list of contributors - GALA

2. Title TELEVISION ADVERTISING LESS STRINGENT?
Topic: Television Commercials
Where: Malaysia
When: 8 th January 2005
What Happened: It was reported recently that a number of advertisements in Malaysia
featuring foreign faces appears to be growing. Most of these advertisements
featuring foreign identities as well as content appeared to have been
produced outside Malaysia.
Although there is a Made in Malaysia (MIM) rule requiring local content in
foreign-made television commercials in order to reflect the Malaysian culture
and identity, there are however, a number of advertisements that have been
steadily featuring foreign faces as opposed to ordinary Malaysians. This
gives the reflection of a somewhat relaxation of the MIM rule and has thus
prompted the question as to whether this MIM rule still applies today.
The MIM ruling was instituted to protect the local film and production
industry. It simply means that all commercials that are aired on Malaysian
television must only contain Malaysian talent with a minimal allowance of
foreign content amounting to 20%.
Exemptions however are subject to the approval of the National Film
Development Corporation Malaysia or most commonly known as FINAS.
The Association of Accredited Agents Malaysia has said that this relaxation
of the MIM ruling should go ahead as it is for the betterment of the
advertising industry. As there is now self regulation in the communications
and multimedia industry with the implementation of the Content Code, the
relaxation of the content code augurs well in terms of development for the
industry.
Comments With the relaxation of the MIM ruling, local production companies stand to
loose by the removal of the foreign barriers which had served as a form of
protection against larger players from the overseas market. There is now a
more level playing field.
As Malaysia heads towards globalization, local production houses will now
have no choice but to gear up for a more challenging environment in the face
of competition from the overseas players.
3. Title VIRAL ADVERTISEMENTS
Topic: Internet Advertising/SPAM
Where: Malaysia
When: March 2005
What Happened: There seems to be a proliferation of spam advertisements (unsolicited
advertisement forms) in the Malaysian internet space.
The modus operandi is simple at this stage. An advertisement can be placed
in a host site for free with usually some minimal catch. One such catch is for
the advertiser to provide 50 e-mail addresses for the placement.
Viral advertisements are generally low cost commercials which appear online
and placed by the host for a low cost or for such a minimal
consideration.