BULGARIA TO PUT TEMPORARY BAN ON TV ADS
By Adnews Staff
Bulgaria has voted to ban advertising on state-owned TV. At a second reading of the Law on Radio and Television, parliament adopted amendments to ban prime time ads on state-owned TV until a private nationwide license is awarded. In addition, the total primetime advertising to be allowed on Bulgarian National Television will be five minutes. If enacted, the temporary ban would override BNT's contracts with advertisers, agencies, media buyers and others who have bought air time on two state channels, Kanal One and Efir-2. Parliament did not discuss how to compensate advertisers. BNT says it could lose 80% of its ad revenues as a result of the ruling, while foreign productions would be hardest hit because they receive 40% of the ad revenues they bring to state TV.