• by Paul Gough , March 10, 2004

In Washington's rush to declare what broadcasting is decent and what isn't, it isn't just programming that's under the microscope.

"Clearance of ads on broadcast and cable are going to be reviewed far more carefully by companies. They have to--advertising can be indecent as well as programming," says Daniel L. Jaffe, executive vice president of the Association of National Advertisers. That's on top of regulations being considered that would drop cartoons, dramas, and police shows in lawmakers' subjective decisions about decency.

"The advertising community faces growing attacks from the public that is egged on and echoed and magnified by political leaders," Jaffe says. "The bad news is that the advertising and media community face more threats in more places on more issues than any other time in recent history."

Jaffe says policy-makers are concerned about content in television in a way that hasn't been seen much lately. Congress passed a bill last week dramatically raising the fines for infractions from $27,000 to more than $500,000.

"I have very rarely seen the change in atmosphere as has taken place in just the last few weeks," Jaffe says.

It's not the only challenge that the advertising and media community faces.

ANA's top executive recently testified in hearings about childhood obesity and the role of advertising. And an American Psychological Association report says that children under eight can't distinguish between ads and content, which opens up the possibility of stricter regulations on children's advertising.

"If that was all we faced, that would be enough ... But there are several major issues brewing," Jaffe says. They include:

-- Lawsuits that are being filed in several states against alcohol manufacturers, who are being accused of targeting minors.

-- The familiar issue of ad taxes, which the ANA has counted as being a concern in 17 states and, perhaps later this year, an assault on federal deductions for ad taxes.