Watch step, ad industry told

By LOUISA CLEAVE

Advertisers have been warned to watch their step while the Government considers imposing regulations.

Broadcasting Minister Steve Maharey said last night that it was timely for advertisers to "examine whether they are pushing the boundaries further than are tolerable" given public and parliamentary concern about child obesity, teenage drinking and biased information about medicines.

"The heat is really on the industry to look very carefully at public concerns," said Mr Maharey, at the Association of New Zealand Advertisers' annual general meeting in Auckland.

He told the Herald that advertisers did not want regulation, "and we don't want it either", but Parliament was acutely aware there was a rising tide of public interest in the issues.

The Government is considering a ban on the advertising of junk food to children as part of the review of public health legislation, while a top-level review of liquor advertising is also underway.

There is also discussion about direct-to-consumer advertising of medicines.

Mr Maharey said some advertisers had pushed the boundaries and cited the promotion of ready-to-drink alcohol mixes to young women.

He said such products were clearly intended to introduce young people to alcohol.

But Mr Maharey said he believed the advertising industry would "rein themselves in". As minister he realised that TVNZ needed advertisers to pay its way so he could see things from both points of view.