FCC to look at embedded advertising

WASHINGTON - A form of advertising in which products are featured on television shows as props and even woven into story lines has drawn the government's attention.

The Federal Communications Commission said yesterday it will consider new rules to make it clear to viewers when brand-name products appear in shows in exchange for money.

Spending on so-called embedded advertising has grown as advertisers look for new ways to reach viewers who flip channels during commercials or fast-forward past them.

In an order released yesterday, the agency is considering whether sponsorship identification notices should be in larger type, appear for a lengthier period of time on the screen, and appear at both the beginning and the end of programs.

The commission will also consider whether to extend disclosure requirements to cable.

"The point of this whole exercise is to clarify what's required so that viewers actually know who is trying to sell them on something," said commissioner Jonathan Adelstein, who has been pushing for better disclosure for three years.

FCC chairman Kevin Martin has also pushed for better disclosure.