Profit beats ‘politics’ in TV and radio

From The Guardian:

The current ban on political advertising prevents all “political” organisations from advertising on TV or radio. The Communications Act 2003, which contains the ban, defines political to include any organisation whose main aim is “to influence public opinion on a matter of controversy”. A definition which, were it not for their overriding profit motive, could even include newspapers. It certainly includes a huge number of campaigning organisations which would not usually be thought of as political organisations; the RSPCA, Amnesty International and the Make Poverty History campaign, whose memorable finger-click ad was confined to cinemas – where the ban does not apply – after being bumped from television by the media regulator, Ofcom.

See the rest of the piece: SocietyGuardian.co.uk | Voluntary sector | Media law : Remove the charity gag