The National Media Council has issued today the regulation of advertising content in UAE Media, reinforcing a number of fundamental ethics mainly respect for religious, cultural, and social values and norms in society, as well as empowering free speech and constructive interaction with the Media.
This regulation also aims to develop advertising sector as a crucial economic development tool in the UAE, and is keen on providing a balance media content that is responsible and fair and respects individual privacy, and protects the different communities from harmful influence.
The regulation contains frames and standards regulating advertisements and procedures to follow their implementation in accordance with international laws and regulations pertaining to this sector, in alignment with the general local politics and federal government strategies. The regulation comes as an implementation of the council’s operational plan, answering organizational requirements in this regard.
The regulation also contains a confirmation of media and advertising content standards stipulated in existing laws and regulations and Press charter issued by the Emirates’ Journalist Association, and in alignment with the internationally recognized regulations.
The council has discussed the first draft of the regulation with media organizations and free zones in the UAE, receiving feedback most of which has been taken into consideration and added to the list.
The regulation also contained an article stressing that the used language in the advertisement should be either Standard Arabic or local Emirati dialect. Another article prohibits all forms of tobacco advertisements, in an implementation of Federal law no.18 for the year 2009 pertaining to tobacco control as well as an article prohibiting advertising for any and all Alcoholic beverages, banned mind-altering substances of all forms or ways of intake in a direct or indirect manner, finally, it also prohibits any advertisement pertaining to witchcraft or occult.
As for healthcare related advertising, the regulation stressed on commitment to healthcare advertising regulations stipulated in law no.7 of 2007 by the Cabinet.
In conclusion, the regulation has contained an article committing every Media entity to take upon itself the responsibility of following and implementing the regulation standards, and specifying that said entities must deal in a positive and prompt manner with any feedback or complaints received from the main target i.e. the public, or from any other party.
WAM
