Exposure of US youth to cigarette television advertising in the 1960s

Abstract

Objective To assess the efficacy of the US cigarette industry's self-regulation of 1963 broadcast advertising, following Tobacco Institute guidelines to avoid youthful audiences. Data source -Federal Trade Commis sion (FTC) Report (1964) on Cigarette Advertising and Output (Appendix B Audience Composition of Television Pro grams Sponsored by Cigarette Manu facturers, autumn 1963). Supplemented by 1963 census information and trade data on spot television buying. Methods -FTC data recast by firm and by time of day. Statistical analysis to identify firms deviating from the indus try norms for realised audiences, and the apparent target audience for the pattern of time slots sponsored. Total television cigarette ad exposures estimated for children, teenagers, and adults. Results Cigarette firms sponsored 55 network television shows in 125 half-hour time slots in 1963, with all firms partici pating. Children and teens constituted from 24% to 30% of the bought network television audiences for all firms except Brown & Williamson. The average teen ager saw an estimated 26 cigarette tele vision ads a week, or over 100 per month. The amount of cigarette sponsorship in prime-time slots was significantly cor related with the delivered proportions of teenagers, not adults. Conclusions Observed patterns of tele vision sponsorship by US firms in 1963 were consistent with the cigarette in dustry's strategic interest in reaching the young. The Tobacco Institute's 1963 efforts at self-regulation were inadequate to protect youth in the US from the inducements of cigarette advertising on television. (Tobacco Control 1994; 3: 130-133)