The BBC have admitted they gave U2 too much coverage when their album 'No Line On The Horizon' was released in February 2009.

The Irish band were filmed and aired by the BBC performing on the roof of Broadcasting house, Jo Whiley hosted a U2 special and BBC online also gave them heavy coverage, amongst other things.

The public funded corporation has today some of the coverage breached editorial guidelines and was of “undue prominence”, while the use of the slogan 'U2=BBC' "gave an inappropriate impression of endorsement.”

The trade body RadioCentre launched a formal complaint while Conservative MP Nigel Evans criticised the coverage for giving U2 "the sort of publicity money can't buy."

"Why should licence fee-payers shoulder the cost of U2's publicity?" he added.

The Editorial Complaints Unit (ECU) said that a quote claiming the BBC was "part of launching this new album" was inappropriate.

The EC also criticised the Radio 1 site for linking to external websites selling U2 tickets.

(by Scott Colothan)