The Irresponsible Self-Regulation of Spanish Radio: High-Grade Alcohol Advertising in Sports Programming

What is this article about?

This article explains how Spanish news/talk radio stations irresponsibly broadcast advertisements for high-alcohol-content beverages, often during sports programs and protected hours, using radio hosts as endorsers. Muela-Molina, Romero-Rodríguez, and García-Arranz analyze 355 live mentions from COPE, Cadena SER, and Onda Cero, exposing failures in media self-regulation and ethical breaches under both national and EU frameworks.

Why is it important?

This study uncovers a clear disconnect between legal obligations and media practices in Spain. Despite fines and existing laws, radio stations continue to promote alcohol irresponsibly, compromising public health, especially of young audiences, and eroding trust in journalistic ethics.

Key Findings

1. Most alcohol ads aired on COPE

• COPE accounted for 91.8% of mentions, despite previous sanctions

• Evening slots (16:00–19:59) saw 51.8% of ads, coinciding with major sports broadcasts

2. Hosts serve as celebrity endorsers

• 93.5% of mentions were delivered by radio hosts, blurring editorial boundaries

• This violates ethical codes (e.g., International Federation of Journalists, Article 13)

3. Self-regulation is ineffective

• Spain relies on voluntary self-regulation via Autocontrol

• Media houses fail to enforce advertising separation or prior content filtering

4. Most promoted drinks: rum and herbal liqueurs

• Rum (55.8%) and herb liqueurs (36.6%) dominated; vodka and whisky absent

• Brandy and gin appeared minimally

Legal Context

• Law 34/1988 and Law 7/2010 restrict alcohol ads on TV but remain vague for radio

• Article 18 of Law 7/2010 prohibits promotions harmful to health, which should include high-alcohol beverages

• European directives are not fully implemented in audio-only media

Policy Recommendations

• Extend alcohol ad bans to radio, not just TV

• Establish pre-clearance systems (as in the UK) for broadcast ads

• Enforce license suspension for repeat violators

• Improve media accountability and journalist compliance with ethical standards

FAQs

Q: Why is alcohol advertising on radio problematic?
A: It reaches wide audiences, including minors, especially during sports shows in protected time slots.

Q: Are these ads legal in Spain?
A: They operate in a grey area—laws prohibit TV ads for high-alcohol beverages, but radio regulation is insufficient.

Q: Who delivers these ads?
A: Mostly radio hosts, leveraging their credibility to endorse products, often live and embedded in programming.

Q: What solutions does the article propose?
A: Stronger regulation, mandatory ad review systems, and holding both stations and journalists accountable.