On April 20 the National Commission on Television and Radio held a working meeting of NCTR Chairman Grigor Amalian with the heads of the national and local TV companies. At the meeting the issues of strong alcoholic drinks advertising, actively broadcast on Armenian TV air, was discussed. According to NCTR representatives, the National Commission is not always able to apply sanctions to broadcasters due to the imperfection of the RA Law “On Advertising”. As it has been reported, the amendments to the Law, prohibiting, in particular, the advertising of strong beverages (but for brandy) and tobacco products in broadcast media, were adopted by the Parliament on June 26, 2002 and enacted since January 1, 2003 (see YPC Weekly Newsletter, June 22-28, 2002). Yet the amounts of alcohol, particularly, of vodka type, on the air did not reduce since that time. The TV companies started to indirectly advertise alcoholic drinks by brand promotion, since the Law did not stipulate any punishment for such a “trick”. However, this “indirectness” was so straightforward that the viewers had no doubts as to the advertising object.
At the NCTR meeting it was agreed to completely stop the TV advertising of strong alcoholic drinks since June 1, 2005.
