In the case of the radio talk show hosts, they’ve already disclosed, on air, the fact that GM has given them cars to drive. What other disclosure could be necessary? Frankly it makes more sense for GM to comp a talk show host than to let Wolfgang Puck drive an Escalade for free. Now that’s something that bites my ass, the number of celebrities who get all sorts of stuff for free that they can afford better than most. At least the IRS is now keeping an eye at the backstage goody bags at awards shows. Last year presenters got about $40K worth of stuff at the Oscars. This year, to be PC, the swag included carbon credits.

An argument can be made, btw, that mandating “fair disclosure” is the functional equivalent to exercising editorial control. Telling someone they must disclose potential conflicts of interest is a form of mandating content.

Also, don’t confuse “public” with “government”. The airwaves belong to the public in the US, not the government. That’s why it’s against the FCC Act of 1933 to regulate radio reception (and why laws prohibiting radar detectors or police scanners would get thrown out if challenged in court). The government administers the airwaves on behalf of the public, issuing licenses, making sure that technical standards are met, but as long as minimal standards for operating in the public interest are met, broadcasters’ content should be off limits to government control.

Look at the Fairness Doctrine. Is there any question that the Democrats want to bring it back because of fairness? Give me a break. They want to suppress their political opposition. So-called progressives have never been able to make a commercial success of talk radio, so they want to suppress conservative and libertarian voices on the air.

Every season it gets worse. The contestants on the show are visibly upset/mocking the advertising in some cases.

Of course they don’t complain when the prize is a Ford Explorer hybrid (not that I would either, free is free, even after taxes on prizes I could sell an hybrid SUV for a profit and buy a reasonable mid sized car). Oh wait, was it an Escape hybrid or do they actually make an Explorer hybrid. If I was wrong I guess you can tell I don’t pay much attention to SUVs.

Based on my unscientific observation, most shows on TV last about 7-8 minutes before the first commercial interruption, then slowly diminish the span of programming time between commercial breaks.

Local newscasts are even worse.

If the FCC were to put a stop to this practice, does this mean NASCAR would cease to exist? The product placement is sickening; I want to throw up every time I see a driver take a swig of his Coke/Pepsi/NOS/Vitaminwater/MinuteMaid, etc. just before answering questions.

I believe your provider though. I have noticed the amount of volume increase changes from channel to channel on my cable.

Typical buck-passing. It’s not Panasonic’s or Hitachi’s or Magnavox’s responsibility to fix this.

It’s like an auto manufacturer accepting a bad O2 sensor from a parts supplier and installing it anyway.

I can remember my epiphany moment that corporate radio sucked. When I was 17 traveling South on US99 to Scout Camp for the summer and all radio stations were the same format as the hometown ones just at different points on the dial.

Not too long thereafter I got my under the seat 10 CD changer and became my own DJ.

I rarely watch broadcast or cable TV anymore. I just can’t stand the commercials. I’d rather wait the 3-6 months for it to come out on DVD.

I do like the “Flomax” commercial that shows a 70’s era Mustang, but blatantly missing the “galloping horse” in the middle of the grille.

I guess Ford wasn’t paying the Big Drug Company enough money to have their trademark displayed? (Sound like lawyers were involved there).

I have pretty much sworn off commercial radio because of the numerous ads and irritating car dealer commercials (please don’t shout or speak faster than a normal person).

I have completely quit talk radio because for every 5 mins of content there is another 5 mins of commercials it seems (is a radio show THAT expensive to produce?).

Most of the time I listen to recorded non-stream music, podcasts, or simply read a book.

Wonder how much advertising is too much advertising for the average person.

Find it much easier to handle the old TV style ads where for an entire hour the audience gets reminded that “this episode is sponsored by ACME Widgets, makers of fine American-made widgets for your family, available in quality hardwares everywhere.” Of course that often ties creative control to the sponsor so it has it’s drawbacks as well.

Sure, you can have the labels backwards, or replace them, when the characters make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, but wtf do you do when they get in a car? If you want to know what was paid for, watch the credits. Jeez.

Oh, and when it comes to radio, the real master has not been mentioned. Limbaugh and Hannity are pikers at hawking product. Paul Harvey is the man. He does personal endorsement/news/commercial like no one else, and has been for as long as I can remember. I think it’s the other content of those guys shows that some folks really want to change.

I have a Mustang and I grew up watching the original Knight Rider, but I couldn’t finish watching the new Knight Rider pilot.

“There is growing concern that our sponsorship identification rules may fall short of their ultimate goal: to ensure that the public is able to identify both the commercial nature of programming as well as its source”

Um, are people really thick enough that they don’t realize/suspect that Ford probably paid for most (or all) of the new Knight Rider pilot? That when you see a movie that has nearly all it’s cars made by GM (Matrix Reloaded, Transformers) that GM gave them lots of cars and/or cash? That most kids shows just happen to have toy lines for them?

I agree with RF regarding car mags and the Hannity/Limbaugh GM shilling, but fictional shows? If the product placement gets too over-the-top and distracting then they’ll lose viewers – I predict the new Knight Rider won’t last over 10 episodes anyway.

As for product placement, who cares? I’m smart enough to filter the messages I’m seeing. If anything, overly obnoxious product placement will have the opposite effect and make me avoid a product.

Transformers was just as bad. In the cartoon we had some variety, but all the Autobots were GM products save for their leader. And just to make things more blatant one of the main characters goes from a Martini Porsche 935 Turbo to a Soltice?? C’mon…

Micheal Bay really needs to stop…making movies.

First they were talking about how great the new AT&T phone with streaming video was, and later on the camera was frozen on a can of Valspar paint for about 10 seconds while one of the flippers said “we’re using Valspar paint from Lowe’s”. I don’t care about product placement if it’s subtle, but when it’s so brazen and cheesy, then it’s annoying.

The FCC should definitely do something about the Knight Rider movie, mainly because it sucked. They likely can’t fix that problem, but it’s worth a try I guess.

I’m surprised that an experienced journalist like Mr. Farago would advocate government regulation of editorial content.

You mis-characterize my argument, sir. All I ask is fair disclosure on public airwaves.

Any action by the FCC on the issue of product placement would be a gross violation of the filmmakers’ First Amendment rights.

I’m surprised that an experienced journalist like Mr. Farago would advocate government regulation of editorial content.

Taking money from companies to hype their products may involve some sleaze, but it doesn’t violate the constitution. Telling people what they can or can’t put in their movies or tv shows, or mandating subtitle disclaimers is a gross violation of the First Amendment. For the record, I also believe that commercial speech is just as protected as political or artistic expression.

At least GM is paying for the program. Barack Obama, on the other hand, hasn’t paid a penny for all the cheerleading he’s getting from the mainstream media.

BTW, if you really want to see brazen product placement, check out some video games. I was at a friend’s place yesterday and he was playing a racing video and the track was plastered with signs for Progressive insurance. Since the CEO of Progressive is a major Democratic fundraiser, don’t expect any calls for the FCC to look into product placement in the video gaming industry.

However that is not easy to do, as the other side of the coin is what pays the bills by selling advertisements. And certain media costs more then others to produce. Just keep in mind that advertisements are not all that bad, as often the readers are probably going to find interest in the advertiser’s products (for example the magazine JP which is stickly a Jeep magazine written to Jeep owners that wheel and like to customize).

I do suspect as different media outlets struggle more and more to find advertisers, we’ll see more editorials dictated by advertisers. I have heard it again and again, “I’d love to advertise with you, but only if you include me in your story.”

Seems that everyone is doing it, it’s getting to be as bad as a NASCAR race with the driver telling about how well their sponser-laced Monte Carlo was running out there.