BBC Comes Under Fire Over Coke’s Chart Sponsorship
The BBC looks set to anger its commercial rivals yet again with the announcement that Coca-Cola is to become the multi-million pound sponsor of the weekly music charts used by Radio One and Top Of The Pops.
The two-year deal with the Official UK Chart Company will see the soft-drinks giant receive regular plugs during the Radio One chart rundown on Sunday evenings and credit on BBC One’s recently relaunched Top Of The Pops.
The sponsorship is likely to prove controversial as it comes at a time of growing concern over possible links between food advertising and the growing rate of childhood obesity. It also comes just weeks after Coca-Cola promised to stop aiming its television commercials at youngsters (see Coke Promises To End Advertising Aimed At Children).
Kath Dalmey, a policy officer at the Food Commission, said the implications of targeting a young audience with a highly sugary drink were serious in terms of children’s health. She told The Independent: “Coca-Cola is being extremely two-faced and hypocritical by getting involved in such a deal.”
She added: “We will be lodging a complaint with the BBC. For the BBC to be promoting a sugary drink at a time when everyone is concerned about the health of children and their calorie intake is extremely inappropriate.”
However, it is understood that the BBC had not been involved in brokering the deal, which had been dealt with directly by the music charts company and Coca-Cola. A spokesman for the Corporation said the health implications were insufficient to warrant its intervention.
Earlier this week Culture Secretary, Tessa Jowell, revealed plans to call on new super-regulator, Ofcom, join the fight against obesity by drawing up a tough code to police fast food advertising to children (see Ofcom To Crack Down On Fast Food Advertising).
BBC: 020 8743 8000 www.bbc.co.uk
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