UK Tobacco advertising regulations & Silverstone (no, not Alicia)

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

I've been reading about the British GP debacle. Something struck me as odd about the new anti-tobacco laws in the UK:

It seems British companies will be held liable if they participate in an event ABROAD that features tobacco advertising and is broadcast in the UK, is that correct?

Essentially, most of the Formula One races and MANY major sports events worldwide will be unbroadcastable in the UK. :wtf:

[candy]

1. The whole tobacco thing gets stranger and stranger n/t

[RogueTrooper]

2. Theyjjust use different adverts for different markets

It is all done using computer graphics.

[LibLabUK]

6. Hmm... you sure?

"It is all done using computer graphics"

Not on the cars it's not.

Some of the hoardings at sporting events are filled in digitally, but they're stationary, unlike the 200mph F1 cars.

[muriel_volestrangler]

3. Not sure - have you some links?

It may be that British-run racing companies won't be able to advertise tobacco in events run outside the UK; and that no companies would be able to advertise tobbaco in a British GP, should it ever return. But I haven't heard that TV will unable to broadcast the event as a whole.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

4. Here

http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns13586.html

The loss of the British Grand Prix would be a setback for Britain but many feel it is now necessary for the race to disappear for a year to draw attention to the problems. The backlash against Ecclestone is likely to be fairly dramatic and he may wish to avoid being in the media spotlight in the run-up to the High Court action with the F1 banks over who should be controlling the way F1 operates.

While bargaining is unlikely given what happened in 1997, there is scope for a deal because F1 is about to run into serious trouble with the British authorities over tobacco advertising as the Tobacco Advertising and Promotion Act (2002) comes into effect. The act bans any advertisement that has the purpose or effect of promoting a tobacco product, including broadcast media, billboards, the Internet, direct mail, and product placement. The legislation includes bans on promotions, free gifts, coupons and sponsorships. The legislation comes into full effect on July 31 2005 when transitional arrangements regarding international sponsorships, notably F1, are banned. This law is very strict and states that "a person who in the course of a business publishes a tobacco advertisement, or causes one to be published, in the United Kingdom is guilty of an offence" and says that this includes "transmitting it in electronic form, participating in doing so, and providing the means of transmission". There is also a clause which makes it an offence to even be a party to a sponsorship agreement "if the purpose or effect of anything done as a result of the agreement is to promote a tobacco product in the United Kingdom".

The Act can result in prison sentences up to two years.

These provisions affect not only any team based in Britain but any other companies involved. This would, in theory, include TV companies and even Ecclestone's own Formula One group because it will act as be host broadcaster of various events in 2005.

[muriel_volestrangler]

5. It's the first time I've heard that suggested

The current British broadcaster, ITV, signed a new contract for the next 5 years, earlier this year, so it would seem that they thought they'd still be OK to broadcast the races:
"ITV has agreed a new deal to continue its exclusive coverage of live formula one in the United Kingdom. The channel has extended its commitment to the sport with a new five-year contract until 2010."
http://sport.guardian.co.uk/formulaone/story/0,10069,1202332,00.html