Announcing Ofcom's decision to ban the ads for high fat, salt and sugar products on children's TV, CEO Ed Richards said the move offered a balance between protecting kids from theimpact of advertising, and ‘the detrimental effects of a ban on British broadcasters' (The Scotsman, 18 Nov).
Channel 4 was in favour of the ban, stating the recommendations were a ‘proportionate response to complex social issues' (The Guardian, 17 Nov). Many critics, though, strongly disagreed.
Five CEO Jane Lighting stated: ‘The long-term future of UK-produced children's programming outside the BBC is bleak' (The Times, 18 Nov). Melanie Leech, of the Food and Drink Federation, said: ‘We are shocked that after a lengthy consultation Ofcom has moved the goalposts' (The Herald, 18 November).
Others thought that the ruling was too weak. ‘Ofcom has betrayed children nationwide', declared Fay Mansell, chairman of the National Federation of Women's Institutes (The Daily Telegraph, 18 Nov).
A sentiment upheld by Children's Commissioner, Sir Albert Aynsley-Green, who said: ‘Children have been sold out yet again to the interests of profit' (bbc.co.uk, 17 November).
Analysis conducted by Echo Research from data supplied to PRWeek from NewsNow.
