Circular 20/05
Sponsorship
Reference is made to circular 12/05 on the above subject.
Following feedback from stations, the Authority is now in a position to guide broadcasters in its interpretation of sponsored programmes as follows:
(1) It is allowed to identify a sponsor both at the beginning and at the end of the programme.
(2) It is allowed to identify a sponsor not only at the beginning and at the end of the programme but also when the programme is interrupted by advertising breaks. In terms of paragraph 13 of the Third Schedule, a period of at least 20 minutes must elapse between each successive advertising break within a programme. During such interruption of a programme it is allowed to identify a sponsor of a programme.
(3) A segment (rokna) of a programme can be sponsored but mention of the segment’s sponsor can take place only as stated in paragraph 2 above, that is, during one advertising break per segment.
(4) It is allowed to sponsor the weather forecast and the financial news.
(5) It is allowed to sponsor the reading of the time (dan il-hin gie migjub lilkom minn….).
(6) No programme promotion can be sponsored.
(7) “Current affairs” for the purpose of paragraph 23 of the Third Schedule to the Broadcasting Act means a programme dealing with political or industrial controversy or with current public policy. Sports discussion programmes are not considered as “current affairs”.
(8) The sponsor of a programme may advertise within the same programme.
(9) The producer of a programme may advertise within the same programme.
(10) The sponsor of a one-minute information/educational slot may be identified only at the end of that slot.
(11) Sports news (which follows the main news bulletin) can be sponsored.
(12) The credits given in the news bulletin to those companies/persons who provide the newscasters’ clothes plus make up do not constitute sponsorship and hence are allowed.
(13) Cross-media sponsorship is permissible (that is, a radio station or an independent production house can sponsor a television programme or a television station can sponsor a radio programme).
The above clariefies the interpretation of the provisions of paragraph 20 to 23 of the Third Schedule to the Broadcasting Act which read as follows:
“Sponsorship
20. Sponsored programmes shall meet the following requirements:–
a) the content and scheduling of sponsored programmes may in no circumstances be influenced by the sponsor in such a way as to affect the responsibility and editorial independence of the broadcaster in respect of programmes;
b) they shall be clearly identified as such by the name or logo of the sponsor at the beginning or the end of the programmes;
c) they shall not encourage the purchase or rental of the products or services of the sponsor or a third party, in particular by making special promotional references to those products or services.
Prohibited Sponsorship
21. Programmes may not be sponsored by natural or legal persons whose principal activity is the manufacture or sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products.
22. Sponsorship of programmes by undertakings whose activities include the manufacture or sale of medicinal products and medicinal treatment may promote the name or the image of the undertaking but may not promote specific medicinal products or medical treatments available only on prescription.
23. News and current affairs programmes may not be sponsored.”
The provisions of this circular will come into force on 1 st July 2005.
Please bring the contents of this circular to the attention of all your employees and to independent production houses.
Circular 32/04 of 27th October 2004 no longer applies.
18th March 2005