Channel 5 Given Wake-Up Call By ITC Over Coffee Shots

Channel 5 has run into trouble with the ITC over an item shown in a January edition of 5 News. During a report on depression, a film containing pictures of a nurse getting ready to go to work in the morning was shown. A viewer noted that two 3 second long close up shots of a jar of Douwe Egberts coffee were shown, while the reporter’s voice-over stated “Even her special blend of black coffee and the most irritating local radio breakfast show she can find fails to force her out of the house on time.” The viewer went on to complain to the ITC that the coffee product had been given undue prominence.

The defence from Channel 5 was that showing the nurse making coffee was editorially appropriate in the context of this report. It went on to claim that the word “special” was used to underline the fact that the coffee was very strong and black, but that it still couldn’t wake the nurse. Channel 5 also claimed that the report gave no impression of external commercial influence.

The ITC was satisfied that no actual external commercial influence took place and furthermore understood the editorial context in which the nurse appeared making the cup of coffee. However, it felt that the close-ups were unnecessary and that the use of the word special tended to indicate that this was her preferred brand. The complaint was therefore upheld.

ITC: 020 7255 3000 www.itc.org.uk

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