Disclose before you’re busted
From the Wall Street Journal (subcription needed):
“Considering what you showed me, kids’ games really don’t have to be violent,” said the anchor for KVUE, an ABC affiliate and the No. 1-rated television station in its market.
“If…you’re not careful, they will be,” Mr. Oppenheim replied. “That’s why I’ve shown you some of the best.”
There was one detail the audience didn’t know: Kodak paid Mr. Oppenheim to mention the photo album, according to the company and Mr. Oppenheim. Neither Mr. Oppenheim nor KVUE disclosed the relationship to viewers. During the segment, Mr. Oppenheim praised products from other companies, including: Atari Inc., Microsoft Corp., Mattel Inc., Leapfrog Enterprises Inc. and RadioShack Corp. All paid for the privilege, Mr. Oppenheim says.
If I catch a blog doing this (and there are some I suspect are but I can’t prove it) I will drop them from my list, blog about it…and blog about it, and blog about it. Hopefully others will do the same so that everyone is on a level playing ground.
See, I interact with people and I value honest opinions. Now if you’re one of those that think they have a right to pimp a product without disclosing the fact it’s being pimped, you might want to stop reading now. You’re bound to be offended.
Still reading huh? Ok here it goes:
I watch TV but commercials don’t do anything for me. I look at TV shows but I wouldn’t purchase anything I saw without checking it out first. This is because I know TV is not a medium I can trust in regards to advertising. These type of “ads” are showing up in games as well…it’s like I can’t escape them.
I know they are penetrating blogs but with blogs the offense is much worse. A blogger isn’t showing a clip of something where there is interaction with viewers. Bloggers interact with their readers and they are interacting with the knowledge that the reader has no idea the opinion they are given is biased (paid for). Essentially, the blogger is lying to their readers. That blogger can’t be trusted.
If the blogger was honest they’d disclose the business relationship behind the advertising. The reader has a right to know that so the reader can form an effective decision. The reader has the right to know that a business transaction is taken place in the post, not a heart felt opinion. When readers don’t know this information it lessens the integrity not only for that blogger but for all bloggers. There are TV shows that don’t participate in that kind of behavior but how can you really know?
Do yourself a favor, if you’re doing this type of thing disclose it before you’re busted.
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