Trust Us, We're Paid TV Experts!

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"The use of TV consumer experts is the latest way marketers have tried to disguise their promotions as real news," similar to magazine "'advertorials' designed to look like editorial features" and video news releases aired as TV reports. The stable of paid "experts" includes "Today" show tech-product reviewer Corey Greenberg, "trend and fashion expert" Katlean de Monchy, Popular Photography & Imaging magazine editor John Owens, and Child magazine tech editor James Oppenheim. The Wall Street Journal reports that all four "experts" have neglected to disclose to viewers that they received payments to promote products being discussed. Journal reporter James Bandler writes, "TV shows present these gurus' recommendations as unbiased and based solely on their expertise. But that presentation is misleading if the experts have been paid to mention products."