Huh.

TV Writers Must Sell, Sell, Sell

TV networks are turning to product placements to fight back against ad-skipping technologies like TiVo, but now some writers are putting up a fight, demanding more pay in exchange for scripting product plugs into their shows.

...

It's no small issue. The use of product placements has increased 84 percent on television in the last year, according to the WGA's call for regulations. "There is no clear line separating a TV show from an advertisement anymore," said Carrie McLaren, editor of Stay Free magazine.

In a recent episode of the NBC series Medium, writers had to work the movie Memoirs of a Geisha into the dialogue three times because of a deal the network made with Sony earlier in the season. They even had the characters go on a date to an early screening of the movie and bump into friends who had just viewed Geisha to tell them how good it was.

Another product placement intruded a touching scene on ABC's soap opera, All My Children, when writers were forced to incorporate a line about a new Wal-Mart perfume into the dialogue as a character, Greenlee, sat at the bedside of her husband who was suffering from a fatal gunshot wound.

::kicks capitalism::

GA: I loved the, " Because that's what Jesus would fucking do " line. I loved Bailey's bow to the asshat family of that poor ulcerous woman and have generally been enjoying GA soooo much.

That was a tense Mile High. Not enough Jason. And I did love KC's outburst at the end.

It's no small issue. The use of product placements has increased 84 percent on television in the last year

Heh. Anyone see the Boost Mobile episode of Aqua Teen Hunger Force last night?

In a recent episode of the NBC series Medium, writers had to work the movie Memoirs of a Geisha into the dialogue three times because of a deal the network made with Sony earlier in the season.

That was super-cheesy.

It's super-cheesy AND I don't even remember it.

I guess this is due to the increase in Tivo and Fauxvo usage.

Other memorable product placements include "No, take the Ford F-150!" and the O.C. ep this year which they should have just called "The Sidekick."

As a writer, that makes me want to take a Zantac 150.

No, take the Ford F-150 - Yeah, I remember that one.

I think I'll try to make some money by doing product placements in my posts....

Other memorable product placements include

CSI: NY shilling for Coldplay. And the CSI: Miami Hummer ad. (Though at least the second one didn't happen on the show itself.)