Ofom Broadcast Bulletin Issue number 187 1 August 2011 1 Ofcom Broadcast Bulletin, Issue 187 1 August 2011 Contents Introduction 4 Standards cases In Breach Your Health Sunrise TV, 10 April and 8 May 2011, 12:00 5 Provision of recordings South For You, 4 April 2011, 18:00 8 Not in Breach EastEnders BBC 1, 31 December 2010, 20:00, 1 January 2011, 20:30; and various episodes to 14 April 2011, 19:30 10 Advertising Scheduling cases In Breach Advertising minutage NME TV, 11 May 2011, 13:00 13 Breach findings table Code on the Scheduling of Television Advertising compliance reports 15 Resolved Resolved findings table Code on the Scheduling of Television Advertising compliance reports 17 Fairness and Privacy cases Not Upheld Complaint by Mr Chris Elliott Channel Report, ITV1 (Channel Television), 2 February 2011 20 Complaint by Mr Michael Gibbs Central News, ITV1 (Central), 23 March 2011 27 Other Programmes Not in Breach 31 2 Ofcom Broadcast Bulletin, Issue 187 1 August 2011 Complaints Assessed but not Further Investigated 32 Investigations List 37 3 Ofcom Broadcast Bulletin, Issue 187 1 August 2011 Introduction Under the Communications Act 2003, Ofcom has a duty to set standards for broadcast content as appear to it best calculated to secure the standards objectives1, Ofcom must include these standards in a code or codes. These are listed below. The Broadcast Bulletin reports on the outcome of investigations into alleged breaches of those Ofcom codes, as well as licence conditions with which broadcasters regulated by Ofcom are required to comply. These include: a) Ofcom‟s Broadcasting Code (“the Code”), which, can be found at: http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/broadcasting/broadcast-codes/broadcast-code/. b) the Code on the Scheduling of Television Advertising (“COSTA”) which contains rules on how much advertising and teleshopping may be scheduled in programmes, how many breaks are allowed and when they may be taken. COSTA can be found at: http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/broadcasting/broadcast-codes/advert-code/. c) certain sections of the BCAP Code: the UK Code of Broadcast Advertising, which relate to those areas of the BCAP Code for which Ofcom retains regulatory responsibility. These include: the prohibition on „political‟ advertising; sponsorship (see Rules 9.16 and 9.17 of the Code); „participation TV‟ advertising. This includes long-form advertising predicated on premium rate telephone services – most notably chat (including „adult‟ chat), „psychic‟ readings and dedicated quiz TV (Call TV quiz services). Ofcom is also responsible for regulating gambling, dating and „message board‟ material where these are broadcast as advertising2. The BCAP Code is at: www.bcap.org.uk/The-Codes/BCAP-Code.aspx d) other licence conditions which broadcasters must comply with, such as requirements to pay fees and submit information which enables Ofcom to carry out its statutory duties. Further information on television and radio licences can be found at: http://licensing.ofcom.org.uk/tv-broadcast-licences/ and http://licensing.ofcom.org.uk/radio-broadcast-licensing/. Other codes and requirements may also apply to broadcasters, depending on their circumstances. These include the Code on Television Access Services (which sets out how much subtitling, signing and audio description relevant licensees must provide), the Code on Electronic Programme Guides, the Code on Listed Events, and the Cross Promotion Code. Links to all these codes can be found at: http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/broadcasting/broadcast-codes/ It is Ofcom‟s policy to describe fully the content in television and radio programmes that is subject to broadcast investigations. Some of the language and descriptions used in Ofcom‟s Broadcast Bulletin may therefore cause offence. 1 The relevant legislation is set out in detail in Annex 1 of the Code. 2 BCAP and ASA continue to regulate conventional teleshopping content and spot advertising for these types of services where it is permitted. Ofcom remains responsible for statutory sanctions in all advertising cases 4 Ofcom Broadcast Bulletin, Issue 187 1 August 2011 Standards cases In Breach Your Health Sunrise TV, 10 April and 8 May 2011, 12:00 Introduction Sunrise TV (“Sunrise”) broadcasts a general entertainment channel for the UK Asian community. The licence for the channel is held by Sunrise TV Limited. Your Health was a regular one-hour programme broadcast in Hindi and English, throughout which viewers were invited in a permanent onscreen banner, and regularly by the presenter, to call the studio by phone, to discuss their personal health issues with a studio guest. Calls were charged at a premium rate of £1.50 per minute. The studio guest on 10 April 2011 was an ayurvedic practitioner, while the guest on 8 May 2011 was a homeopath. Throughout the programmes, the studio guests offered advice, which included, among other things, specific treatments to address callers‟ symptoms and/or complement their current medication. A viewer contacted Ofcom about each broadcast, as she was concerned that such advice was given “without seeing the patient or asking the patient to consult his GP, especially when they have serious health conditions.” Having assessed the material, Ofcom considered that it was „participation TV‟ (“PTV”) programming, as it was clearly formulated principally to take advantage of premium rate telephony revenues. As long-form advertising (i.e. teleshopping), PTV is subject to the requirements of the BCAP Code1. Ofcom considered the material raised issues warranting investigation under Rule 11.13.1 of the BCAP Code, which includes the following requirement: "Advertisements must not contain offers to … treat remotely (including by phone…)…”. Further, Ofcom noted that, while the broadcasts were PTV content, the studio presentation was editorial in style. We therefore considered the material raised issues warranting investigation under Rule 2.1 of the BCAP Code, which states: "Advertisements must be obviously distinguishable from editorial content, especially if they use a situation, performance or style reminiscent of editorial content, to prevent the audience being confused between the two. The audience should quickly recognise the message as an advertisement.” We asked Sunrise to provide its comments under these rules. 1 Under a memorandum of understanding (“MoU”) with Ofcom, the Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice administers this Code. While broadcast advertising complaints are generally considered by the Advertising Standards Authority, under the same MoU, issues concerning PTV are not. Ofcom therefore remains responsible for enforcing the BCAP Code with regard to such content. 5 Ofcom Broadcast Bulletin, Issue 187 1 August 2011 Response Sunrise confirmed that Your Health provided “health based information and complimentary remedies within a phone based discussion format”, noting that the presenter regularly reminded viewers both that the remedies discussed were not alternatives to licensed medicines prescribed by a general practitioner and that viewers should consult their own doctors. The broadcaster said that the programme was popular with viewers, providing, “in some circumstances, an outlet … offer[ing] information to those who may for what ever reason [be] reluctant in the first instance to discuss their symptoms with a GP.” However, it admitted that its consideration of the complaints had “raised fundamental issues which [had] caused Sunrise TV to review the programme concept and conclude that in order to comply with the various regulations it [could] no longer broadcast this show in its current format, if at all.” The broadcaster added that, “whilst the basic premise of the show [was] that of a programme, the high prominence of a premium rate line to elicit the caller interaction” appeared to bring its content into conflict with the BCAP Code, which precluded broadcast advertisements from offering to treat (viewers) remotely. Sunrise said that Your Health had been removed from its schedule. However, it noted that such broadcast material appeared to have been well received by viewers, without having caused widespread concern. Nevertheless, the broadcaster assured Ofcom that it was fully aware of its responsibilities under its licence, adding that its breach of the BCAP Code was an unintended consequence of its desire to develop new programmes that catered for the particular tastes and interests of its audience. Decision Under the Communications Act 2003 (“the Act”), Ofcom has a duty to set such standards for broadcast content as appear to it best calculated to secure specific standards objectives, including “that the inclusion of advertising which may be misleading, harmful or offensive in television and radio services is prevented.” In relation to the potential for advertising to cause medical harm, the BCAP Code therefore contains a number of rules regarding the advertising of medical treatments, including that “advertisements must not contain offers to … treat remotely (including by phone…)…” (Rule 11.13.1). In this case, we noted that Sunrise accepted that the material it broadcast not only offered viewers remote treatment, but also provided it. The broadcasts were in breach of Rule 11.13.1 of the BCAP Code. A further standards objective under the Act requires Ofcom to ensure that the UK‟s international obligations with respect to television advertising are complied with. Article 19 of the AVMS Directive2 requires, among other things, that “television advertising and teleshopping shall be readily