MA
And you lot think a "coming next" is the end of the world...
http://media.guardian.co.uk/advertising/story/0,7492,1316095,00.html
http://media.guardian.co.uk/advertising/story/0,7492,1316095,00.html
Quote:
ITV is asking European regulators to relax the rules on advertising products within television programmes as the broadcaster struggles with technology that allows viewers to skip commercial breaks.
The preliminary discussions are part of industry moves to cope with the expected impact on commercial broadcasting caused by personal video recorders (PVRs), which allow "ad skipping".
In the US, where 50m homes are expected to be using the new technology by the end of 2008, their introduction has resulted in increasing use of product placement. Some of the best known examples the use of Ford's vehicles in thriller series 24 and retailer Sears's presence in home makeover programmes. Some US series have been built around sponsors' products.
This type of sponsorship is illegal in the UK.
In addressing an industry conference yesterday, Charles Allen, chief executive of ITV, said: "We do think product placement has a part to play ... but it's something that will require regulatory change."
He stressed that the threat from PVRs was not "an immediate one". It would, however, take two to three years to persuade regulators of the need to relax the tight regulations regarding what products might be suitable for placement in programmes.
He added that product placement was just "one of a range of options".
Mr Allen suggested that a company logo appearing at the bottom of the screen throughout a popular soap opera was another option.
Such changes will be fiercely contested by some in the government as well as consumers in Britain. Industry figures said yesterday that the issue was being taken seriously by the entire industry.
Harry Evans Sloan, executive chairman of mainland Europe's SBS Broadcasting, said: "Our industry is absolutely going to have to solve the so called problem of ad skipping ... otherwise we will face a bleak picture."
Bob Iger, president of Walt Disney, called it one of the biggest challenges facing the industry.
US companies were already working on different types of programme sponsorship including product placement and product integration.
He admitted these were "far from a silver bullet to solve the problem that PVRs are going to create".
In wide-ranging comments Mr Iger also admitted that the company was looking at the possible sale of the BBC's commercial arm, Worldwide.
After the presentation he said: "I usually don't comment on potential acquisitions, but we are professional tyre kickers. We look at everything, especially if it's in our space or our competence."
In more jocund vein, he said: "We have also been asked why we didn't buy ITV as well ... we could just buy the UK and turn it into a theme park."
The preliminary discussions are part of industry moves to cope with the expected impact on commercial broadcasting caused by personal video recorders (PVRs), which allow "ad skipping".
In the US, where 50m homes are expected to be using the new technology by the end of 2008, their introduction has resulted in increasing use of product placement. Some of the best known examples the use of Ford's vehicles in thriller series 24 and retailer Sears's presence in home makeover programmes. Some US series have been built around sponsors' products.
This type of sponsorship is illegal in the UK.
In addressing an industry conference yesterday, Charles Allen, chief executive of ITV, said: "We do think product placement has a part to play ... but it's something that will require regulatory change."
He stressed that the threat from PVRs was not "an immediate one". It would, however, take two to three years to persuade regulators of the need to relax the tight regulations regarding what products might be suitable for placement in programmes.
He added that product placement was just "one of a range of options".
Mr Allen suggested that a company logo appearing at the bottom of the screen throughout a popular soap opera was another option.
Such changes will be fiercely contested by some in the government as well as consumers in Britain. Industry figures said yesterday that the issue was being taken seriously by the entire industry.
Harry Evans Sloan, executive chairman of mainland Europe's SBS Broadcasting, said: "Our industry is absolutely going to have to solve the so called problem of ad skipping ... otherwise we will face a bleak picture."
Bob Iger, president of Walt Disney, called it one of the biggest challenges facing the industry.
US companies were already working on different types of programme sponsorship including product placement and product integration.
He admitted these were "far from a silver bullet to solve the problem that PVRs are going to create".
In wide-ranging comments Mr Iger also admitted that the company was looking at the possible sale of the BBC's commercial arm, Worldwide.
After the presentation he said: "I usually don't comment on potential acquisitions, but we are professional tyre kickers. We look at everything, especially if it's in our space or our competence."
In more jocund vein, he said: "We have also been asked why we didn't buy ITV as well ... we could just buy the UK and turn it into a theme park."