The Second Authority broadcasting company adopted on Sunday the principles for broadcasting marketing content recommended by a committee headed by Professor Asa Kasher. The recommendation, submitted by Kasher's committee some six weeks ago, was to allow channels 2 and 10 to incorporate hidden marketing content into their telenovellas, reality programming and talk shows.

However, in news broadcasts, investigative programs and children's shows, no marketing content will be allowed.

Television scriptwriters have expressed concerns that the new policy would limit their creative freedom. According to scriptwriter Yossi Madmoni, who took part in Kasher's committee and opposed its recommendations, the new policy will allow the investors to do whatever they please, and "eventually we will find ourselves with television shows that conform to a marketing world view."

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The existing legislation prohibits hidden advertising on television entirely and allows commercials to be aired only during breaks within the programs, or between programs. The current Broadcasting Authority policy also allows what it terms "incidental advertising," such as broadcasting footage of billboards at sports stadiums, but only within the confines of sports programming and fundraising programs.

However, the law has been largely ignored in recent years by both channel 2 and 10 as well as the satellite and cable stations. For example, one of channel 2's most popular shows, "a star is born," was presented in hues of purple and decorated with stars, the color and logo of the leading cellular phone company Cellcom.

The Kasher committee was established a year ago in order to formulate a new policy that would obligate the commercial television channels to abide by certain guidelines.

Two members of the Kasher committee, Professor Yossi Yonah and the scriptwriter Madmoni, warned that the prohibition on marketing content in children's programming would be meaningless, because children and teenagers comprise the main target audience for entertainment programs like "a star is born," which would be allowed to broadcast marketing material.

The Broadcasting Authority council largely ignored Yonah and Madmoni's warning, and ten of its members voted in favor of the new policy. One member abstained, and three were absent.

The council approved the Kasher policy but demanded that the Knesset pass a law that would allow it to fine any channel that would violate the policy. Furthermore, the council placed the Attorney General Menachem Mazuz in charge of interpreting the policy and deciding how to execute it. Concurrently, the Broadcasting Authority will also deliberate on the implementation of the new policy.