ARY Digital, B4U Movies and NDTV Imagine have all found in breach of Ofcom's sponsorship rules.

ARY Digital
ARY Digital and ARY News are in trouble with Ofcom after breaking sponsortship rules on various programmes on its channels.

'Veena', 'Loose Talk', 'Good Morning Pakistan', 'Dil Dard Dhuan', 'Shehzadi', were all found in breach of Rule 9.13. Whilst 'Ba Khabar Savera' was found in breach of Rule 9.1 (news and current affairs programmes may not be sponsored).

Ofcom sought the broadcaster’s comments on all of the above sponsorship credits under Rule 9.13 (sponsorship credits must not contain advertising messages or calls to action).

In the case of the programme 'Ba Khabar Savera', Ofcom also requested the broadcaster’s comments with regards to Rule 9.1 of the Code.

Ofcom said: "It was concerned that ARY Digital appears to have insufficient procedures in place to ensure compliance with Rule 9.13 of the Code. In light of this, Ofcom is requiring the broadcaster to attend a meeting to discuss its compliance processes and procedures. Further, Ofcom is putting the licensee on notice that any further breaches of Rule 9.13 will be taken extremely seriously and in such circumstances Ofcom is likely to consider further regulatory action."

And Ofcom added: "Sponsorship of news and current affairs programmes is prohibited. As the programme contained current affairs elements and was sponsored, it was found in breach of Rule 9.1 of the Code."

ARY said that it had monitored the sponsorship credits broadcast on other channels as a reference point. It continued that it had referred to the published guidance and had "tried to keep as little information in the sponsorship credits as thought was possible" and had therefore tried to comply with Rule 9.13.

All above programmes were aired during 1st April until present.

B4U Movies
B4U Movies aired a film called 28th June 2009 at 20:00 whcih was sponsored by Ginco (supplier of nuts, sweets and snacks). The credits consisted of an image of three different products each with the text "99p" visible on them. The accompanying voiceover stated: "Ginco - wholesalers of finest quality products" and the sponsor’s telephone number.

Ofcom considered that the overall effect of these elements was to focus on the sponsor’s business, rather than on the sponsorship arrangement. Ofcom therefore found the credit in breach of Rule 9.13 of the Code.

B4U accepted that the reference to the price of the product was an "oversight" on the part of the broadcaster and said that it would remove this in future. However, the broadcaster argued that this was only a small element of the sponsorship credit, and that overall the credit identified the sponsorship arrangement and did not contain any direct appeal to viewers to buy the sponsor’s product.

NDTV Imagine
NDTV Imagine was also found in breach of code 9.13. Its film strand 'Imagine Blockbusters' sponsorship credit included the text: "Free underlay - £8.40 sq.m" and "Free Fitting". The website as well as the addresses and telephone numbers of the Southall and Slough branches of Himalaya Carpets appeared on screen in the end frame of the credit.

Ofcom considered that providing the addresses and telephone numbers of two of Himalaya Carpets branches as well as the company’s website address in the end frame of the credit, exceeded the minimum information necessary to allow viewers to make initial contact with the sponsor.

NDTV advised that it has since received specific training on sponsorship and commercial references in programmes from a compliance consultant, and as a result assured Ofcom that it has improved its compliance processes in this area.