Grade on Product Placement Ban

ITV Executive Chairman, Michael Grade has spoken out about Culture Secretary Andy Burnham‘s decision to continue to keep product placement banned on British Television.

“Our audiences are savvier than the Government thinks. It is simply not in our interest to “contaminate” programmes with product placement which would irritate them and prompt them to switch over. We believe that considered product placement, in the context of the robust regulatory framework proposed in the AVMS Directive, would bring more realism to programming, portraying a world that is recognisable and relevant.

“Given the extraordinary economic pressures ITV, and others, face, we can’t let a decision like this simply go through without trying to fight it. We are considering our next steps and I am consulting my legal team as to whether we have a strong case for judicial review.

“I shall also be writing to the Chief Executive of Ofcom to ask what measures he intends to introduce to ‘protect’ viewers from those programmes and films that already contain product placement and which have been broadcast on British television for many years. The Government should at least be taking a consistent position.”

Previously ITV had released a statement by a spokesperson on the decision which can be read in our original report here”