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Uber gets the ABC tick of approval

Why a ride sharing brand featuring in an upcoming Drama isn't a breach of the ABC Act.

This week ABC announced a new 30 minute drama Diary of an Uber Driver, based on the blog and e-book by Ben Phillips.

But is having a commercial brand so prominent at odds with Section 31 of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation Act (1983)? It states, “The Corporation shall not broadcast advertisements on any of the Corporation’s broadcasting services.”

An ABC spokesperson yesterday told TV Tonight, “The use of the word ‘Uber’ within the title is consistent with our Editorial Policies on the basis that it’s editorially justified (because it was the existing name of the blog and book) and isn’t intended – or likely to be perceived – as a promotion for Uber.

“We’ve also ensured that verbal and visual references to Uber within the series itself are kept to a minimum, in accordance with our commercial reference standards.”

In the past ABC has been forced to omit or limit commercial brands in its Dramas, but Gruen can show full advertisements due to being editorially in context.

In 2016 ABC International was criticised for partnering with Swisse.

Diary of an Uber Driver follows Uber driver Ben (Sam Cotton) as tries to figure out what he should be doing while helping others get where they’re going. It will air in 2019.

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