ITC ticks off Granada for This Morning Eurostar gaffe

Campaign, Tuesday, 22 December 1998, 12:00am,

- TV watchdogs have carpeted Granada for giving undue prominence to Eurostar, Goldsmiths jewellers and Going Places in the daytime television programme, This Morning. The gaffe was made in early October with a viewers' competition which offered as a prize three pieces of diamond jewellery from Goldsmiths and a five-day stay courtesy of Going Places in Paris, going either by plane or by Eurostar. The co-presenter of the show, Richard Madeley, said: "Take our tip, go on Eurostar. It's brilliant." The diamonds were displayed for over 10 seconds and described as having "a unique cut, which makes them look big and more sparkling." Goldsmiths and Going Places were given additional five-second brand references when the competition question was announced. The Independent Television Code of Programme Sponsorship limits mentions in viewers' competitions to one brief, factual and/or visual reference and requires descriptions to avoid promotional statements. The ITC ruled that the broadcast had transgressed the code, but received Granada's assurance that measures would be taken to avoid further transgressions and therefore took no further action.