IASH members have broken code of conduct

by Andrew McCormick, Media Week 12-Jul-07, 12:00

LONDON - Members of the Internet Advertising Sales House (IASH) have broken the organisation's code of conduct but will be saved from official suspension until an ABC Electronic audit is completed.

IASH today admitted that an investigation has uncovered contraventions of its code of conduct but Media Week understands that IASH fears that networks will take legal action against it if a suspension takes place before the results of an ABC Electronic audit, which are due in August.

The developments follow a turbulent time for the sector which is currently being investigated by the BBC's Panorama show, following the revelation that ads for major brands have appeared on sites with violent content.

Media Week understands that offending member networks have been identified.

A statement released jointly by IASH, the Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB) and ABC Electronic, read: "While some evidence of the IASH Code of Conduct came to light in the preliminary investigation, no sanction, suspension or expulsion can happen until the independent audits and full IASH investigations have taken place."