Sponsorship
UK programme was Beamish Stout for
Inspector Morse – a programme for older
A different form of advertising gets round some
audiences who might enjoy this kind of
of these problems of audience avoidance.
alcoholic drink. The character himself also
Sponsorship of programmes has long been
drank traditional ‘real ale’, giving some kudos
common in the United States, but it was not
to the sponsor. More recently, younger
generally allowed in the UK until after the 1990
audiences have been targeted by Bailey’s
Broadcasting Act.
Cream (Sex and the City) and Stella Artois
(Channel 4 Films).
American regulations at one time allowed
sponsors to become part of the programme.
Teleshopping, Promotions
So, on a live studio show, the host would
and Infomercials
welcome audiences to the Kraft Television
Theatre and would invite the audience to American-style infomercials have been
“listen to a word from our sponsor”. This form common on satellite and cable television in the
of single company sponsorship of a UK for some time. These are gen erally short
programme was largely replaced by spot programmes in which a presenter promotes a
advertising in the US, but its legacy has been product directly to the viewer (usually through
the recognition that where advertisers have an invitation to 'phone or text a specific
complete control over a show they can number). Ofcom now considers these
influence its content (see the Museum of programmes under the general heading of
Broadcasting entry on sponsorship on the Teleshopping' (see Ofcom regulations). Such
web). In the UK sponsors are allowed only to programmes are permissible on terrestrial
announce that “Coronation Street is sponsored channels 3, 4 and 5 in the hours between
by Cadbury Creme Eggs” etc. UK regulation is midnight and 6 am, but they count towards the
designed to ensure that there is a clear distinc- overall amount of advertising time across the
tion between the programme and the product full schedule and are therefore not attractive.
and that programme-makers always have Ofcom allows other (i.e. not 3,4 or 5) channels
complete editorial control. to offer all teleshopping programming (i.e. a
shopping channel) or to offer teleshopping
There are two main advantages in sponsorship windows of not less than 15 minutes in the
for the advertisers. First, they achieve a schedule. Regulations are designed to ensure
guaranteed place for the product logo at the that viewers are not confused as to the
start and end of every programme segment. difference between spot advertising, pro-
Because the sponsor announcement is shown gramme material and teleshopping. Further
so close to the programme beginning, there regulations cover programme material
is less chance it will be missed by the designed to promote other programmes deliv-
audience (and it will not be removed by ered by the same television channel or related
recording software). channels. Generally, teleshopping must offer
only material that is directly purchasable via
A rather different advantage is the prestige of information contained within the programme –
attachment to a specific appropriate it cannot direct viewers towards other media.
programme. One of the first sponsorships for a null
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