Ofcom's New Rules On Product Placement Come Into Force

From today, product placement will be allowed on UK commercial television for the first time, as a result of the amended Ofcom Broadcasting Code (the "Code") entering into force.  The amended Code, which was published by Ofcom on 20 December 2010 following consultations with key stakeholders in 2009 and 2010, allows broadcasters to permit products to be placed in programmes, subject to a number of safeguards.  These safeguards include:

• the prohibition of any product placement in news or children's programmes, or in any programmes which do not fall within the 'permitted genres' of films, series made for television (or other audiovisual media services), sports programmes, and light entertainment programmes;