Falling as it does outside the entertainment slant of this website, we’ve not previously commented on the various reports that Five and Channel 4 could, or would like to, merge. Most commentators think this is an unlikely deal and some claim the authorities would block it on the grounds of reduced competition.
Despite this weight of opinion against the deal, I can’t help but wonder whether this recent press release (WARNING: some of the content may not be work safe) on Five’s site is an indication that bosses at digital channel FIVER are preparing to join Channel 4 at the bottom of the taste league ready for such a tie-up.
It seems the broadcaster is actually proud to be offering a selection of some of the “most politically incorrect and barely broadcast-able adverts” to what it calls “the discerning FIVER viewer”, the content of which good taste prevents me from repeating here.
I’m not quite sure where the achievement is to be found in showing six episodes of “truly shocking” ads which take “TV commercials to a new level of rudeness never before seen on British TV” but I guess it’s nice to see Five executives so proud of their output.
