The BBC has upheld a complaint from commercial radio that BBC Radio 1 too heavily endorsed Coldplay's Viva la Vida tour. RadioCentre won a complaint lodged with the BBC executive fair trading committee.
RadioCentre insisted that the use of Radio 1's logo in publicity for Coldplay's tour amounted to the "perception of endorsement". They’re now preparing to lodge a separate complaint about the BBC's recent tie-up and promotion of U2's new single and album.
The BBC committee's complaints panel has ordered that guidance from the corporation's marketing division should be updated to provide clearer information on the use of the Radio 1 logo.
"The proposed action to revise guidelines amounts to a token slap on the wrist," said Andrew Harrison, chief executive of RadioCentre. "We will be appealing to the BBC Trust for much tougher changes to editorial and fair trading practice."
A spokeswoman for Radio 1 responded to the ruling, saying: "The panel has made it clear that this was not a deliberate attempt to imply endorsement and that the appropriate processes were followed.”
