RADIO ADVERTISING CLEARANCE CENTRE

The RACC is commercial radio's advertising clearance body whose role is to check that the scripts are legally sound, truthful, responsible, and are there to maintain the general standards of radio advertising.

Their position is actually to protect everyone; the consumer, the advertiser, the advertising agency and the radio station.

The consumer is protected because any misleading (or even untruthful!) copy is asked to be removed; the advertiser, agency and station because the script guidelines will steer them away from any legal repercussion.

The radio station must be protected because firstly, as a media company, they are principally responsible for any complaints or legal actions and secondly because it's a condition of their OfCom licence.

It is also the case that if a commercial has been made and aired without RACC approval and there is subsequently a complaint made regarding the product advertised relative to the commercial, it's almost certain that the complaint will be upheld.

So, once a radio commercial script has been finalised it must be sent to the RACC for approval (and this is a free service).

The RACC will then review the script and either return it, together with an RACC Script Clearance number OR they advise the agency or advertiser of any changes that they consider are required (and they may even ask for further information perhaps to clarify a specific claim that has been made in the script).

Once approved, the commercial can then be produced, as long as it follows the script exactly.