United Kingdom
[GB] Ofcom Consultation on Product Placement Rules
IRIS 2010-8:1/33
David Goldberg
deeJgee Research/Consultancy
Up to now, the Ofcom Broadcast Code has prohibited product placement. However, owing to changes in EU and national law, “the placing of references to products, services or trade marks in television programmes in return for payment” is now to be permitted.
Ofcom, consequently, intends to amend the Code, removing the prohibition and incorporating enabling rules. It has initiated a Consultation on the matter.
Such rules would impact on other rules permitting other types of commercial references (e.g., sponsorship) and the Consultation includes proposals for revising those rules.
References
- Broadcasting Code Review: Commercial references in television programming: Proposals on revising the Broadcasting Code
- http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/consultations/bcrtv2010/summary
This article has been published in IRIS Legal Observations of the European Audiovisual Observatory.