ITC PUBLISH REVISED GUIDANCE NOTE ON FLASHING IMAGES

THE INDEPENDENT Television Commission (ITC) have published a revised Guidance Note for licensees on flashing images and regular patterns in television.
First introduced by the ITC in 1994, the Guidance Note provides licensees with information to help them reduce the risk of television material causing seizures in viewers with photosensitive epilepsy, a condition affecting young people in particular.
ITC staff have also run a number of seminars and technical briefings on the subject of photosensitive epilepsy over the past few years, helping practitioners in advertising and programme compliance to interpret technical guidelines. Since then, the number of complaints and breaches has decreased significantly.
At the request of a number of licensees, the ITC held a detailed review of the Guidance Note last year, working in close consultation with medical experts and representatives from licensees. The resulting draft revised Note was put out to consultation earlier this year, with 23 organisations and individuals submitting responses.
The proposed revisions, which related to the clarification of technical parameters, were supported by all parties.
A copy of the revised Guidance Note can be found on the ITC website at www.itc.org.uk or from the ITC's Viewer Relations Unit, Tel: 0845 601 3608. (CD)