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Executive summary

Objectives & methodology

• As part of Ofcom’s Review of the cross promotion rules, Ofcom commissioned a primary research study to understand audience views on the subject of promotions during end credits, commercial breaks and within programmes. The research was timed to run in parallel with a content analysis study quantifying the amount of promotional activity being broadcast across a range of channels.

• The audience research was designed to investigate specific questions that included:

• Do audiences see any issues with promotional activity?
• How do audiences decide on their viewing and therefore what is the role of promotional activity?
• Which type of activity is seen positively and which is seen more negatively?
• When is promotional activity seen as useful?
• Are there any concerns that promotional activity within a programme compromises programme quality?

• The definition of promotion used in the study has been summarized below:

Research findings

• Overall, the qualitative research suggests promotional activity has far reaching benefits for viewers that outweigh some minor issues.

• The use of viewing diaries made respondents more aware of the ubiquity of programme promotions - something to which many of them had been previously oblivious. This highlighted the fact that this type of activity is not necessarily top-of-mind.

• Viewers claimed to use promotions for programmes and channels extensively to help plan and shape their viewing choices.

• Participants in the focus groups felt promotions stimulate choice between channels and programmes and promotions for services such as websites and interactive television help to make television a less passive experience.

• Different types of promotions raised different issues in the focus groups:

• Programme-specific promotions, for programmes up to seven days ahead, were seen as most useful in forward planning viewing
• Cross promotion between channels provoked mixed feelings. Multichannel focus group respondents were particularly positive towards cross channel promotions. Digital-only content promotions led to frustration among terrestrial viewers – mainly because content they could not access was being promoted. Nevertheless, there is evidence that this kind of promotion is encouraging switch-over
• General channel and corporate promotions were accepted as a necessary part of competition between broadcasters
• Participants saw few benefits of radio promotions on television – especially since many respondents felt that television viewing and radio listening were not interchangeable during peak viewing times
• Web promotion appealed to respondents as a way of furthering interests and hobbies
• Promotions for books, DVDs and magazines are acceptable to most

• On the whole, viewers prefer promotions offering “taster clips” of the programme trailed.

• Most people accepted promotions in breaks between programmes and over end credits. Mid-programme centre-break promotions were seen as more intrusive, and were generally not welcomed.

• A majority were comfortable with within-programme promotions– although few of the participants in the focus groups had experienced this type of activity.

• BBC promotions were perceived to stand out more, due to lack of commercial activity and production quality of promotions.

• Smaller channels were seen as promotionally disadvantaged compared to the terrestrial channels (and their respective digital channels), but this was not seen as a reason to restrict promotional activity across bigger channels . Focus group p articipants felt any rules around promotional activity should apply equally to all channels.

• The current volume of promotional activity is felt to be acceptable, although few if any of the focus group respondents, were comfortable with the idea of more promotions.

The full document is available below:

• Television promotions - what the viewers think [pdf]
  Full Print Version

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