French producers’ groups condemn product placement measures

French producers’ and writers’ organisations have attacked media regulator the CSA’s plans to oblige broadcasters to air an onscreen pictogram warning viewers that a show includes a product placement.

The ARP, Groupe 25 Images, SACD, SRF and UGS have issued a strongly-worded criticism of the measure, which would see a pictogram inserted for one minute at the beginning of a show, at the end of ad breaks, and at the end of a programme, during fiction shows and films containing product placements. An additional band announcing that the programme contained product placement would be added during the title sequences.

According to the various organisations, the CSA’s measure “respects neither works nor viewers” and breaches the moral rights of authors.