The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has decided not to intervene in regard to Channel 4’s advertising campaign for the new series of ‘My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding’.
Despite numerous complaints, including one on this site, and an outcry from the Gypsy and Traveller communities, the ASA did not deem the adverts offensive enough to contact Channel 4 about. In a letter received by me this morning, Hardeep Parmar, Complaints Executive at the ASA, said:
” [We] didn’t think there were sufficient grounds for us to intervene… Whilst the Council acknowledged that the ads might not be to everyone’s taste, they noted that both the images and the text reflected the tone and content of the programme they promoted”
The letter went on to say:
“The council did not consider the ads likely to cause serious or widespread offence… or be seen as unfairly portraying, denigrating or stereotyping Gypsy or Traveller communities.”
Clearly an unimpressive response. You can add your voice of concern here.
See below for copies of the letter I received this morning.
segmentpolitics.wordpress.com 