FCC to examine stealthy TV ads

The government will investigate a stealthy form of advertising in which products are featured on television shows as props and at times even woven into story lines.

The Federal Communications Commission said it would consider rules to make it clear to viewers when brand-name products appear in shows in exchange for money.

Spending on so-called “embedded advertising” has grown as advertisers look for new ways to reach viewers who flip channels during commercials or use digital video recorders such as TiVo to fast-forward past them.