Did BBC Breakfast segment cross the line regarding product prominence?

Did an innocent item on Christmas TV on Monday’s BBC Breakfast turn out in an unfortunate way?

An interview with a Radio Times journalist at 7.55am started to look like a naked plug for the magazine’s Christmas double issue.

It’s more than 10 years since RT was sold by the BBC – it no longer has any commercial or editorial link with the corporation. It is simply an upmarket TV and streaming guide.

Some 20 years ago, the BBC completely stopped making the kind of on air references to the magazine which were once commonplace. Things like the reminders an address or a recipe could be found in RT.

And it’s more than 30 years since Presentation stopped running trails to advertise RT. Instead slides were used, voiced by the announcer, which also reminded us other listings magazines were available.

In other words, RT now has to be treated by BBC programmes just like any other commercial product.

References to brands are, of course, allowed when they are editorially justified.

It is perfectly acceptable to interview a journalist from RT about television – just like a journalist from, say, another magazine, newspaper or entertainment website could also be featured on other occasions.

But did the item as actually broadcast cross the line?

Firstly, the interviewee wore a top emblazoned with RT’s classic logo used from the 70s until the early 90s.

And they also brought in a copy of this year’s Christmas issue to show off. It’s in the shops on Tuesday, they reminded us.

If all started to look less about Christmas TV and more like a naked plug for RT.

On commercial channels, you would have wondered if this was paid for product placement.

There is no suggestion of wrongdoing by either RT or the BBC. But did this item end up crossing the line of editorial acceptability?

Should the interviewee have been asked to cover up the RT logo on their top?

And should they have refrained from showing off this year’s Christmas issue?

The rules on items like this need to be explicitly clear. Otherwise we could be on a slippery slope.

Do we want guests nakedly plugging other products on BBC programmes? Complete with branding.

Live TV programmes with a fast turnaround do not always go as planned. Items do not always turn out as they should.

Are there lessons to learn from this?

It’s a far cry from the days when The Generation Game could do a game based on RT covers.

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