Product placement in the Czech Republic
23.06.2010Company: Amcham
Since 1 June 2010 the Act on Audiovisual Media Services has been effective which has implemented so-called product placement and also the regulation of commercial services on the internet.
Product placement, i.e., the placement of a particular product or a brand in the action of the programme is possible both on TV and the internet. It occurs in films, serials, sport and entertainment programmes. It is however necessary that a viewer’s attention is drawn to the advertisement, e.g., in the closing credits.
The new act has also implemented a regulation which is similar to the one for TV broadcasting in the case of the so-called audiovisual media services on demand. In this case, the programme composition is in the hands of the viewer who himself decides when and what he will watch (e.g., internet portals containing videos). The operator must, in compliance with the regulation, announce the operation of these services to the Council for Radio and TV Broadcasting within 30 days from the beginning of their provision. The council can check the provided services, especially, to make sure that their content is not racially, ethnically, religiously, sexually or otherwise sensitive. A penalty of up to 2 million crowns can be imposed for failure.
The act regulates, among other things, the restriction of advertisements on video websites, in particular advertisements promoting cigarettes and other tobacco products, alcohol and prescription medicines.
