Product Placement Comes To TV News

Name-brand products make regular appearances on television shows, where they are typically written into a drama, comedy or reality program. "American Idol" viewers, for example, have come to expect to see a Coke cup in front of Simon Cowell as he dresses down contestants.

But TV news?

In recent weeks, anchors on the Fox affiliate in Las Vegas, KVVU, sit with cups of McDonald's iced coffee on their desks during the news-and-lifestyle portion of their morning show. The anchors rarely touch the cups.

Executives at the station, one of 12 owned by Meredith Corporation, say the six-month promotion is meant to shore up advertising revenue and, as they told the news staff, will not influence content.

"There was a healthy dose of skepticism, and I'm pleased there was -- it means they're being journalists," said Adam P. Bradshaw, news director of KVVU. The product placement was first reported Monday in The Las Vegas Sun.

The arrangement does raise questions about potential conflicts between the intended message and news content. The ad agency that arranged the promotion said the coffee cups would most likely be whisked away if KVVU chooses to report a negative story about McDonald's.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[aswbuzz]

Nothing surprising from Fox News...but is FCC trouble coming?

Check out our analysis:
http://www.buzzflash.com/articles/alerts/432

[Smirk]

Disgusting. Let the commercials for commercial breaks.

[wayoutleft]

they haven't quite got the hang of it. look at how small and ... neglected the little latte cups look compared to the ... other distractions that compel attention. americans used to instinctively do this kind of thing right. it's not as if advertiser relations is unfamiliar with offering... support.

[donorman]

It's bad enough we have to watch the "Tostitos Bowl" at " Pac-Bell" park.

To heck w/ this. I'm going to turn off my DELL computer, go to the bathroom and have a TACO BELL bowel movement & have a NYQUIL night.

[Hoofpick]

There's somewhat of a precedent for all this. NBC's first primetime news program (late 40's, early 50's) was the "Camel News Caravan," with the cigarette logo visible on the news desk. John Cameron Swayze may have even smoked on-air.
In the 60's, one of the networks had a standing sponsorship agreement with Gulf Oil. Whenever there was a special news event or a "we interrupt this program" bulletin, Gulf would sponsor it and get their logo prominently on the screen as the news was being delivered.

[proudloudlib]

This is just wrong, wrong, wrong. (Note that all the negative stories about local affiliates in today's Media section are about Fox affiliates.)

[littlepuffycloud]

Seeing products placed in movies or tv news does nothing to make me want to buy it. It just reminds me of the corporate greed everywhere in society.

[AdV2k1]

what happened to Journalism? It used to have creditability but its now garbage.
Even the great Keith Olberman is required to do 'oddball' every show.

[TrevorAlan]

But will it make them think twice about a negative story about mcDonnalds? This is why I don't watch TV news except for the weather.

Granted, if you did a story about unhealthy fast food, there are a lot of other companies to pick on-- No reason for Burger King or hardees to get a free ride just because more Big Macs are sold. But if there are crimes reported near a certain McD store, will they be reported, will small stories on the edge be affected, and when they become used to that money, will BIG stories be affected?

[Daly]

get my weather from wii

[SeanGardner]

I don't like it at all, but I figured it was coming to this. Companies look to increase profits: the news stations and the companies looking placing their product.

Actually, HUFFPO Blogger TIna Wells had a post with her thoughts celebrities and products just days ago. She touches on product placement on shows. Here is that post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tina-wells/brands-celebrities-the-ne_b_113576.html.

[Graywolf48]

Why not product placement on "news" programs? The "News" programming in America is nothing but a show with "personalities" in the job as anchors and correspondents. Broadcast "News" can no longer be acknowledged as serious journalism. In America, "News" programs and entertainment are difficult to discern. If you want facts, truth and hard hitting journalism, the very last place you'll find it is broadcast "News".

[Daly]

thanks you saved me the time; I'm still raged but info-tainment ; this is to be expected.

I watch telemundo - nope do not speak spanish well but learning; there is online bbc and such.

each time I venture back to info tainment I quickly remember why I left and flip to PBS