(Transcript from World News Australia Radio)
A coalition of public health agencies is calling for an end to alcohol advertising during live sport telecasts because it effectively targets children.
They have launched a campaign to highlight what they call the absurdity of such advertising during times when large numbers of children are watching television.
Sacha Payne reports.
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Groups including the Victorian Alcohol and Drug Association, the Alcohol Advertising Review Board and Cancer Council Victoria say alcohol marketing is saturating television at times when children are watching.
They say alcohol advertising on commercial television is usually banned during children's viewing hours, but an exemption allows alcohol companies to promote their products during live sport broadcasts regardless of the time of the day.
As part of their campaign to end this exemption, they've launched a new satirical video, Alcohol Ad Shame, juxtaposing a children's cartoon with ads for alcohol.
"What are you thinking about Sparkles? Pancakes! Let's make magic pancakes using -- liquid gold." "The best pancakes are with -- beer. Pancakes. Beer. Pancakes. Beer." "If it doesn't belong here, why does it belong here in live sport. Every weekend around half all alcohol ads are shown before 8.30 pm, when kids are watching."
A representative of the health coalition, Sondra Davoren, says children watch sporting broadcasts in greater numbers than cartoons.
Ms Davoren says the recent AFL and NRL grand finals were two of the highest rating programs for under 18 year olds in Australia's major cities.
"There's an incredible amount of alcohol advertising in live sport. We've had recent research that shows around 18 per cent of the NRL's grand final broadcast contains some sort of alcohol promotion. And the problem is that children are more susceptible to advertising and they're particularly susceptible to advertising that appears in emotionally engaging content as we know sport to be."
The health groups are seeking the support of the industry body which represents all of Australia's commercial free-to-air television licensees, Free TV.
And they've told the federal Minister for Communications, Malcolm Turnbull, they're concerned about the current self-regulatory system governing alcohol advertising on commercial television.
Ms Davoren says research has found that children who regularly see alcohol advertising are more likely to start drinking at a younger age and drink at harmful levels as an adult.
"We do have really good evidence that demonstrates a link between viewing alcohol advertising as a child and harmful consumption patterns later in life. But we also know that the earlier someone is initiated to drinking and the earlier that children and young people take up drinking the more likely it is that they're going to drink at harmful levels later in life. So it's a significant contributor to the alcohol harm in Australia."
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