TV and radio stations that air beer, wine and liquor commercials should be forced to show ads about the risks of alcohol consumption, federal regulators were told Wednesday.
The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Mothers Against Drunk Driving and 22 other groups filed a petition with the Federal Communications Commission, which regulates the nation's broadcasters.They said the FCC should require stations that show ads for alcoholic beverages to provide free of charge a "significant amount" of time for commercials warning of the health and safety risks of excessive drinking. The counter ads should be in close proximity to the alcohol ads, the groups said.
"That's what the FCC did with tobacco ads. It was for every four cigarette ads, they would have to be one counter ad. We would be looking for something along those lines. But not a one-to-one," said Sarah Kayson, public policy director of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence in New York City.