Circular 38/08

Circular to all Broadcasting Stations

Broadcasting Authority’s Interpretation
of the 20-Minute per Clock Hour of Advertising Rule:
The Position of Short Programmes

Further to Circular 30/08 dated 27th June 2008, the Authority would like to clarify that paragraph 13 of the Third Schedule to the Broadcasting Act applies to programmes and not to broadcasts aired during a given clock hour.

In the case of programmes which are of less than 20 minutes duration hereinafter referred to in this Circular as “short programmes”, it is permissible to have adverts at the beginning or at the end of the short programmes even if 20 minutes have not elapsed between one advertising break and another. However, in such short programmes, it is not permissible to have adverts within the short programmes. In other words, such short programmes cannot be interrupted by adverts.