Radio station is rapped over property firm 'plugs'

A RADIO station has been reprimanded by Ofcom after it broke broadcasting rules by promoting foreign property companies.

Listeners complained a 2008 edition of the Jon Gaunt Show show on TalkSport, broadcast from a Cyprus hotel, amounted to advertising for two property firms working on the island.

The regulator's report highlighted comments by Gaunt about one property firm, which had a deal with the station for editorial support and agreed to pay a fee for every property sold.

Gaunt made several references to the firm on air, telling listeners to "check out their website". He also interviewed a representative from a hotel, referred to its spa treatments and ended by saying: "If you ever want to check it out, why don't you?"

TalkSport said the show was examining "Broken Britain" and "seeking to discover if life could be better elsewhere".