VRM explains VTM 10,000 euro fine for breach of regulations around sponsorboodschappen

The Flemish Regulator for the Media puts VTM 10,000 euro fine because the transmitter is an infringement has been committed on the regulations around the broadcasting of sponsorboodschappen. That leaves the independent regulator for the Flemish audiovisual media know today.

The VRM checked on 23 november 2017 between 17 and 23 hours, the broadcasts of various televisieomroeporganisaties, including VTM. During that period, was a sponsorboodschap transmitted that does not conform to the regulations.

“From the definitions in article 2, 5° and 41° of the media decree follows that sponsorship a form of commercial communication with the aim to be a company, government or natural person his or her name, trademark, image, activities or products to give more prominence to,” said the VRM. “The definition contains a number of obligations that sponsorship must comply. If, as such, referred to sponsorboodschap do not meet those obligations, a breach is determined.”

From the decision of VRM appears that the advertisement in question, the viewer is directly feed to purchase, and thus not in conformity with article 2, 41° of the media decree.

The VRM held, when determining the sanction in mind that Medialaan already repeated similar infringements committed in each of which an administrative fine were sanctioned. “Given the repeated nature of the infringement, on the one hand and the limited rate for the by implementation, on the other hand, is an administrative fine of 10,000 euros is an appropriate penalty”, the opinion of the VRM.