Ofcom complaints after ITV ArmA mixup

By Tom Phillips Published 28 September, 2011

Will ITV be forced to pay an ArmA leg?

UK TV regulator Ofcom has recieved 25 complaints after an ITV documentary mistakenly labelled footage from video game ArmA 2 as a 1988 IRA terrorist attack.

Ofcom is currently "assessing the situation" in response to the objections, reports media news site Journalism.co.uk.

Ofcom told Eurogamer it was still deciding whether to investigate further, and was therefore unable to comment on what the "possible consequences" - if any - might be.

ITV has already apologised over the incident, which it blamed on "an unfortunate case of human error".

The documentary, Exposure: Gaddafi, was pulled from ITV's online catch-up service ITV Player. An updated version with the correct footage will be uploaded in the coming days.

ArmA 2 footage. Not the IRA.

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Phillips

Tom joined Eurogamer in 2010 and has quickly made his mark writing news and columns and coming up with puntastic straplines. Questionable beard. @TomPhillips151 on Twitter.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Phillips archive page.

You may also like...

Comments (52) Latest comment 8 months ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • el_pollo_diablo #1 8 months ago

    Best just stick to Ant and Dec, eh ITV?

  • geeza2020 #2 8 months ago

    How did they not realise this was a game?

  • whizzedout #3 8 months ago

    The updated version is called Exposure:Undercover in Russian Airport, featuring real counter terrorism footage.

  • oceanmotion #4 8 months ago

    Begs the question where did they get it from. Google some IRA footage, oh look, that'll do. Must have some right idiots working for them.

  • Golgo #5 8 months ago

    I do not accept this was an innocent error. Simply the wrong piece of footage slipped in at last moment, as ITV allege. The footage appears to have been doctored heavily (grainy-fied, if that's a word) to disguise the fact it's a game, and the documentary is scripted to comment on what happens in precisely this footage ("no one died in this attack" - LMAO). I think they tried it on and just got caught. Most alarming of all, though, is that at least 25 people tuned in to watch an ITV docomentary. Why?!

  • Machetazo #6 8 months ago

    That they didn't even ask permission of Bohemia's mostly what irks me, especially when they then come forward (Bohemia) to state that they have received requests to use their footage in just that way before, but they have turned down these, on the basis that it may cause harm to themselves or their interests to establish any association between game and the documentary content - ITV though, went and put them in that position anyway, without their prior knowledge. >:(
    Edited by Machetazo at 28/09/11 @ 12:20

  • the_dudefather #7 8 months ago

    If you watch the full video of the gameplay, the chopper crashes and explodes a few seconds after they cut off

    no-one got hurt, yeah right

  • yupyup #8 8 months ago

    Ridiculously poor, even by ITVs existing ridiculously poor standards.

  • thesonglessbird #9 8 months ago

    Terrestrial channel of the year as well!

  • PeacockDreams #10 8 months ago

    What is really poor is Eurogamers pun!!

    ArmA leg???!!!???

    Sounds nothing like 'An arm an' a leg'

    Must try harder!!!

  • metalangel #11 8 months ago

    You don't see the "realistic" BF3 being used for these shenanigans, do ya?

    Check this out, real audio from a news report over more ArmA2 footage:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mf0EfTtIRi8
    Edited by metalangel at 28/09/11 @ 12:34

  • gruntboy #12 8 months ago

    @Machetazo - "That they didn't even ask permission of Bohemia's mostly what irks me,"

    I appreciate you say "mostly", but come on - the fact that Bohemia weren't asked bothers you more than ITV broadcasting something as real footage when it is plainly not? The former is inconsiderate at best, possibly even litigious. The latter is downright disgraceful.

  • ant72 #13 8 months ago

    The footage was not "doctored", but shot through a camcorder, and here's the file they used.... sigh....

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJDeipvpjGQ

  • benfresh76 #14 8 months ago

    'Human error' as justification in this instance is such a pile of bullshit. As if they wouldn't be required to cite their sources or indeed get permission to use any footage whatsoever, faked or otherwise, in a programme of this nature. 'human error' implies a shockingly casual and cavalier approach to journalism and documentary film making. It is deeply irresponsible that anyone in the media, in a position of authority and responsibility, especially in a production company generating content that would normally be deemed of a relatively serious nature should be afforded the luxury of passing the buck on 'human error'.

    It honestly wouldn't surprise me if ITV now put together an expose on the realistic nature of modern videogames, the ever blurring line between simulation and reality and the dangerous impact this is having on our youth.

  • DSR3 #15 8 months ago

    You can also see a soldier change weapons without using his arms! Did no-one watch this before it went to air?

  • Machetazo #16 8 months ago

    @12: I didn't watch the programme, so yeah I feel more legitimately annoyed about the way that the creator of the game were treated, and their work misrepresented, than somebody broadcasting something not what it purported to be. I'm not excusing or overlooking the deception that took place, but the part that I feel more affected by, is the disregard shown by ITV for a creator of a work it didn't ask before using, and clearly went against their wishes in so doing.

  • MoGamer2006 #17 8 months ago

    That footage is laughable - it's so clearly a video game! What an embarrassment... :o

  • Ryze #18 8 months ago

    Tune in next week for shocking footage of a 'mutant' blue coloured hedgehog!

  • Golgo #19 8 months ago

    Fair enough, ant72. The effect/outcome is the same, however.

  • FireMonkey #20 8 months ago

    @el_pollo_diablo - "Best just stick to Ant and Dec, eh ITV?"

    I'm not too sure Ant & Dec would be suitable for a documentary about Gaddafi and the IRA.

  • Jubag #21 8 months ago

    "Will ITV be forced to pay an ArmA leg?" clearly The Sun thought of this pun

  • gm914 #22 8 months ago

    PeacockDreams states:
    ArmA leg???!!!??? Sounds nothing like 'An arm an' a leg' Must try harder!!!

    I would have gone for-
    ITV Video Editor says "ArmAgeddon so fired for this..."
    Yes, much better.

  • Machetazo #23 8 months ago

    I see this, and I think of all the process of editing and other practices and procedures that must go in to producing a programme. Afterwards, the mind's left boggled at how this could be an accident, so easily explained away.

  • ZizouFC #24 8 months ago

    I hear they have footage of an Italian plumber eating mushrooms on the job.

  • Clive_Dunn #25 8 months ago

    "Oh no...1 is down...to be sure, to be sure."

  • Fozzie_bear #26 8 months ago

    We really need to calm down, accept that this was a huge error by a handful of idiots and hope that there's no knee-jerk reaction from ITV as a whole.

    We've seen the BBC become averse to any comedy more dangerous than Michael McIntyre noticing things about the post office and the furore over the phone hacking scandal means that we'll be less likely to get another MP's expenses scandal being broken by the press. The danger is that this stops ITV broadcasting other genuine, hard hitting documentaries. There's already rumours floating around that they're considering shelving their in-depth look at the problem of turtles being abused by the Italian community.

  • ZuluHero #27 8 months ago

    And in other news...

    ...Scientists discover blue hedgehog that can run faster than the speed of sound...

    /bong

    ...Anti augment Protesters riot in Detroit...

    /bong

    ...and an eastern European illegal immigrant runs amok in a city, killing lots of prostitutes...

  • metalangel #28 8 months ago

    @Clive_Dunn: "3 O'clock! RUC! Five hundred!"

  • lordofthedunce #29 8 months ago

    ^^ was thinking that earlier :-)

    Exclusive images of MJ's last concert is footage of the Moonwalker game intro.

  • Camilitus #30 8 months ago

    shurly shome mishtake? "forced to pay an ARMAnd a leg"

  • abrakababra #31 8 months ago

    Plus 1 to the subtitle!

  • Machetazo #32 8 months ago

    @27: that last bit reminded me of the Very Foreign Correspondent! :D The Melbourne Taxi investigation is funnier, but here's a different example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDMMRKk_l-Y
    Edited by Machetazo at 28/09/11 @ 13:48

  • rudedudejude #33 8 months ago

    ITVlol

  • dirtysteve #34 8 months ago

    @Golgo I think the original footage was doctored before ITV got their hands on it. I don't think anyone suspects ITV of tarting up game footage deliberately, just of being foolish enough to fall for it.

  • strangerism #35 8 months ago

    ITV 'an unfortunate case of human error'

  • bobfish09 #36 8 months ago

    "Human error"

    In the IRA, that would've resulted in a virtual firing squad!

  • Desheep #37 8 months ago

    I am interested to see if arma sales go back up this month.

  • Ranger101 #38 8 months ago

    Does the video attached to this article have anything to do with the ITV footage? Seems like people in the comments are talking about 2 different film footage??? The one attached to this article has someone narrating in an Eastern European sounding language.

    Here's the footage shown on ITV: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7yicCUwex8
    Edited by Ranger101 at 28/09/11 @ 14:57

  • kangarootoo #39 8 months ago

    For all those crying conspiracy, Hanlon's razor applies here.

    "Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity."

  • the_sas_man #40 8 months ago

    I say we all complain about this.

    The stick us gamers and the industry as a whole receives is unbelievable. So this is payback!

    Plus ITV miss important England goals and I've still not forgiven for that!
    Edited by the_sas_man at 28/09/11 @ 15:00

  • Porcupine_I #41 8 months ago

    just call the show "ArmA got talent" and everything is alright!

  • polaris70 #42 8 months ago

    An updated version with the correct footage will be uploaded in the coming days.
    ITV are probably waiting for BF3 to come out, with improved graphics.
    Edited by polaris70 at 28/09/11 @ 15:14

  • slippysloppy #43 8 months ago

    It's just like that episode of Corrie, when Ken Barlow went up against the Locust Horde, all over again.

  • Stagga #44 8 months ago

    Feckin' eejits!

  • slippysloppy #45 8 months ago

    I've just heard they're releasing a Scouse edition of this game called ArmA, A, A, A.

  • misinformed #46 8 months ago

    Yea totally shocking, maybe they can go to work for one of the major newspapers, who have editorial bias and overture agendas.

  • shadow651 #47 8 months ago

    I have no doubt it was a mistake but that being said I am wondering why they had this clip in their archives in the first place. Are they planning a anti-gaming documentry?

  • Toplinkar #48 8 months ago

    If it was battlefield 3's footage I'd forgive them.

  • HeNiCiDe1988 #49 8 months ago

    haha fail

  • polaris70 #50 8 months ago

    @LEDgar
    They can't look for something "sexier" if it doesn't exist or they have no proof. NASA could've pulled that trick with the moon landings and made the moon look like Virmire from Mass Effect, just to sex it up a bit. Truth is truth you can't make it up and if you try it can be even more dangerous.

    There was once a picture splashed on the front of the Daily Mirror a few years ago and it showed a British soldier pissing on Iraqi prisoners at the height of the Iraq war. I was having an argument with the local cafe owner that those pictures shouldn't have been printed even if they were true for obvious reasons. But he said something fundamental as to why we live in the democracy and journalists have to print the good with the bad. Even though I didn't like the picture I saw his point of view and agreed. The picture turned out to be doctored a few days later, it was a fake.

    The point is whether Journalists sex things up or don't check their facts then it can lead to huge problems. These people are supposed to be professionals and lets be frank, the ITV programme was a disgrace whichever way you look at it, and a disgrace to journalism and ultimately to a free open society.

  • LEDgar #51 8 months ago

    @polaris70, I deleted my post before you had the opportunity to post that, so apologies.
    I'm in no way defending the conduct of whoever created the footage. I was simply explaining how the footage may have come about, and whilst it's difficult to get away with creating fake footage, that hasn't stopped journalists from trying in the past. As I said, they probably weren't happy with the quality of stock footage they had and wanted something 'sexier'. That doesn't necessarily mean the event in question never happened. The helicopter gunning as described may well have happened but the producers either couldn't get their hands on the footage, or no such footage exists.

    "the ITV programme was a disgrace whichever way you look at it, and a disgrace to journalism and ultimately to a free open society."
    I agree absolutely, you've made great points and a great comment. I just hope my first (deleted) post wasn't misconstrued in any way :)
    Edited by LEDgar at 28/09/11 @ 21:57

  • TagemandBagem #52 8 months ago

    I wonder if it's a case that ITV simply didn't want to pay the broadcast rights to RTE or whatever news organisation owned the real footage, and figured their viewers aren't the brightest bunch, they won't notice.