For immediate release November 16th, 2005 Advertising Standards Canada Releases 2005 Edition of The Children's Broadcast Advertising Clearance Guide TORONTO, November 16, 2005 – Advertising Standards Canada (ASC) is pleased to announce the publication of the 2005 edition of The Children’s Broadcast Advertising Clearance Guide – All you Need to Know to Broadcast Children’s Commercials in Canada (Guide). Developed to help advertisers, advertising agencies, and broadcasters create, schedule, and present commercials that comply with the Broadcast Code for Advertising to Children (Children’s Code), the Guide answers the most frequently-asked questions about the Children’s Code and details the preclearance process. The Children’s Code, which was first published in 1971 by the Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB), in cooperation with ASC, recognizes the special characteristics of the child audience and establishes the criteria for acceptable children’s broadcast advertising. The Children’s Code is endorsed by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), and broadcasters have agreed to adhere to it as a condition of broadcast licence. “Canada’s private broadcasters are totally committed to the Broadcast Code for Advertising to Children and the preclearance process through ASC’s Children’s Clearance Committee. Through this process, broadcasters can ensure that only those commercials that comply with our code are broadcast to Canadians”, notes Glenn O’Farrell, CAB President and Chief Executive Officer. In Canada, all children’s commercials must be approved by ASC’s Children’s Clearance Committee. Chaired by ASC, and comprising industry and public representatives, the Committee meets every other week to evaluate finished children’s commercials against the provisions of the Children’s Code. Each commercial approved by the Children’s Committee is assigned an ASC Children’s Clearance Number that communicates to broadcasters that the commercial has been approved. Linda J Nagel, ASC President and Chief Executive Officer, states, “This year, ASC has already received more than 1,000 complaints from consumers expressing concerns about specific advertisements. Not one of these complaints has been about a children’s commercial. This is a testament to the preclearance process. It really works.” The Guide is now available at: http://www.adstandards.com/en/clearance/clearanceAreas/kidsBulletin.asp Advertising Standards Canada is the advertising industry’s self-regulatory body committed to fostering community confidence in advertising. Through ASC Clearance Services, ASC provides advertising review services for consumer-directed advertising in five categories: children’s advertising; alcoholic beverage advertising; cosmetic advertising; food and non-alcoholic beverage advertising; consumer drug and natural health product advertising. ASC members include leading advertisers, advertising agencies, and media organizations. Contact: Nicole Bellam Vice President, ASC Clearance Services 416-961-6311, ext. 226 nicole.bellam@adstandards.com