Sell It, Baby!
TVNewsday AM reports that some newscasts around the country are using product placement as an added source of revenue. Here’s how it’s being used at one station.Â
Oh sure, you’ve seen the occasional Coke can in a movie shot or two. But how do you feel about products placed on your local newscasts? Â
I don’t have a problem with this, as long as the anchors and reporters near the products can hold on tight to their journalistic integrity.Â
And–as long as the products aren’t FAKE and IGNORED! C’mon!Â
The anchors at the station above make no reference to the fake products. I would find that EXTREMELY difficult! C’mon! If there’s a new product in front of you at your house, you’re going to at least acknowledge it. You’re going to eat, drink, play with or explain it…something!  If not, it just seems so contrived! If you’re going to put something weird on the set, don’t pretend like it’s not there! How stupid do you think viewers are?Â
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July 21st, 2008 at 10:44 pm
Is that a photo of Julie Andrews from “Victor/Victoria”?
I believe it is!
ST, you rule!!!
July 22nd, 2008 at 7:46 pm
That was a good movie.
August 5th, 2008 at 9:07 am
This is part of an interview in TVNewsday this morning on this subject with Hearst-Argyle Senior Vice President of News Fred Young:
You saw the story about the Las Vegas station where the two anchors are sitting with the McDonald’s coffee cups on their desk. Is there anything wrong with that?
Abso-friggen-lutely there is.
What’s that?
What’s wrong is that it’s trashing our product. I mean shame on them. I thought that the day of the Atlantic weatherman was dead. We shouldn’t be selling commercial product placement on our newscasts.
McDonald’s built a brand on TV advertising. I would much rather see them run one of their glorious 30-second spots in a morning newscast than have two awkward looking anchor people sitting there with a coffee cup in front of them.