Time to rein in producers of dodgy commercials

The figures are alarming. The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission has revealed that a great number of rural radio programmes have been flooded with health- and beauty-related commercials that escape official scrutiny. 

Nearly 90 per cent of advertisements about health products have been found to be against the law and subsequently banned. A daily fine of Bt20,000 has been imposed on violators. Now is time for a crackdown, understandably, but long-term measures must be laid down as soon as possible.

Commercials are among the most slippery things when law enforcement is concerned. There are laws banning “over-advertising” of products but what is over-advertising anyway? 

Certain drinks change the colours of your clothes like magic or turn you into a superman. Some cars are as fast as a jet fighter. There are shampoos that make your hair incredibly strong and healthy. If you use certain brands of toothpaste, you can stop worrying about bad breath for the rest of your life. 

Some are for a laugh, defenders of the commercials say. And you won’t seriously assume that humans can fly after watching an ad, will you?

These folks also say any clampdown on commercials would be a suppression of creativity. In addition, everybody is doing it. If one shampoo ad is taken off the air, shouldn’t all soap and cosmetic commercials go as well?

Media groups’ fight for advertising money will only get fiercer and that means the ethical standards of those involved can keep dropping. It’s probably more worrisome in rural areas because hype flourishes there easily and they are farther away from the eyes and ears of law enforcers. 

The NBTC survey found that products wrongly advertised are for everyday use or consumption. They include cosmetics, food supplements, food and drinks and medicine. A clinic was also on the list. The consumers are simply endangered. The survey was conducted on radio programmes in 10 provinces in all regions including Bangkok. There are rules to observe but over 100 products ignored one or more. If the figures reflect the reality of the whole of Thailand, it means that nearly 90 per cent of radio commercials that we hear day in and day out do not comply with regulations.

We are tempted to ask how much is wrong in the TV industry given the radio industry is infested with questionable commercials? It might be harder to escape official scrutiny on TV, but it certainly must be easier than before. 

There are such things as “commercials in disguise” that feature the promotion of products by programme hosts. Such a practice does not have to get prior official permission, but if the limits are pushed it can be harmful all the same. 

There are also image-promotion commercials, such insurance company representatives sticking by your hospital bed or a telecom firm’s personnel guiding you through your darkest hours. 

Some “feel good” commercials are really good, but the bottom line is that consumers must not be fooled into choosing the wrong product. At a time when media outlets have to compete hard to survive, it’s the job of the watchdog to ensure that no line is crossed at the consumers’ expense.

Consumers are getting smarter, but it is said that producers of commercials are always one step ahead of them. The thin line between telling the public what a product does and outright propaganda is always exploited. This can go on unabated, and what the NBTC has found may be just the tip of the iceberg.