Duma Cuts Commercial Breaks

Today the State Duma approved the second reading of amendments to the law on advertising, which provide for reducing the volume of advertising on TV and radio. Parliamentarians voted for the prohibition to make commercial breaks in programs for children, educational, religious programs, radio plays and movies without prior consent of the authors of these programs. It will be also forbidden to cut in with commercial breaks to programs, which highlight governmental activities, and programs, whose duration is less than 15 minutes. Commercial breaks can be made not more than every 15 minutes during the broadcasting of other programs. The sound of commercials cannot be louder than the sound of programs. Russian lawmakers also restricted the broadcasting of commercials of the same products. These amendments were adopted by 331 votes for and one vote against without abstentions.