Prasar Bharati
In this Code, unless the context otherwise requires:-
Advertising is an important and legitimate means for the seller to awaken interest in his goods and services. The success of advertising depends on public confidence; hence no practice should be permitted which tends to impair this confidence. The standards laid down here should be taken as minimum standards of acceptability, which would be liable to be reviewed from time to time in relation to the prevailing norm of listeners’ susceptibilities.
The following standards of conduct are laid down in order to develop and promote healthy advertising practices in All India Radio. Responsibility for the observance of these rules rests equally upon the Advertiser and the Advertising Agency.
All those engaged in advertising are strongly recommended to familiarize themselves with the legislation affecting advertising in this country, particularly the following Acts and the Rules framed under them:-
EXCERPTS FROM THE CODE OF ETHICS FOR ADVERTISING IN INDIA ISSUED BY THE ADVERTISING COUNCIL OF INDIA.
Introduction
Along with the development of a very complex distribution system, the requirements of a market economy, faced with the need for ensuring a regular flow of mass production, have given rise to the development of new techniques of sales promotion.
Of these, advertising has proved itself to be of inestimable value for producers and distributors as well as for consumers. It enables the former to maintain contact with customers who are widely scattered and often unknown, and it assist the latter in choosing those goods and services that are the best suited to their particular requirements.
Advertising has become an important social and economic force in the world today. It is therefore, essential that any unfair advertising practice likely to alienate public confidence would be eliminated. Hence the need for rules of conduct drawn up for the purpose of preventing possible abuses and of promoting and increasing sense of responsibility towards the consumer on the part of the advertisers, advertising agencies and media owners and suppliers.
Recognising that the legitimate function of advertising is the advocacy of the merits of particular products or services, this code is intended to be applied in the spirits as well as in the letter and should be taken to set out the minimum standards to be observed by the parties concerned. This code does override all ethical standards in advertising laid down by individual organisations, but it does not supersede the standards of practice laid down by individual organisations as incumbent upon their own members and applying to their own particular trade or industry.
This code has bee drafted for the guidance of advertisers, manufactures, distributors, advertising agents, publishers and suppliers or various advertising media. The harm to the individual that may result from exaggerated, misleading or unguaranteed claims justified the adoption of a very high standard and the inclusion of considerable detail in a Code to guide those who are concerned with this form of advertising.
Newspaper and other advertising media are urged not to accept advertisements in respect of any other product or treatment from any advertiser or advertising or publicity relating to that product or treatment. The provisions of this Code do not apply to an advertisement published by or under the authority of a Government, Ministry or Department, nor to an advertisement published in journals circulated to Registered Medical Practitioners, Registered Dentists, Registered Pharmacists or Registered Nurses.
Definition :
‘Drug’ includes for internal or external use for human being or animals all substances intended to be used for or in the treatment, mitigation, or prevention of disease in human being or animals, other than medicines and substances exclusively used or prepared for use in accordance with the Ayurvedic or Unani system of medicines.
(As approved by the Advertising Agencies Association of India ,Bombay);
Member shall take all steps to assure themselves as to the financial soundness of their clients.
Obligations to Fellow Agencies:
In the event of a member providing to the satisfaction of the Executive Committee that a client has withdrawn his Account on the grounds of the Member’s refusal to undertake unethical Advertising (as described above) no other member shall accept any business whatever from the said clients.