Television advertising and children: lessons from policy development
Martin Caraher1, Jane Landon, Kath Dalmeny
1Department of Health Management and Food Policy, Institute of Health Sciences, City University, Goswell Place, Northampton Square, London EC1 0HB, UK. m.caraher@city.ac.uk
Public Health Nutrition
|August 23, 2006
Summary
Global regulations for child-directed food advertising show a divide between industry self-regulation and government oversight. Most countries favor voluntary codes over bans, facing challenges with cross-border broadcasting.
Area of Science:
- Public Health Nutrition
- Media Studies
- Regulatory Policy
Background:
- Television advertising significantly influences children's food choices and dietary habits.
- Existing regulations for food advertising targeting children vary widely across nations.
- There is ongoing debate regarding the effectiveness of self-regulation versus legislative measures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review and analyze global policies and regulations governing television food advertising directed at children.
- To identify common themes, divergences, and challenges in current regulatory approaches.
- To understand the perspectives of industry and non-governmental organizations on regulatory strategies.
Main Methods:
- Documentary analysis of legislation and policy documents from global sources and 20 countries.
- Semi-structured telephone interviews with stakeholders in 11 countries.
- Development of a taxonomy of regulatory schemes based on findings.
Main Results:
- A clear tension exists between legislative action and industry self-regulation, reflecting a divide between industry and civil society.
- The food and advertising industries often dispute the impact of advertising on children's food choices.
- Outright bans on advertising are rare; most countries rely on voluntary agreements and self-regulation. Transnational broadcasting poses challenges for national legislation.
Conclusions:
- Regulatory options range from complete bans to partial restrictions or continued self-regulation.
- A global approach to regulation is necessary due to the borderless nature of broadcast media.
- Public health nutrition advocates must actively engage to ensure their concerns are addressed in policy development.
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