By David Furness
TNT Sports has received some criticism for including political themes in Premier League adverts. The display of messages during football matches has raised questions about their appropriateness and potential ethical implications.
I recently watched the Chelsea vs Leeds match on TNT Sports, followed by the West Ham vs Manchester United match. During both games, I noticed a message that flashed quickly on the screen. It read ‘with pride’, and the message was repeated more than 60 times during the game. Even the corner flags were rainbow coloured.
The message appeared for less than a second during breaks in play, such as corners, free kicks, or when the ball went out of play. This method is similar to ‘subliminal advertising,’ which can influence people’s minds without them noticing.
An example of subliminal advertising is the hidden arrow (between the ‘E’ and ‘x’) in the FedEx logo, which suggests speed and efficiency.
Can you spot the hidden arrow in the Ex image above?
The quick, woke adverts on TNT Sports are an example of subliminal advertising.
During the West Ham game, I tried to take a photo of the ‘with pride’ message. It was hard to catch because it was on screen for such a short time, but after many tries, I finally got the picture.
Last year, I used the same method to capture a ‘no room for racism’ advert that also showed up during live football matches on TNT Sports.
Ofcom
Ofcom is responsible for the communication services we use every day, such as TV, radio, internet, and phone services.
Section 319 of the Communications Act 2003 is the law behind OFCOM’s standards code, which sets the rules for TV and radio content in the UK. Subsection 2L states:
There is no use of techniques which exploit the possibility of conveying a message to viewers or listeners, or of otherwise influencing their minds, without their being aware, or fully aware, of what has occurred.
Football fans watching live matches on TNT Sports may not be fully aware of what is happening when these messages flash on the screen. It’s a case of “blink, and you’ll miss it!” Many say that this technique violates Section 319 of the Communications Act 2003.
Ofcom can impose sanctions which may include:
- A direction not to repeat content.
- A direction to broadcast a correction or a statement ofOfcom’ss finding.
- Financial penalties.
Last year, I complained to Ofcom about TNT Sports’ use of its ‘no room for racism’ advert during live football games, but months later, I’m still waiting for a response!
Watching live football on TNT Sports costs money. Most subscribers just want to enjoy the game without constant, distracting adverts on the screen. Imagine if a political advert like ‘Vote Labour’ kept popping up during a match; how would people react?
Messages like ‘no room for racism’ and ‘with pride’ may have value. However, football games might not be the right place for them.
I urge TNT Sports and regulators to consider how these quick, flashing messages affect football fans. People should be able to enjoy football games without unwanted political or social messages.
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Legal Notices
- Promoted by the British Democrats, PO Box 11028, Loughborough, LE12 7YL.
- Fair Dealing: This article contains third-party logos (FedEx, TNT Sports, The FA) and/or embedded video footage used for the purpose of media review and political commentary under the ‘Fair Dealing’ provisions of the UK Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
- Notice: FedEx service marks used by permission. This publication is not affiliated with or endorsed by any brands mentioned.
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