Ad Panel Wants DirecTV to ‘Better Disclose’ Limits of Its 4K Content to Consumers

A National Advertising Review Board (NARB) panel wants AT&T's DirecTV to “better disclose” to consumers that only limited programming on its service is available in 4K, the Council of Better Business Bureaus-affiliated group said in a Tuesday announcement. NARB also wants DirecTV to modify its claim the service is wireless, and to discontinue claims that a “free upgrade” to Genie HD DVRs is available, the announcement said. The council’s National Advertising Division (NAD) ruled in December that DirecTV should change or end advertising claims challenged by Charter Communications about prices and wireless offerings and what Charter termed the misleading suggestion that all DirecTV programming is available in 4K resolution. DirecTV appealed the decision to NARB (see 1512100053), whose panel sided with NAD that DirecTV’s claims on the amount of 4K content on the service “reasonably communicated messages that were not supported by the evidence in the record.” But the panel disagreed with NAD that DirecTV must modify its claims by addressing “the developing nature of 4K technology and indicate that currently only a small amount of programming is available in 4K.” The panel said “reasonable consumers” will understand “the nature of developing technologies and the fact that 4K is a relatively new technology,” and “it would be sufficient for DirecTV to clearly and conspicuously disclose the limited programming available in 4K.” DirecTV representatives didn’t comment Tuesday. The council quoted the satellite operator as saying it will “comply with NARB's recommendations in future advertising,” though it disagrees with NARB’s findings that it modify its claims that the service is wireless, and will discontinue claims that a “free upgrade” to Genie HD DVRs was available.