Michelle English, chief executive officer of Flow. - File

Flow Jamaica is legally barred from profiting off the sale of local advertisements on the cable stations, but the company has found a different way to capitalise on the international audience that STV offers, through self-promotion.

For several weeks, Flow's name and logo have been inserted on different stations during commercial breaks in programming, most notably CNN Headline News.

Practice evolved

The practice has evolved as a dual promotion of content on cable stations offered in its package, but when Flow - a member of the Columbus Communications Group - first began airing the ads, its practice was to fill the screen with its logo, but only for a few seconds.

Regulators say what the company is doing is perfectly legitimate, and that the company got the go-ahead in November.

Flow Jamaica's president Michelle English, also said the arrangement it has with content providers allowed for insertions.

"One of the things we are trying to accomplish is to let people know the kinds of programming that are available," English, told Wednesday Business.

"To get the go ahead to advertise our own services was a positive first step ... because we do have a significant number of channels that people may not be aware of, and so far, the response has been positive."

Flow has been pressing aggressively for permission to sell advertisement on cable stations, but has so far been held in check by the Broadcasting Commission.

Earlier this year, the company tested advertisements on five channels, but ended the trials after regulators objected.

Maintaining advertisement

The company has maintained that such advertisements are allowed, citing what it says is ministerial directives years ago that said the Broadcasting Commission would not be pursuing the issue and that cable operators could go ahead and advertise.

"It is on that basis, that understanding, that we pursued it down the road of offering substituted advertising service on our international channels," English said.

The Broadcasting Commission disagreed, and on June 4 issued a directive for the trials to be discontinued, on the basis that it constitutes a breach of television and sound broadcasting regulations.

Flow was further advised that both the Broadcasting Commission and Information Minister Olivia Grange would be reviewing regulations regarding the issue along with other matters, after which respective recommendations would be made.

Flow meantime began lobbying to advertise its own services, and according to the commi-ssion's information officer, nicole Morrison, permission was granted on November 7, 2008, subject to approval from the channel owners.

English sees that victory as the first step to the company eventually prevailing on substituted advertisements when the promised review is finalised.

mark.titus@gleanerjm.com