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WGAW Responds to FCC's NPRM on Product Integration

June 26, 2008—New York, NY Sindy Gordon
Los Angeles – In response to today’s decision by the Federal Communications Commission to issue a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on product integration in television programming, the Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) has issued the following statement:
 
“While the WGAW applauds the FCC decision to seek federal rules to address the increasingly pervasive use of product integration in today’s television programming, the Writers Guild urges the FCC to require on-screen ‘real-time’ disclosure when product integration occurs, in order to make viewers fully aware they are watching a paid advertisement. The WGAW believes the most fair and effective way to alert consumers that products have been integrated into programming is real-time disclosure whenever a product is being mentioned, referred to, and/or exhibited, to help viewers differentiate TV programming from paid advertising.”
 
The Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) represents writers in the motion picture, broadcast, cable, and new media industries in both entertainment and news. The union conducts numerous programs, seminars, and events throughout the world on issues of interest to, and on behalf of, writers.