Advertising Commercial Communication

Making A Complaint

You must complete this form in full

Under Section 48(1)(d) Children’s Commercial Communications Code & General Commercial Communications Code of the Broadcasting Act 2009, any listener may refer a complaint to Coimisiún na Meán if they are unhappy about advertising / commercial communication content on an Irish licensed broadcasting service (both radio and television). Your complaint must be made no later than 30 days after the broadcast.

If any member of the public is of the opinion that a programme or segment of a programme broadcast on our station has breached a provision of the Broadcasting Act 2009 or failed to comply with a provision of the CNAM codes and is not satisfied with the station’s response they are entitled to submit their complaint to the CNAM. This should be done within 14 days allowing the time limit for the station’s response. Information on codes and the CNAM complaints procedure can be found at www.cnam.ie

When submitting a complaint concerning a commercial communication, a complainant may refer to the Children’s Commercial Communications Code or the General Commercial Communications Code.

A commercial communication is defined as “any form of announcement on radio and television coming within the recognised character of advertising, sponsorship and teleshopping and any other form of commercial promotion”.

General Commercial Communications Code

Main Sections:

1. General principles and rules applying to all commercial communications (including the protection of the individual & society; offence, harm and human dignity; transparency; and assessment)
2. General rules pertaining to all advertising and teleshopping
3. Rules pertaining to specific advertising techniques
4. Rules pertaining to sponsorship
5. Television product placement
6. Rules pertaining to specific products and services
7. Prohibited communications
8. Appendix (a list of principal legislation that may affect commercial communications)

Children’s Advertising Code

Main Sections:-

1. Social values
2. Inexperience and credulity
3. Undue pressure
4. Special protection for children in advertising
5. General safety
6. Violence
7. Diet and Nutrition
8. Parental responsibility
9. Programme characters
10.Product prohibitions and restrictions
11. Identification and separation
12. Insertion of advertising

Please complete in full

Details of complaint

Advert / Title

Date of Broadcast: dd/mm/yr

Time of Broadcast (if applicable)

Is the complaint an infringement of : (please select relevant category

48 (1)(d) General Commercial Communication Code

YesNo

48 (1)(d)Children’s Commercial Communications Code (Children’s advertising refers to advertising that promotes products, services or activities that are deemed to be of particular interest to children and / or are broadcast during and between children’s programming. Children’s programmes are programmes that are commonly referred to as such and/or have an audience profile of which over 50% are under 18 years of age)

YesNo

Please complete this section briefly, summarising the main points of your complaint:

Date form completed:

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Complainant:

Surname:

First Name:

Mr. / Mrs. / Ms.

Address:

Daytime Phone Number

Your Email (required)

Is the matter complained of the subject of any proceedings in a court of law in the Republic of Ireland.