ABSTRACT
On many television networks around the world a not insubstantial proportion of TV airtime is filled by advertisements. Controls over advertising on television are more rigid in some countries than others. For example, rules governing the amount of advertising content in each broadcast hour, and the frequency with which advertising breaks can occur during a single programme, place more restrictions on television advertising in Britain than is found in the United States. Even so, the number of advertising breaks during the course of each day’s programming on British television, especially during peak time, is sufficient to merit empirical consideration and exploration relating to the impact this material has on the audience.
