Ethiopia to Regulate Advertising PracticesEthiopia has prepared a draft law to regulate advertising activities and enforce acceptable standards in the country, the Walta Information Center reported Tuesday in Addis Ababa.Teka Assfaw, head of legal services at the information ministry, was quoted as saying that the variety and volume of advertisement in Ethiopia has increased since the country adopted a free market economic policy. This has also given rise to concerns over the advertising standards, Teka said, adding that the law would require advertisers and agencies to observe cultural values and social norms. The regulation covers advertisement on all types of media, including electronics and print media, signposts, poles, walls and banners. Prepared by a group of experts from the Ministries of Labor and Social Affairs, Health, Culture and Information as well as the media and advertising agencies, the regulation is expected to be presented this year to the House of People's Representatives. Some advertising firms, however, have expressed concern that they have not been involved in the process of the drafting of the regulation. The draft should be presented for debate and be enriched by advertising firms before it is passed into law, they said. |
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