commercialism

FCC Reviewing Whether TV Show Is Meant to Sell Kids Sneakers

Stevie Converse — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 10:24:09 -0400

Full article: The Hill
Gautham Nagesh
The FCC is examining whether an animated television show featuring characters created to market Skechers shoes violates rules limiting advertising to children. Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood filed a petition with the FCC, arguing that the show flouts the policies established by Congress to protect children from excessive commercialism.

Media Minutes: March 19, 2010

Candace Clement — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 17:29:43 -0400

The FCC unveiled its long-awaited National Broadband Plan. There are many things the agency got right, but it punted on some pressing issues. And the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood has proven it won't be silenced by the Walt Disney Company or any other corporation that peddles harmful products to kids.

Advocacy Groups Mass Against Food Marketing Self-Regulation

Stevie Converse — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 11:09:22 -0500

Full article: Broadcasting & Cable
John Eggerton
In advance of a Federal Trade Commission forum on food marketing and childhood obesity, kids advocacy group Children Now planned to unveil a study that claims the food and beverage industry's self-regulatory efforts have not worked.

FTC Asked to Redefine Definition of Programming Targeted to Kids, Teens

Stevie Converse — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 10:37:08 -0500

Full article: Broadcasting & Cable
John Eggerton
A consortium of kids activists and academics has asked the Federal Trade Commission to redefine its definition of programming targeted to kids and teens. The goal is to collect more information on the marketing by popular TV shows, and to collect it from program distributors as well food marketers.

Blasting Away at Product Placement

Stevie Converse — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 07:58:02 -0400

Full article: BusinessWeek
Tom Lowry and Burt Helm
A coalition of 50 groups is waging war on product placements on TV. The critics, who range from consumer advocates to pediatricians seeking to protect kids from sugary cereal, are calling on the FCC to implement tougher disclosure rules for what many activists consider stealth advertising.

Could TV Be Bought and Sold Based on Who's Talking About It?

Stevie Converse — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 08:14:39 -0400

Full article: Advertising Age
Brian Steinberg
Time Warner's CNN and Walt Disney's ESPN are grappling with the idea that a TV ad should not be judged solely by the number of people it reaches, but also by how many of the people who see it are spurred to share its message with others.

Advertising Everywhere: Comcast Broadband Trials Bring Clutter Worries to Web Video

Stevie Converse — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 10:26:32 -0400

Full article: Reuters
David Kaplan
One of the attractions online video has had for advertisers is the lack of clutter that's typically associated with broadcast and cable spots. But as Comcast's TV Everywhere broadband trials commence with CBS and a more than a dozen cable networks, the "full load" of advertising that's attached to offline programming could bring that problem online.

Here's a First: Live Commercials in a Scripted Show

Stevie Converse — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 08:32:23 -0400

Full article: Advertising Age
Andrew Hampp
In what is believed to be a first, a scripted series will feature live commercials during six of its seven episodes. The shows stars humorously wax poetic about the virtues of products including Unilever's Klondike, Dunkin' Donuts, Mike's Hard Lemonade and Palm Pre.

Mainstream Media Companies' Biggest Content Crisis

Stevie Converse — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 10:48:42 -0400

Full article: Advertising Age
Advertisers have largely abandoned the sponsorship of objective journalism and the country's most powerful newsrooms are increasingly unable to fund the basic gathering and reporting of real, objective news. (Video 3:00)

Cable Industry Weighs Its Approach to Targeted Ads

Stevie Converse — Wed, 27 May 2009 10:35:10 -0400

Full article: Wall Street Journal
Vishesh Kumar and Sam Schechner
With the recession squeezing ad budgets, cable companies are redoubling their efforts to mimic Internet advertising, in part by offering a way to target ads at selected groups of consumers. But the industry is divided on the best approach for delivering such ads.