The Chief Executive of the Ministry for Culture and Heritage, Lewis Holden acknowledged today the sentence imposed on TV3 for its breach of the Broadcasting Act restrictions on Sunday morning advertising.
“As the organisation charged with administering the statute, the Ministry was obliged to act in response to an apparent breach. We have a duty to uphold the law as it stands,” said Mr Holden.
“We are satisfied that the Court upheld our interpretation of the law. We note the Court’s view that the penalty achieved its aim of denouncing TV3’s conduct which breached s 81 of the Broadcasting Act.”
“The Ministry advised TV3 that its broadcasts of the Rugby World Cup 2007, incorporating advertisements on three consecutive Sunday mornings, may be in breach of the Broadcasting Act.”
“It was regrettable that notwithstanding this advice TV3 proceeded to broadcast advertisements, making Court action necessary,” said Mr Holden.
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