Concert programme advertising move

Press, 11 September 1980, Page 13

Concert programme advertising move

Commercials may be heard this summer for the first time on the Concert programme. The Broadcasting Corporation has filed an application with the Broadcasting Tribunal to amend the warrants of the four YC stations and regional stations taking the YA programme to allow limited commercialisation. If permission is granted, listeners to the YA National programmes outside the four main cities will also have their first taste of commercials. The application is limited to the summer daytime “Sports roundup” programme. Cricket followers can expect advertisements between overs. ~ The “Sports Roundup” programme is carried continousiy from Christmas to thend of the cricket season on the YC stations

from 10.30 a.m. to 6 p.m. or 7 p.m. For periods of half an hour to an hour three or four times during the day regional YA stations join the YCs for the sports ■ programme. The application is framed in such a way as to include these stations in the commercial programmes during these periods. The application seeks a limit of six minutes an hour commercial time on the YC stations, compared with the maximum of 14 minutes an hour allowed on ZB. ZM, and private stations. The Broadcasting Corporation argues that the widespread use in sports broadcasting of sponsors’ names adds pressure for “legitimising” the commercial situation. The move would bring in much-needed revenue

towards the cost of sports broadcasts that often involve live commentaries from all over the country. The plan to introduce commercials will undoubtedly bring strong reaction from some Concert-pro-gramme listeners, and will probably form an alliance of strange bedfellows, cricket fans and classicalmusic buffs.

Classical-music buffs have long complained about the intrusion of cricket commentaries into earl y-evening seriousmusic time. Now the highbrow listeners and cricket fans will have something in common in their opposition to advertising. Another fear among listeners may well be that this move is just the start of a new policy by the increasingly commerciallyminded Broadcasting Corporation.