See Also: Marc Cherry (Creator) People Guide

The Writers Guild of America recently published papers outlining their objections to the amount of product placement that is taking place in television shows, and called for a code of conduct. Desperate Housewives creator Marc Cherry has now joined the fray, but has suggested that writers should get some of the income generated.

"When they start coming to you and want to position the product in a perfect way, then sure, if I get some of the money I'll do it," Cherry told attendees at lunch organized by the Hollywood Radio and Television Society, reported Broadcasting & Cable. "I'm all for product placement if I can get some of the money, but if it just all goes to the company then we'll just put the car in the parking lot behind the characters.

Cherry said that he was approached about integrating a car into a storyline, but balked at the idea. He added that he wasn't against all product placement, just the placement that required specific inclusion into the script. "If it's just going to just be a Campbell's Soup can in the back of the kitchen then I don't care, we have to put some can back there anyway."

However the Writers Guild said it isn't after money, just for guidelines to be put into place. "We're not interested in injuring revenues on which we all depend," the Guild told its members recently. "But when writers are asked to construct stories around and for the benefit of potato chips or soft drinks, when our members are asked not only to be storytellers but advertisement copywriters as well, then things are getting out of hand. Writers must have greater input and control of this process."

Patric Verrone, president of the West Coast branch of the Guild, said money was not why they were calling for change. "That is not our primary concern," he told Broadcasting & Cable. "We have the issue of artistic integrity. If we make money on it that's all well and good, but it doesn't solve the bigger problem. We have to draw the line somewhere."

The original article can be found at Broadcasting & Cable.

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