Ofcom has announced the renewal of the co-regulatory arrangement that designates responsibility for the day-to-day regulation of broadcast advertising to the ASA system. This arrangement was originally contracted out to the ASA for ten years in 2004 when our role and remit extended to cover, for the first time, TV and radio advertising. It also meant the formation of the Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice, which became responsible for setting and revising the UK Code of Broadcast Advertising.

Ofcom’s renewal of our co-regulatory arrangement follows a public consultation in which it invited comments from all interested stakeholders.
Having a single regulator covering all media brings great benefits for consumers, society and for business:

Easier for consumers – A single advertising regulator for all complaints

Free to the taxpayer – The system is funded by the industry, not the tax payer

Simpler for advertisers – Nearly all aspects of advertising regulation are under one roof

Technology neutral and high standards for all approach – All ads, wherever they appear, are subject to the same high standards

Harmonious decision making – Cross media adjudication decisions are made by a single body, the ASA

Ofcom will continue to act as our legal ‘backstop’ power for broadcast advertising. The new arrangements are intended to run for a period of ten years until 1 November 2024.

ASA Chairman, Lord Smith said: “We’re delighted that our co-regulatory partnership with Ofcom has been renewed. It makes sense, as it did in 2004, for consumers, advertisers and society alike to have one organisation regulating ads across all media including TV and radio. We look forward to the next ten years and working to make every UK ad a responsible ad”


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