EU to Allow Limited Product Placement

BRUSSELS, November 30: The
European Parliament has approved a package of broadcasting reforms that
includes easing restrictions on product placement in TV programs.

The new broadcasting rules
cover issues ranging from scheduling commercials and cross-border
transmissions, to junk food bans and quotas for foreign programming. And while
product placement continues to be forbidden in news, documentaries and
children’s programming, it will be allowed in movies, TV series, light
entertainment and sports programs. If a show contains product placement, it
must be clearly identified at the beginning and end of the program.

This new directive revises
the legislation put in place in 1997 and covers all audiovisual media services,
from traditional TV broadcasts to on-demand services. The new rules will now be
sent to the 27 EU member countries. They will have until the end of 2009 to
implement them.

—By Anna Carugati