Blurring border between advertising and entertainment: Seven Network defends McDonald’s documentary
Seven Network has defended its decision to broadcast a documentary about McDonald’s in Australia, which was commissioned by the fast food chain itself.
The documentary, ‘McDonald’s Gets Grilled’, is scheduled to be broadcast at 9.30pm this evening. McDonald’s commissioned an independent production company to produce the documentary.
In the documentary, six members of the public are given “an all-access pass to McDonald’s” and set out to ask questions about what goes into the food they eat.
Despite McDonald’s being a major advertiser with the television network, Seven Network has defended criticism about broadcasting the show.
A spokesperson for Seven Network told The Sunday Telegraph that “the views represented are not necessarily the views of Seven”.
The spokesperson is also quoted as saying, “There is plenty of negative as well as positive information in the program. We have no reason to think the information in the program is other than accurate. Is there a link between the screening of the film and the fact McDonald’s is a major MKR sponsor? No.”
Seriously does anyone really suggest this is a documentary? Just seems an enormous advertising campaign to me.