AO2

What is BARB?
BARB is short for Broadcasters Audience Research Board

BARB was set up in 1981 to provide the industry standard television audience measurement service for broadcasters and the advertising industry. BARB is owned by BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5, BSkyB and the IPA (Institute of Practitioners in Advertising) and is a not for profit company limited by guarantee.

BARB commissions contractors to provide research services, including the production of audience viewing figures, on its behalf. The audience measurement contracts are held by the following companies - RSMB, Ipsos MORI and Kantar Media (formerly known as TNS).

What is RAJAR?

Radio Joint Audience Research Limited is an organization that counts the number of people listening to each of the radio stations in the United Kingdom

RAJAR is jointly owned by the BBC

RAJAR (Radio Joint Audience Research Limited) was established in 1992 to operate a single audience measurement system for the radio industry - BBC and UK licensed commercial stations.

The company is wholly owned by the RadioCentre (the trade body representing the Commercial Radio stations in the UK, formerly known as Commercial Radio Companies Association or CRCA) and by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). RAJAR is structured as a 'deadlocked' company, Board decisions require the agreement of both parties.

Whilst the Board debates and ratifies important decisions of policy and principle, more detailed discussion, and where relevant, decision-making, takes place in the Technical Management Group (TMG).

In addition to BBC and the RadioCentre representation, membership of the Board and TMG recognises the interests of the advertising community, which is represented by the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA). In addition a representative of the Incorporated Society of British Advertisers (ISBA) attends Board meetings.

RAJAR's non-executive independent Chairman chairs meetings of the Board. The day to day operations of RAJAR are the responsibility of the Chief Executive and Research Director.

From 2007, the RAJAR research contractors are Ipsos-MORI for fieldwork and reporting and RSMB for weighting and sample design.

What is the Audit Bureau of circulation? 

ABC (Audit Bureau of Circulations), the industry body for media measurement.

We inspire market confidence by delivering a valued stamp of trust across the media world. Our data is used by a wide range of decision makers:

• Media owners
• Media agencies
• Advertisers
• Rights owners
• Investors
• Management

Who are we owned by?

We are governed by the industry, for the industry. Our Board includes advertisers, media agencies, media owners and trade bodies. They represent the interests of the industry across multiple platforms.

Because we are a membership body, any profits are invested back into the business. We are continually innovating to meet changing industry needs and developments.

Our Board members are nominated by the following industry trade associations and bodies:

We have two roles:

• We manage and uphold standards which reflect media industry needs. These standards determine best practice in how media industry data is prepared and reported.
• We offer a world class audit and compliance service to check that data and processes meet these industry agreed standards.

We offer a variety of services for media owners to report their brand performance across print, digital, events and evolving platforms.

Measuring reach

Our team of expert auditors check figures for print, digital, events and evolving platforms. To us, measuring reach is all about taking a census approach which means counting rather than using a survey sample.

Measuring engagement and loyalty

Digital channels have opened up a range of options to track people’s engagement with content and loyalty to a brand. Our expertise in web traffic provides confidence in duration and repeat visitor metrics.

Raising digital standards and protecting reputation

We work with JICWEBS to help create common standards for digital measurement and good practice throughout the industry. We verify a growing number of digital trading processes to ensure they are compliant with these standards. This gives media agencies confidence in industry claims, protecting the reputation of owners and advertisers.

Accrediting digital service providers

Because we are experts in digital standards, JICWEBS has asked us to accredit digital service providers across the industry. This includes web analytics providers, hosting companies and other third parties. We verify that their processes can meet industry standards, increasing trust  throughout the industry.

We also offer consultancy, advice and training services. Please contact us atinfo@abc.org.uk to discuss how you could benefit from our expertise.

What is the ASA?

Advertising plays an essential role in today’s world. It informs, entertains and promotes healthy competition.

Our aim at the ASA is to ensure that consumers do not just enjoy the ads they see, but they can trust them too.

We build that trust by enforcing the Advertising Codes written by the Committee of Advertising Practice and acting swiftly when marketing communications break the rules.

Every week, the ASA’s decisions send out clear signals about what is and is not acceptable in advertising across a wide range of sectors. As a result of our work - and the UK industry’s commitment to advertising responsibly - the vast majority of ads that we see are legal, decent, honest and truthful.

Download our Guide to the ASA leaflet [pdf] for a quick summary of what we do.

The ASA is here to make sure all advertisements are legal, decent, honest and truthful.

We are independent of both the Government and the advertising industry and we are recognised by the Government, the courts and other regulators such as the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) and Ofcom as the body to deal with complaints about advertising.                                                            

Our work includes acting on and investigating complaints as well as proactively monitoring and taking action against misleading, harmful or offensive advertisements, sales promotions and direct marketing. 

Just one complaint can lead to an ad being withdrawn and we’ve made sure the complaints procedure is as quick and easy as possible.  If we uphold a complaint about an ad, the advertiser must withdraw or amend the ad and not use the advertising approach again.

We aim to resolve complaints as soon as possible and strive to ensure a healthy working relationship with advertisers and media owners.  We work with the Committee of Advertising Practice to educate and train advertisers on the rules to help prevent problem ads from appearing in the first place.

Download our Guide to the ASA to find out more about what we do.

Found out more about how we deal with complaints.

What is CAVIAR?

Cinema and Video Industry Audience Research Ltd - Established in 1985 to provide reliable cinema audience figures for MEDIA PLANNERS, which it derives from periodic sample surveys of about 2,500 British cinema-goers between the ages of 7 and 44. Time will tell what long-term effect this new initiative may have on the recently reviving fortunes of CINEMA ADVERTISING.

What is CAP?

Admired around the world for its creativity, the UK advertising industry sets the standard in successful self-regulation. Our industry is governed by codes of practice that are designed to protect consumers and create a level playing field for advertisers.

The Codes are the responsibility of two industry Committees - the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) and the Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice (BCAP) and are independently administered by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).

Non Broadcast CAP

Role

CAP was set up in 1961 in order to regulate all print advertising and prevent the need for time-consuming government legislation. CAP writes and reviews the British Code of Advertising, Sales Promotion and Direct Marketing that all advertisers have to adhere to.

This Code is the industry’s method for ensuring advertisers meet the high level of standards the public demands whilst keeping a level playing field amongst advertisers. The Code broadly covers misleadingness, harm and offence, and breaches of taste and decency.

Members

The Committee of Advertising Practice is a tripartite body made up of the representatives of advertisers, agencies, media owners and other industry groups, all of which are committed to upholding the highest standards in advertising.

CAP members

Advertising Association
Cinema Advertising Association
Direct Marketing Association
Direct Selling Association
Incorporated Society of British Advertisers
Institute of Practitioners in Advertising
Institute of Promotional Marketing
Internet Advertising Bureau
Mobile Broadband Group
Mobile Marketing Association
Newspaper Publishers Association
Newspaper Society
Outdoor Media Centre
Professional Publishers Association
Proprietary Association of Great Britain
Royal Mail
Scottish Newspaper Society

Clearcast
Radio Advertising Clearance Centre

Industry Panels

The ad industry is central to the success of the self-regulatory system and in addition to the bodies who make up CAP and BCAP, the system receives invaluable support though three industry panels:

Sales Promotion and Direct Response Panel (SPDRP)

General Media Panel (GMP)

Online Publications Media Panel (OPMP)

As the name suggests, the SPDRP concerns itself with sales promotions and direct marketing. It advises on non-broadcastadvertising only. The OPMP too is medium-specific, and advises on the proper distinction between editorial and advertising in online publications.

The GMP’s composition means it can consider both broadcast and non-broadcast matters. 

The role of the Panels is to provide industry expert advice on the interpretation and development of the Advertising Codes and a forum for information exchange between the industry and the ASA and CAP Executive. It is often an opportunity for marketers to have industry representatives review an aspect of an investigation and to feed into the decision-making process. Although consideration is given to its recommendations and the Minutes of the meeting will be given to the ASA Council if relevant, the Panel’s opinion is not binding on either the Executive or the ASA Council.

The Panels may be asked to discuss a recommendation before the ASA Executive gives it to Council, specific copy advice, the application of a Code clause, the interpretation of a claim, common industry practice or other general regulatory subjects. The Executive may use the Panels to help draft Help Notes or revisions to the Codes for the consideration of CAP and BCAP. The Panel will almost never consider scientific or highly specialised evidence: it leaves those matters to the experts.

The SPDRP and the GMP are both made up of a Chairman, an ASA Council representative, about ten marketing or media practitioners, the Secretary (Director of Advertising Policy and Practice) and an Assistant Secretary (the CAP Compliance Manager for the SPDR and the Copy Advice Manager for the GMP). The OPMP is composed of the Chairmen of ASBOF and PRESSBOF.

The Chairman of the GMP is Farah Ramzan Golant. The Chairman of SPDRP is Philip Circus.

The scope of the SPDRP's and the GMP's work is wide-ranging. They have, for example, considered issues of social responsibility in alcohol and gambling ads and also in sales promotions, the independent judging and observing of prize draws and competitions, nutritional claims in food ads, RRPs, online remit for promotions and remit related to affiliate marketing, general and specific Code development matters and the application of the new Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations. 

Industry Panel members

General Media Panel (GMP) members

Farah Ramzan Golant (Chair)
Tess Alps
Sarah Bennison
Helen Buck
Shahriar Coupal (Secretary)
Tim Evans
Peter Gatward
Steve Goodman
Gareth Jones (ASA Council)
John Laidlaw
Andrew Melsom
Mike Moran
Sue Oake
Steve O’Meara
Mike Parker
Simon Rhodes
Claire Serle (Assistant Secretary)
Karen Stacey
Gillian Wilmot

Sales Promotion and Direct Response Panel (SPDRP) members

Philip Circus (Chair)
Peter Batchelor
Mark Challinor
Shahriar Coupal (Secretary)
Daphne DeSouza
Mark Dugdale
Michael Halstead
Caroline Roberts
Bruno Sheldon (Assistant Secretary)
Paul Whiteing
Nigel Walmsley (ASA Council)

Online Publications Media Panel (OPMP) members

Sir Christopher Powell, Chairman, ASBOF
Lord Black of Brentwood, Chairman, Pressbof

Broadcast CAP 

The Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice (BCAP) is responsible for writing and reviewing the UK Code of Broadcast Advertising.

Role

The Communications Act (2003) saw the set-up of the Office of Communications(Ofcom) to regulate all telecommunications. The success of CAP and the regulation of print ads led to Ofcom contracting out the regulation of broadcast advertising to the ASA and the formation of the co-regulatory Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice.

BCAP writes and updates the UK Code of Broadcast Advertising with the aim of preventing ads from being misleading, causing harm or offence, and breaching boundaries of taste and decency.

Members

Like its sister organisation on the non-broadcast side, the Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice is a tripartite body. It comprises representatives of broadcasters licensed by Ofcom, advertisers, agencies, direct marketers and interactive marketers.

BCAP members

Advertising Association
British Sky Broadcasting Limited
Channel 4 Television Corporation
Channel 5 Broadcasting Ltd
Commercial Broadcasters Association (CoBA)
Direct Marketing Association
Electronic Retailing Association UK
Incorporated Society of British Advertisers
Institute of Practitioners in Advertising
ITV plc
RadioCentre
S4C
Teletext Limited 

Clearcast
Radio Advertising Clearance Centre

Independent Consumer Panel - Advertising Advisory Committee (AAC)

The Advertising Advisory Committee (AAC) is a consumer panel established by BCAP to provide a consumer perspective to its code policy work, such as the drafting and interpretation of UK Code of Broadcast Advertising.

The AAC members are independent of the advertising industry and appointed following public advertisement:

Elizabeth Filkin (Chair)
John Bradford
Andrew Brown
Colin Cameron
Dr Michaela Jordan
Stephen Locke
Angela McNab
Dr Michael Wilks

You can read the update on the AAC’s work in our Annual Report. 

Industry Panels

The ad industry is central to the success of the self-regulatory system and in addition to the bodies who make up CAP and BCAP, the system receives invaluable support though three industry panels:

Sales Promotion and Direct Response Panel (SPDRP) 

Online Publications Media Panel (OPMP)

General Media Panel (GMP) 

As the name suggests, the SPDRP concerns itself with sales promotions and direct marketing.  It advises on non-broadcastadvertising only. The OPMP too is medium-specific, and advises on the proper distinction between editorial and advertising in online publications. Read more about the SPDRP and its membersthe OPMP under the CAP (non-broadcast) section.

The GMP’s composition means it can consider both broadcast and non-broadcast matters.

The role of the Panels is to provide industry expert advice on the interpretation and development of the Advertising Codes and a forum for information exchange between the industry and the ASA and CAP Executive. It is often an opportunity for marketers to have industry representatives review an aspect of an investigation and to feed into the decision-making process. Although consideration is given to its recommendations and the Minutes of the meeting will be given to the ASA Council if relevant, the Panel’s opinion is not binding on either the Executive or the ASA Council.

The Panels may be asked to discuss a recommendation before the ASA Executive gives it to Council, specific copy advice, the application of a Code clause, the interpretation of a claim, common industry practice or other general regulatory subjects. The Executive may use the Panels to help draft Help Notes or revisions to the Codes for the consideration of CAP and BCAP. The Panel will almost never consider scientific or highly specialised evidence: it leaves those matters to the experts.

The SPDRP and the GMP are both made up of a Chairman, an ASA Council representative, about ten marketing or media practitioners, the Secretary (Director of Advertising Policy and Practice) and an Assistant Secretary (the CAP Compliance Manager for the SPDR and the Copy Advice Manager for the GMP). The OPMP is composed of the Chairmen of ASBOF and PRESSBOF.

The Chairman of the GMP is Farah Ramzan Golant. The Chairman of SPDRP is Philip Circus.

The scope of the Panels’ work is wide-ranging.  They have, for example, considered issues of social responsibility in alcohol and gambling ads and also in sales promotions, the independent judging and observing of prize draws and competitions, nutritional claims in food ads, RRPs, online remit for promotions and remit related to affiliate marketing, general and specific Code development matters and the application of the new Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations.