year, that amount having been adjusted by the percentage increase in the consumer price index compiled by the Central Statistics Office for that preceding financial year.

(3) In respect of the part of the year 1990 from the commencement of this Act until the 31st day of December, 1990, it shall be the duty of the Authority to ensure that the total revenue derived by it from advertising, sponsorship or other forms of commercial promotion in broadcasts does not exceed one hundred and twenty per cent. of the balance of the amount of £46.815 million remaining after deducting the amount paid to it pursuant to section 8 of the Act of 1976 in the part of that year preceding such commencement.

(4) If in respect of any financial year or in respect of the period from the commencement of this Act until the 31st day of December, 1990, the statement to be provided to the Minister under section 7 (2) shows that the actual receipts derived by the Authority from advertising, sponsorship or other forms of commercial promotion in broadcasts in that year or period exceeded the limit as calculated in accordance with subsection (2) or (3) of this section, as the case may be, the total receipts which may be derived from such sources in the subsequent financial year in accordance with the said subsection (2) shall be reduced by the amount of the excess.