October 25, 200619 yr Now firms can sponsor an entire TV channel Last updated at 13:03pm on 25th October 2006 Advertisers can now sponsor entire British television and radio channels, after more than 50 years of regulation were swept away today. The rule change means channels such as ITV1, Bravo or Capital Radio can, in theory, be sponsored by brands such as Coca Cola or Sony. Broadcasting regulator Ofcom announced the move, designed to free up more revenue possibilities in a world where "on demand" TV and radio means the value of traditional advertising breaks is being undermined. But the new rules contain strict provisos, including that a channel cannot rename itself after a commercial product. So while ITV1, for instance, could not rebrand itself as Coca Cola TV, it could become "ITV1 brought to you by Coca Cola". The ban on sponsorship of commercial TV and radio has been in place for 51 years, since ITV first launched as a rival to the BBC in 1955. Ofcom said there would be strict controls on news channels and children's channels could not be sponsored by drink or gambling firms.
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