The Council for Cable and Satellite Broadcasting is considering levying a NIS 200,000 fine on the Sports Channel for broadcasting a subliminal Pele-Phone advertisement.
The advertisement was broadcast two months ago during a summary of a game in the top Israeli soccer league. Under the law, the broadcasting concern is liable to a fine of up to NIS 70,000 for this violation. The NIS 200,000 fine, if it is imposed, will be divided among all three cable companies and the satellite broadcasting company, each of which broadcasts the channel.
A subliminal advertisement is an advertising message appearing on the screen for a fraction of a second. No viewer is capable of seeing the individual frame, which is designed to penetrate subconsciously.
Sports Channel head Mylan Tanzer said in response that until six months ago, the Sports Channel had worked with the regular sponsors of the various leagues, with the full consent of the Council for Cable and Satellite Broadcasting. "Six months ago, the rules were changed and the council presented things the way they are supposed to be under the new restrictions. We made the changes, and we will check what happened in the case of that subliminal advertisement. If anything was amiss, it was certainly an innocent mistake. We just missed it," Tanzer said.
A Pele-Phone spokesman said in response that the company was unaware that a subliminal advertisement had been broadcast on the Sports Channel, and the matter would be checked. The cable and satellite broadcasting companies are forbidden to sell advertising.
Broadcasting Regulatory Administration director general Adv. Yoram Mokady said initial examinations of the matter were under way. He added that if a fine were levied, it would be the first time that the Council for Cable and Satellite Broadcasting had enforced its authority on this issue. It was granted the ability to do so several months ago.
Published by Israel's Business Arena on December 12, 2001