Lucozade advert rescheduled after complaint

A television advert for Lucozade can only be shown after the 9 pm watershed, the Broadcasting Complaints Commission (BCC) ordered today.

The advert which features images of break-dancing Zombies with their eyeballs popping out and their limbs falling off received a popular reaction when test marketed, the advertiser said.

RTÉ had received complaints and decided the commercial should not be shown before 7pm because it may not be suitable for young viewers but the BCC found the action insufficient and ordered it be shown only after the watershed.

"If one did not understand the humour of the advertisement, or even recognise that it was supposed to be humorous, the tone could be menacing and scary," the BCC found.

Of the 18 complaints received this quarter, the BCC ruled one was frivolous and vexatious while two decisions were deferred. All other complaints were rejected.

Among them was a complaint taken by RTÉ against Newstalk 106 over an advert for FBD insurance. The national broadcaster said under the procedure for making complaints, it had to name a particular broadcaster but other stations had aired the commercial.

The advert features sports commentators, Jimmy Magee and Micheal O'Muircheartaigh, in conversation. The RTE copy clearance committee felt obligated to block the advert because in their view it could be mistaken by some listeners as part of a programme.

RTE said a trend was developing in which advertising it rejected on the understanding it was obliged to, was being broadcast elsewhere. It said it wanted to clarify whether its copy control committee was being too restrictive in its interpretation of the codes.

Newstalk 106 contended the complaint was based on national broadcaster's wish to ensure the two well-known RTE commentators were not heard anywhere else.

The RTE complaint was rejected: "On hearing the broadcast item a listener could easily discern that it was an advertisement."

The advertising of Villagemagazine during a radio show hosted by the magazine's editor Vincent Browne was also rejected.

A number of complaints relating to the partiality and taste and decency of RTE news and current affairs programming were also rejected.