Ofcom fines satellite channel Life Showcase £125,000

by Mark Banham, Brand Republic 20-Apr-07, 14:00

LONDON - The Life Showcase satellite channel has been fined £125,000 by the media regulator Ofcom for charging local businesses to be part of its series 'Britain's Best Breaks'.

The regulator said that Life Showcase had broadcast between 25 and 43 30-minute programmes during the series and that it had become apparent through its investigation of the parent company Life TV, that organisations and businesses involved in the programmes had paid the producer of the programme, Richland Media & Communications, to appear during the shows.

Ofcom uncovered that, contrary to the Broadcasting Code, RMC's website for 'Britain's Best Breaks', which included a rate card, had clearly suggested that businesses could pay to be involved in the shows.

The rate card gave prices for an "advertising opportunity" with clear references to appearances in the programmes.

A proprietor of one of the companies involved confirmed to Ofcom that he had paid for the inclusion of his business in one of the shows.

The regulator questioned whether the channel was, in fact, trying to pass off, "what was effectively advertising content as editorial".

Ofcom said that this situation had ensured there was "no transparency to viewers who would have been unaware that organisations had paid to feature in the programme".

The regulator said that it had held an oral hearing on March 19 with John Hammond, managing director of Life TV Media and Life Showcase, and Jim Brathwaite, non-executive chairman of Life TV Media and Life Showcase, at which the company's barrister James Eadie had said that both parties were unaware of any wrongdoing.

Ofcom found that the broadcaster, which is available on Sky channel 139, was in breach of the broadcasting code under: rule 10.1, which states that broadcasters must maintain the independence of editorial control over programme content; rule 10.2, which states that broadcasters must ensure that the advertising and programme elements of a service are kept separate: and rule 10.3, which says that products or services must not be promoted in programmes.

The channel was also found guilty under rules 10.4 and 10.5 of the Broadcasting Code, which refers to prominence of product and product placement respectively.