Mansfield 103.2 has been found in breach of Rule 10.3 by Ofcom because it broadcast a commercial message around news bulletins.
The station said that there had never been any news sponsorship and that the content of “the Top of The Hour tag” related to a furniture retailer known as Top Cat Wholesale. There had been no connection to any organisation with a direct interest in news.
It said that the retailer’s interest related only to combining the name of “Top Cat” to the “Top of the Hour” and not to the news that was about to be broadcast at that time.
Ofcom took the view that although the commercial reference in programming was not related to any other editorial content, because it was presented next to the introduction to the news, listeners were likely to consider that the news bulletins were sponsored by Top Cat Furniture.
Their decision was that a commercial reference was broadcast around news bulletins, which implied Top Cat Furniture’s sponsorship of them, in breach of Rule 10.3 of the Code.
Who the hell is running these places? Sheesh.
Damn it! I knew I should have read the liner faster! DOH!