What is a sponsored programme and why does it matter?
A. A programme is considered to be sponsored if a third party has contributed towards the cost of making or broadcasting the programme. That can either be by paying the broadcaster or producer a significant sum of money for the privilege of elaborate sponsor credits before and after the programme (and in and out of the ad breaks as well); or it can arise from an informal contribution to the programme producer’s budget (this should be discussed first with the department at the broadcaster which deals with sponsorship). In both cases, there is an obligation for that sponsorship to be made clear to viewers and there must be no promotional reference (verbal or visual) to the sponsor in the programme. Sponsors may be credited as prize donors or have their products/services as prizes in viewer competitions in programmes they are sponsoring, but particular care needs to be taken to ensure that the degree of prominence is justified. Advice should be sought at an early stage.
