Newspaper publishers are concerned that legislation designed to stop companies from cashing in on the Olympics without paying to become an official sponsor is so loosely worded, it could prevent newspapers and magazines being sold if they carry advertising, reports the Guardian newspaper.
The Newspaper Society, representing newspaper publishers, has written to Richard Caborn, Britain’s Minister for Sport, expressing its concerns, and the government has now agreed to ensure that the media is excluded from the “no advertising” clause.
Under what newspaper publishers call the loosely worded legislation even the local paper for the Olympic site in east London, the Hackney Gazette, could technically be barred from publishing during the Games.
The society also wants the exclusion to cover online newspapers and the physical sale of newspapers, including those at newsstands.
The Newspaper Society is also urging changes to the wording of a clause banning advertising “in the vicinity of London Olympic events”.
Instead it says that the ban should cover advertising “during the London Olympics period which is displayed in or above stadia, venues and other competition venues that are considered as part of the London Olympic sites”.
The bill also restricts the use of certain words related to the Games such as “gold”, “silver” and “bronze” designed to ensure only official sponsors can link themselves to the Games in their advertising, and the industry fears this could be used to restrict editorial content, even though news reports are exempt.
