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NTV in breach over incidents between May-June

NTV
NTV

Bengali entertainment channel NTV has been rapped by Ofcom over four separate breaches during May and June.

In April, Ofcom received a complaint about branding for a hotel that appeared throughout a programme. Ofcom viewed the programme and noted that the company logo was integrated into the programme�۪s opening title sequence and the programme ��bumpers�۪ that led into and out of advertising breaks. The logo was also built into the programme set: it was included directly behind and to the side of both the presenter and the guest, as well as forming the base of a table between the two. Consequently, the logo was visible on screen throughout the programme. Ofcom rapped the channel for Rule 9.12 (c).

Similarly, in May, another complaint was received by Ofcom for sponsorship credits during programming. Ofcom considered that this sponsorship credit raised issues warranting investigation under Rule 9.22(a) of the Code. Ofcom considered that the text ���Please phone for professional support and advice�۝ included in the credit was a direct invitation to viewers to contact the programme sponsor. Ofcom concluded that the sponsorship credit was in breach of 9.22(a) of the Code.

In May, Ofcom received a complaint about a news programme that reported on the visit to Tower Hamlets by Ed Miliband, the leader of the Labour Party, during the Tower Hamlets Mayoral election held on 22nd May 2014. The complainant considered that the news report favoured the Labour Party in respect of that election. The broadcaster was found in breach of Rules 6.8, 6.9 and 6.11 including unbalanced election coverage.

In June, the channel came in breach of another sponsorship rule break. Ofcom�۪s guidance on sponsorship credits makes clear that “any price information [in credits] that is not mandatory will normally be considered an advertising message.�۝ Ofcom therefore concluded that the inclusion of prices in the sponsorship credit amounted to an advertising message and the credit was in breach of 9.22(a) of the Code.