How Product Placement Affects News Content

PATROLLING TV PATROL: HOW PRODUCT PLACEMENT AFFECTS NEWS CONTENT IN ABSCBN-2’S TV PATROL WORLD

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to determine the nature and extent of the influence of covert advertising on the content of ABS-CBN-2’s TV Patrol World. Product placement and other forms of covert advertising has become a normal occurrence in Philippine cinema, and lately, Philippine Free TV as well. Alarmingly, news and current affairs programs have not been spared from this development. 20 episodes of TV Patrol World were analyzed, using the concepts and parameters set by the study framework based on the Political Economy of Media and Gatekeeping. Both of these theories propose that the media is a powerful tool by those with economic power to put forward their own interests. Key figures in the Sales and Production department of TV Patrol World were interviewed to shed light on the occurrence of product placements in the program. The respondents described the process of “segment buy”, where advertisers sponsor a segment which will be integrated into the show. The analysis of the gathered data revealed that product placements were a regular occurrence in TV Patrol World. The frequency of brand placements and sponsored segments increased significantly during the holiday season, and waned after the celebrations. The data also showed that while conceptualized segments are created primarily for the advertisers, these still follow the news trends seen in other parts of the program. The study’s findings demonstrate the need for more stringent measures against the integration of advertising into the news, both from KBP as the monitoring body, and from ABS-CBN’s management. For future studies, the researcher suggests the addition of concepts and methods from audience studies and media literacy. The researcher also recommends the use of the Propaganda model and Agenda Setting theory as a basis for future studies.

Sotto, R.A.S. (2010). Patrolling TV Patrol: How product placement affects news content in ABS-CBN-2’s TV Patrol World. Unpublished thesis, University of the Philippines Diliman.Thesis

Subject Index: Advertising, Product placement in mass media