Political Ads May Be Coming To A Small Screen Near You
The Guardian|April 15, 2024
Some viewers are already irritated by the adverts interrupting shows on the ITV catchup service. But they could soon yearn for the halcyon days of shampoo or insurance commercials after being presented with the faces of Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer.
Jim Waterson
Political Ads May Be Coming To A Small Screen Near You

ITV is considering taking paid advertisements from political parties for the first time during the upcoming general election thanks to a loophole in broadcasting law.

The broadcaster told the Guardian it was considering whether to allow political parties to buy space on its ITVX streaming platform. This could leave viewers having Love Island or Saturday Night Takeaway broken up by a lecture on the economy.

Ever since commercial television began in 1954, British political parties have been banned by law from buying television adverts. The idea was that this improved the quality of public debate and stopped wealthy political parties buying their way into voters' homes - ensuring the UK has avoided the political attack ads that are prevalent during American elections.

But the ban-last updated in 2003 only applies to traditional television channels and not to streaming television delivered over the internet. With audiences increasingly switching off traditional broadcast channels, the UK's big political parties are preparing to take advantage of the loophole and pay millions of pounds to insert themselves into living rooms.

Tom Edmonds, who ran digital advertising campaigns for the Conservatives in the 2010s, said politicians were desperate to pay to access screens. He said that if British broadcasters did not run such ads, US tech companies would happily take the money.

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة April 15, 2024 من The Guardian.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة April 15, 2024 من The Guardian.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

المزيد من القصص من THE GUARDIAN مشاهدة الكل
Money hacks How to save on winter sports holidays
The Guardian

Money hacks How to save on winter sports holidays

When it comes to skiing and snowboarding, going to Europe will always be cheaper than flying to somewhere such as the US or Canada - but costs vary massively on the continent.

time-read
4 mins  |
November 23, 2024
Scam refund claims
The Guardian

Scam refund claims

Some victims of bank transfer scams will not get a penny back despite beefed-up rules designed to better protect consumers from fraudsters because several big banks have introduced an excess on refund claims.

time-read
1 min  |
November 23, 2024
Packaged accounts Are the perks worth the money?
The Guardian

Packaged accounts Are the perks worth the money?

For a monthly fee, banks offer everyday banking with all kinds of enticing extras. Laura Whateley examines how the 'freebies' stack up

time-read
6 mins  |
November 23, 2024
Spain floods force firms to look south for oranges
The Guardian

Spain floods force firms to look south for oranges

Some British retailers and wholesalers have been forced to switch to sourcing oranges from South Africa and South America earlier than usual after last month's floods in eastern Spain left farmers struggling to harvest and ship their crops.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 23, 2024
Northvolt boss resigns after EV battery firm files for bankruptcy
The Guardian

Northvolt boss resigns after EV battery firm files for bankruptcy

The chief executive of Northvolt has resigned after the Swedish battery startup filed for bankruptcy protection in the US.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 23, 2024
Electric dream sours Carmakers fight strict EV rules as fines loom
The Guardian

Electric dream sours Carmakers fight strict EV rules as fines loom

When Ford announced this week that it was cutting 800 jobs in the UK, the US carmaker had stern words for the government.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 23, 2024
The Guardian

Irish tycoon bids to buy out Yorkshire Post owner

National World, the owner of the Scotsman and Yorkshire Post - and underbidder in the auction for the Telegraph - has received a buyout proposal from largest shareholder.

time-read
1 min  |
November 23, 2024
Bitcoin rises after US SEC chair says he will step down
The Guardian

Bitcoin rises after US SEC chair says he will step down

Cryptocurrencies rose sharply immediately after one of the industry's biggest critics, Gary Gensler, said he would stand down as the head of the US financial regulator when president-elect Donald Trump was inaugurated in January.

time-read
1 min  |
November 23, 2024
Feeling the strain Rising bills and Trump policies to add to pressure on households
The Guardian

Feeling the strain Rising bills and Trump policies to add to pressure on households

Labour swept to power in the wake of a punishing cost of living crisis that hit households hard, with the price of food and energy rocketing, alongside the impact on mortgage rates of Liz Truss's disastrous mini-budget.

time-read
4 mins  |
November 23, 2024
Budget blamed for end to 12 months of expansion as optimism slumps
The Guardian

Budget blamed for end to 12 months of expansion as optimism slumps

Labour's first budget in 14 years has been given the \"thumbs down\" by private sector businesses, with Rachel Reeves's measures blamed for the end to a 12-month run of expansion and a fall in retail sales.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 23, 2024