To ensure the autonomy of editing, producing and broadcasting of television programs, and to protect audiences from being adversely influenced by surreptitious advertisement, programs and advertisements shall be separated based on the existing laws and regulations of broadcasting; however, the production of television programs usually requires external sponsoring such as money, workforce, or materials. By sponsoring, the sponsors also enhance their reputations and express their support for the concept of programs. Many countries in the world have noticed this issue. Both program quantity and quality may be significantly improved if programs are supported by external resources. Therefore, with the premise of existing laws that stipulate programs be separated from advertisements, the commission shall permit television programs to accept external sponsoring (including title sponsoring). However, the contents of programs shall be independent and complete, and the information of sponsors shall be clearly disclosed to ensure the audiences’ rights are protected, committing to independent editing, and promoting the development of media content industry. Prior to the amendment of laws concerning sponsorship in the Radio and Television Act and the Satellite Broadcasting Act, these directions will serve as the explanatory principles for the ambiguous areas between programs and advertisements.
Moreover, when television enterprises accept external sponsoring, they shall adhere to the contents of these directions or related laws and regulations. They shall also commit to the spirit of self-discipline and pay attention to social perspective in order not to raise social disputes.
A. Definition
The term sponsorship refers to enterprises, institutions, groups, or individuals providing financial or non-financial support to enhance the image of specific names, logos, activities, and services without interfering with the contents of programs and their independent production.
B. Principles
1. Independence: Interference with the program contents is prohibited. The independence and completeness of program contents shall be maintained.
2. Disclosure: The information of sponsors shall be clearly disclosed, except in the case of sport programs and cultural and artistic activities programs.
3. Separation: The information of sponsors shall be clearly separated from programs’ contents, and the separation between advertisements and sponsor information shall be maintained.
C. The special principles of sponsoring sport programs and cultural and artistic activities programs
It is permitted to properly impart identifying logos of sponsors on the screen in post-production with the premise of maintaining editing autonomy and not influencing audiences’ rights.
1. The time of imparting the identifying logos shall be less than 5% of the total program.
2. The imparting of the identifying logos shall not exceed 5 seconds each time.
3. The identifying logos shall be smaller than the identifying logo of the TV enterprises on the screen.
D. Program genres of which sponsorship is forbidden or properly regulated
1. Program genres forbidden from accepting sponsorship: programs of news and current events, for which the provision of reporting props, cosmetics and dress of anchors and presenters are of exceptions.
2. Program genres for moderate regulation: children’s programs can only be sponsored by cultural and educational foundations, government institutions, or non-profit organizations.
E. Forbidden or limited sponsors
1. Enterprises and producers/providers of the following commodities/services or related groups are forbidden from sponsoring:
(1) Tobacco,
(2) International matchmaking,
(3) Illegal commodities and services,
(4) Political groups (including political parties, foundations established with their endowments and those commissioned by them),
(5) Other commodities/services forbidden from advertisement by law.
2. Enterprises that provide commodities or services the advertisement of which is limited by laws or regulations shall adhere to the governing regulations, should these enterprises intend to sponsor programs:
(1) Alcohol,
(2) Other commodities/services the advertisement of which is limited by laws or regulations.
3. Enterprises, institutions or groups deemed unsuitable for sponsoring by competent authorities are forbidden from advertisement.
F. Title sponsorship
1. Title sponsorship refers to program titles that bear the names of sponsoring enterprises, institutions, groups, or the names of the sponsors’ brands, commodities, or services, or program titles that bear the identifying logos, trademarks, or affiliated patterns of the sponsoring enterprises, institutions, groups, or brands. The aforementioned directions are applicable.
2. Current affairs programs and children’s programs shall not accept title sponsoring.
3. Program titles may contain the names of sponsoring enterprises, institutions, groups, or the names of the sponsors’ brands, commodities, or services, or bear the identifying logos, trademarks, or affiliated patterns of the sponsoring enterprises, institutions, groups, or brands. Nevertheless, this provision does not apply to those having been deemed unsuitable for sponsoring by competent authorities.
G. Violation of this regulation
If TV programs violate these directions, measures will be taken in accordance with the principles of the separation of programs and advertisements and relevant laws.
H. Revision of this regulation
After being promulgated, these directions may at any time be revised based on the results of enforcement.