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5. Internal Breaks in Programmes
This document was originally published by the ITC, one of the organisations replaced by Ofcom at the end of 2003. It represents Ofcom's current policy.
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No box - Applicable to all channels |
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Tint box - Only applicable to Channels 3-5 |
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Keyline box - Only applicable to services other than Channels 3-5 |
| 5.1 | Placing of Breaks |
| Breaks within programmes may be taken only at a point where some interruption in continuity would, in any case, occur (even if there were no advertising) and such natural breaks must not damage the integrity or value of the programme in which they occur. |
| NOTE:
More detailed guidance on natural breaks is given in Section 6. |
| 5.2 | Programmes with 'Autonomous Parts' |
| In programmes made up of autonomous parts (eg, magazine format programmes) breaks may be taken only in between the separate parts. |
| 5.3 | Events Containing Intervals |
| In sports programmes and in coverage of similarly structured events or performances containing intervals, breaks may be taken only in the intervals. |
| 5.4 | Period Between Breaks |
| In the case of programmes other than those referred to in 5.2 and 5.3 above, a period of at least 20 minutes should normally elapse between each successive internal break. A slightly shorter interval is acceptable only where the interests of viewers would be better served by taking a break earlier (eg, to fit in with a particularly suitable interruption of continuity). However, in such cases the programme must not contain more internal breaks than would be permissible by strict application of the 20-minute minimum separation principle. |
| 5.5 | Films |
| Feature films and films made for television (excluding series, serials, light entertainment and documentaries) must not carry an internal break if their scheduled duration is 45 minutes or less. Taking their scheduled duration as a whole, longer films may be interrupted once for each complete period of 45 minutes with a further break if scheduled duration is at least 20 minutes longer than two or more complete periods of 45 minutes. Thus:
| films of 45 minutes or less | no breaks; |
| between 46 and 89 minutes | one break; |
| between 90 and 109 minutes | two breaks; |
| between 110 and 135 minutes | three breaks; |
| between 136 and 180 minutes | four breaks; |
| between 181 and 225 minutes | five breaks etc. |
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| 5.6 | Internal Breaks on Channels 3-5 |
| | Additional for Channels 3-5 |
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(a) In programmes of up to 20 minutes duration - no breaks.
Note 1: The normal use of internal breaks in longer programmes
should be as follows:
| * in programmes of 21- 44 minutes duration |
one break |
| * in programmes of 45-59 minutes duration |
two breaks |
| * in programmes of 60-89 minutes duration |
three breaks |
| * in programmes of 90-119 minutes duration |
four breaks |
| * in programmes of 120-149 minutes duration |
five breaks |
Note 2: When inserting additional breaks in existing programmes
licensees should take particular note of Section 6 following when
selecting a "natural break" point.
(b) The maximum duration of any break within a programme is three
minutes fifty seconds, of which no more than three and a half minutes
may be advertising and no more than 20 seconds may be programme
promotion
(c) The ITC may permit departures from the normal requirements in 5.6(a) if it is satisfied that these are justified for programming reasons.
(d) Limited departures from the pattern in 5.6(a) are also permissible in the case of coverage of certain sporting and similarly structured events where there are frequent natural breaks of brief duration. The distribution of advertising in such intervals must, however, have regard to the interests of good programme presentation and it will often be preferable for not all intervals to carry advertising.
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