94 pct of commercials violate laws, board says

ANKARA - Anadolu Agency

Turkey’s advertising regulation board has adjudged 94 percent of the ads and the commercials it has reviewed this year to be in breach of the law, prompting it to impose 14.7 million Turkish Liras in total fines.

The regulatory board reviewed 635 ads and commercials this year, and found 601 of them to violate existing laws and regulations.

The board imposed 14.7 million liras in administrative fines against 230 of the ads in addition to preventing them from being broadcast or published, while just banning the remaining 371 ads.

A total of 1,004 complaints have been filed to the board in the last eight months.

A majority of the complaints addressed the food, health and communication services sectors, which were subjected to a majority of the measures, in addition to the banking and insurance sectors.

According to the board, an ad or a commercial should not be deceitful, harmful to safety or property security or encourage crime.

The board is entitled to cease broadcasting, correct and charge with administrative fines.