FCC beings formal discussion of embedded ads
After much procrastination, the Federal Communications Commission has finally opened the floor for discussion into the embedded ad debate. Several public interest groups and congress members have been pressuring the company to address concerns with placing ads in programs. Although the main purpose behind the hearings will be more investigation and questioning, there is a possibility that it will impact in children’s programming more immediately.
According to Ars Technica, in 2003, the Commercial Alert group petitioned that TV views and radio listeners get an immediate message that warns them when they are being exposed to an ad. Media and advertising groups, like the Washington Legal Foundation (WLF) and Freedom to Advertise (FAC) quickly fought back, saying that, under the first amendment, they had the right to promote their products. They also argued that these commercials aren’t harming anyone.
In 2005, representatives from the Writers Guild, Screen Actor’s Guild and associate Dean of the USC Annenberg School of Communications also joined the debate. They suggested placing some warming messages at the beginning and end of the programs, as well as limiting embedded ads on children’s shows.
FCC Chair Kevin Martin admits that embedded ads are an effort to prevent customers from avoiding ads by fast forwarding through them. However, in a recent press statement on the Notice of Inquiry and Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, he said “I believe it is important for customers to know when someone is trying to sell them something.”
The FCC is examining the extent of embedded advertising as to how often and what forms of ads appear in radio and television. They’re also asking for the Commercial Alert group to expand on their proposal and what would “be more or less disruptive [messages] to radio programming.” They’re also interested in the WLF and FAC’s concerns in how these announcements would disrupt the artistic integrity of their programs.
Although it may be a while before we see this discussion spur any course of action, we may see its immediate effect in children’s programming. The Children’s Television Act of 1990 gives the FCC the ability to limit the time and content of commercials for kids programs. Therefore, the FCC believes that further action maybe necessary
We note that embedded advertising in children’s programming would run afoul of our separation policy because there would be no bumper between programming content and advertising. Should that prohibition be made explicit in our rules?
I can understand the concern of exposing children to implicit advertising while their watching “Blues Clues” or “Bob the Builder.” They should be learning their ABCs, good behavior, colors, foreign languages, and other basic goods. At that impressionable age, they shouldn’t have to worry about popular goods and services.
However, when it comes to teenage or adult programming, I personally would be annoyed if I saw a banner at the bottom of my screen announcing that this guy in an episode of Friends was eating Doritos chips. I don’t really care what he’s eating and I believe the majority of viewers don’t really care either.
Granted we’re probably more accepting of certain products because we’re indirectly exposed to them through various programs, but I don’t think anyone being harmed by watching these things. Marketers should be free to put their products on whatever shows they want.
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