Broadcasting Complaints Commission to Rule on CCFE Complaint
December 19, 2008 by Joe Fogarty
The Broadcasting Complaints Commission is to consider a complaint by the Campaign for Commercial-Free Education concerning a report on RTÉ’s news show News2Day (19 Nov 2008) about the “Doodle 4 Google” promotion in schools.
The complaint proposed that RTÉ’s coverage of this latest marketing promotion to target Irish schools was both commercially biased and lacking in objectivity or balance. RTÉ have rejected the complaint and the BBC will meet on 26th January 2009 to decide.
Read the complaint made by CCFE.
2 December 2008.
To whom it may concern,
I would like to register a complaint regarding a report on children’s news show News2Day (19 Nov 2008) about the “Doodle 4 Google” promotion in schools.
I consider the report to have been commercially-biased and lacking objectivity or balance.
This commercial competition requires teachers to make the sponsors’ corporate logo the focus of art lessons for school children as young as 5 years of age. RTE’s report, aimed at children of primary school age, gave glowing, uncritical coverage to the marketing scheme and featured children from Tiermohan NS in Kildare studying Google’s logo as well as comment from a company spokesperson.
My objection is based on the following grounds:
a) RTE shouldn’t be packaging commercial marketing initatives as childrens’ programming.
b) If publicity is to be given to a commercial promotion in schools, it must acknowledge that there is a strong opposing perspective and present balanced coverage.
a) The “Doodle 4 Google” competition is a marketing promotion. Google are NOT featured in the Visual Arts Curriculum for Primary Schools. The entry guidelines read “Please ensure that the Google logo is clearly visible and recognisable.” “Write the word ‘Google’ on the board and show the pupils a print out of the logo template.”
Bland promotion of such a commercially-driven exercise is not “providing News and Current Affairs that is fair and impartial, accurate and challenging” (RTE’s Strategic Framework Values p1)
RTE which commits to “ensure that children are respected as young citizens with a valued contribution to make and a voice of their own” (Public Broadcasting Charter p3) should not be airing soft-focus “Advertorials” straight from the marketing department to the childrens’ TV.
b) There exists a well established opposition among educators to commercial marketing in school. This relevant viewpoint was lamentably absent in this one sided, promotional report.
The INTO have stated, (June 07): “Commercial logos, slogans, brand names or product orientated activities should not be presented to children in class either through posters, worksheets or certificates.”
The Irish Primary Principals Network concur that (Feb 07): “The promotion of commercial products, aimed at a captive audience of children in schools, contravenes and undermines many of the core values of education.”
Other RTE reports on commercial advertising (For example see http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/0107/6news_av.html?2323434,null,230), have been fair and balanced in their presentation of the issues - the same could not be said of the report on 19th November which was broadcast directly to children.
I trust you will consider my complaint and look forward to your response.
Yours Sincerely,
Joseph Fogarty.
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