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Ofcom raps ‘Desi Beat’ show on Colors UK

'Desi Beat S2' on Colors UK
‘Desi Beat S2’ on Colors UK

Ofcom has rapped Colors’ UK local entertainment show ‘Desi Beat’ for breaching product placement rules.

In the shows telecast on 28th August and 11th September, ‘Desi Beat’ featured two fashion boutiques in Bradford (Janan and Maysa), and two restaurants in Southend-on-Sea (Mim Spice and Taj Mahal). Each episode consisted of two segments that featured these local businesses. In each case the segment included images of the featured business and visual and audio references to the range and quality of the goods which they offered.

Ofcom requested information from Colors UK to decide whether the references constituted product placement as defined in the Code. The channel confirmed that the references described above were not in return for payment or other valuable consideration from the businesses in question to Viacom 18, the programme producer, or any connected person.

Viacom18 said it takes its compliance with the Code very seriously, and has an experienced team to review all content in line with its strict internal policies and guidelines to ensure compliance. It said that ‘Desi Beat’ aims to showcase various elements of South Asian culture and lifestyle prevalent in the United Kingdom and thus features popular establishments in different regions to explore food, drink, fashion and culture preferences of the local community.

It explained that “it is difficult from a creative standpoint” to talk about the fashion, culture, and food of an ethnic community without having a backdrop or a context to that conversation, and that it would “not be able to successfully engage our audiences” without this visual link. It said that “the episodes were produced in ‘real’ spaces so as to bring in an element of connectivity and resonance with the viewers”, but were not intended to “specify or endorse any of the products or services”.

Viacom18 reiterated that neither Viacom 18 Media Private Limited nor any affiliated person or party, had entered into any monetary agreement with the establishments featured in the episodes.

Viacom18 said it believed it had avoided any promotional references, and there were no calls to action for viewers either to visit or make purchases from the establishments featured. In particular, it said that it had ensured that:

• Close up shots of logos, banners, flags or name boards of the featured business were avoided;
• Comments that were promotional or made claims about the business and its services were edited from the episodes;
• All brands, designers’ labels, and price tags were either blurred or deleted;
• There were no interviews or endorsements validating the businesses featured; and
• There was no attempt to influence viewers or claims that the presenter’s opinion or verdict was final.

Ofcom said extensive references to products and services offered by the businesses featured, combined with the favourable language used, meant that the content was clearly promotional in tone. Ofcom concluded that both programmes were therefore in breach of Rule 9.4 of the Code.

Further, each segment of both programmes focused entirely on the products and services offered by a specific business. Ofcom took into account the broadcaster’s argument that these references were editorially justified in context of a series exploring various elements of South Asian culture. Although there may be editorial justification for certain references to brands in culture and lifestyle programmes, in this case, each of the programmes was little more than a vehicle for the promotion of the businesses. Given the presentation of the items was highly promotional in tone, as described above, the extended references to the products provided by the businesses featured were not justified.

It added that the programmes were dependent on the inclusion of detailed references to the featured business’ products and services, Ofcom concluded that both programmes were in breach of Rule 9.5 of the Code.