All holders of relevant ITC licences are required to ensure that any advertising they transmit complies with this Code and to satisfy the ITC that they have effective procedures in place to fulfil this requirement. The ITC itself draws up and revises the rules, advises broadcasters on interpretation, monitors compliance and investigates complaints. It has the power to require advertising which does not comply to be withdrawn. The Broadcast Standards Commission also investigates complaints in the areas of privacy and decency and in relation to advertising. The BSC has no powers to require the withdrawal of advertising.
All bodies publish their adjudications.
The RA licences and regulates the independent radio industry in accordance with the statutory requirements of the Broadcasting Act 1990 and the Broadcasting Act 1996. It plans frequencies, regulates programming and radio advertising and plays an active role in the discussion and formulation of policies which affect the industry and its listeners. In order to enable broadcasters to fulfil their legal responsibility for the advertising which they transmit, while at the same time providing a positive advisory service to advertisers, liaison with advertisers and advertising agencies about the pre-transmission clearance of advertising scripts is handled by this organisation at script stage or earlier if asked. With the exception of some categories of local advertisements, every television commercial must be viewed by representatives of BACC before approval for transmission can be given. Sometimes approval may be subject to conditions regarding transmission times, etc.