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News
BBC mistakenly broadcasts Budweiser advert
The BBC has mistakenly broadcast a Budweiser advertisement during a sports match.
The Corporation mistakenly included the paid promotions when it relayed an American station’s coverage of a baseball game.
The announcers wove the plugs for sponsors, among them chains of financial advisers and petrol stations, into their commentary of the match, which was broadcast on Radio 5 Live Sports Extra last Sunday evening.
During a break in play just before 9.30pm UK time, one of the commentators told BBC listeners in Britain: “This game is brought to you by Budweiser, the beer that starts with a full flavour and ends with a crisp fast finish – fast [sic] times awaiting, grab some Buds.”
At least four other advertisements were also included in 5 Live Sports Extra’s three-hour coverage of the game, including promotions for a nursing home and a cancer treatment centre.
Advertisements are already shown on the BBC World News television channel, which is shown outside Britain.
In January the BBC Trust agreed that adverts could be broadcast on one of the BBC World Service’s overseas radio services for the first time.
The BBC is set to speak to the host broadcaster of the baseball coverage to prevent this happening again.