‘Indian Idol’ lands Sony TV in trouble with Ofcom

The prominent visibility of a mobile brand during an episode of Sony Entertainment Television Asia’s ‘Indian Idol’ has landed the channel in trouble with Ofcom.

A viewer complained to the media regulator over an episode, which was broadcast in December last year where the mobile brand LG was getting prominent exposure.

The viewer had noted that one of the show presenters said, “SMS for Bhavya on 52525 or call from your Indian Idol LG KP199 mobile phone.”

Later in the programme, one of the presenters said, “The person who leaves the stage in this round will get a LG mobile KP199 Indian Idol phone. Hope the person who leaves is not your favourite, so vote now.”

As well as these verbal references, there were mobile phones displayed in front of each of the three judges with signs that clearly indicated the make and model – LG KP199.

In UK television regulation, Ofcom does not allow any type of product placements during programming airtime. Furthermore, Ofcom has stated that no undue prominence is permitted in any programme to a product or service.

Multi Screen Media, which runs Sony TV assured Ofcom that while a product placement arrangement had been in place when the programme was originally produced in India, the licensee had not directly benefited from this arrangement or received any payment or valuable consideration for the inclusion of, or reference to, the LG mobile phone featured in the programme.

In response to the visual references to the LG mobile phone displayed in front of the judges, Sony TV advised that it took steps to cover them with a strap across the bottom of the screen but accepted that because the strap was transparent, on occasions the phones and signs were still visible underneath the strap.

Ofcom noted that Sony TV’s assurances that it had not directly benefited from the product placement arrangement that had been in place when the programme was produced in India.

However, it was still rapped as it found the visual and verbal references to be unduly prominent. It appeared to Ofcom that the purpose of the strap was to display a caption informing the audience that voting was only open to viewers in India, rather than to obscure the mobile phones.

Ofcom also did not feel there were any editorial justifications for the verbal references made by the presenters.