Broadcast (Amendment) Bill 2003

10 December 2003

A bill to restrict to advertising of certain products, such as toys and foods with high salt, sugar or fat contents, to children. 

Advertising works; children are vulnerable. The Minister has a duty to protect children, their innocence, their hearts and their minds. That does not mean we should cosset, pamper or blinker them. It means we should cherish, nurture and safeguard them.

In 1932, an American psychologist named Edward Tolman said: "Give me a child from any background and I will turn him into anything you want, a scientist, a politician or even a criminal." Those words ring true today. Advertising is aimed at young people and gives advertisers the ability to change a child. The Minister is obliged to protect children.

Children are an ideal target because they are avid television viewers. The methods of Edward Tolman are being used today, most noticeably by the big name brands and by advertising agencies that use television to turn children into consumers. Many countries have put limits on advertising aimed at younger people. Quebec has banned print and broadcast advertising aimed at children under 13 years of age. Luxembourg and Belgium prohibit it before and after children's programmes, while in Italy some children's programmes cannot be interrupted by commercials. An agreement between the Danish Government and the television networks restricts advertising aimed at children. As recently as last week, the British culture secretary, Tessa Jowell, called on the television regulator, Ofcom, to revise the inadequate code in advertising.

We need a curb on junk food advertisements in order to combat child obesity. Ireland does not even have an ombudsman for children, let alone legislation to protect them from the worst of targeted marketing. Governments should give leadership and it is not enough for the Government to wipe its hands of this and leave it to the broadcasting commission. Nor is it enough for the Government to wipe its hands of its responsibility to the vulnerable in society. The Minister should lead and regulate in the public interest.

The clearest example of this is the Swedish model. Sweden is an open society by any international standard where the freedom to receive and disseminate information ranks high. While Sweden has sometimes been criticised for being too open, restrictions have been put in place in recent years. Since 1991, there has been a ban on television advertising aimed at children under the age of 12. Almost all types of advertising directly before, in the middle of or after children's programmes are not allowed under this legislation. It does not deal simply with children's products such as toys, it also looks at the entire food issue. Decisive criteria are used to ensure there is no overt or covert messages aimed at children. We all remember the words of the Pokémon cartoon, "gotta catch them all" which delivered a strong message to children, even in the middle of programming. This is controlled in Sweden and we need similar controls in Ireland. In introducing this Bill, the Green Party has been accused of creating a nanny state. If this nanny is the Swedish model, we would be more than happy for her to play a role in safeguarding our children.

As we take over the Presidency of the EU, the directive on television without frontiers is important. It is not good enough on the eve of taking over the Presidency that we would leave it to a semi-State agency to take responsibility for advertising and children. The Minister should put forward a vision of what we want to achieve and protect our children from the undue influence of advertising. The Minister of State, Deputy Browne, should know something about the food industry, as he was recently the Minister of State with responsibility for food. He should take a lead in this regard. Almost half of advertising aimed at children relates to food and four out of five of those advertisements are for sugary cereals, soft drinks, fast food or salty snacks. We could play a part in combating obesity by introducing legislation in this instance.

Patterns of consumption, attitudes and values are established early in life. Children and young people have become an attractive target group for commercial interests. Advertising works and it is all the more important for the Government to lead by regulating this industry when it affects those in vulnerable age groups.