Recently, the European Union gave the go-ahead for studios to employ the tactic starting in 2010. But a U.K. official this week signaled that isn't going to fly in the Queen's realm.

The Culture Secretary--Andy Burnham, on the job since January--denounced the practice and said he will flat-out block it, according to a report in Variety.

In rather abrasive verbiage, he said that product placement can "contaminate" shows and "risk" sowing viewer distrust--if the "distinction between programs and (ads)" is not clearly walled.

"Here and now, I do want to signal that I think there are some lines that we should not cross--one of which is that you can buy the space between the (programs) on commercial channels, but not the space within them," he said in a speech. (this quote from the London Times).

Burnham indeed has the power to prevent product placement from taking flight in the UK. (Still, the Times suggested that various reviews and bureaucratic maneuvers might still allow it.)

The UK's would-be resistance calls to mind its unwillingness to make the Euro its currency, while its fellow EU members adopted it.

In his address, Burnham also said: "As a viewer, I don't want to feel the script has been written by the commercial marketing director."

On June 3, had he crossed the "Pond" and flipped on "Entertainment Tonight," it's likely he would have thought that was the case.

"ET" has never been considered an heir to the Murrow legacy. Still, despite its pro-celebrity candy coat, it still had an air of independence as an entertainment news source. Same for "Access Hollywood" and the other nightly batch.

But increasingly, that's going the way of John Tesh (not really a good metaphor).

Marketers and product placement agencies are finding ways to slide their messages into the early-fringe offerings.

On "ET" that night, Unilever was able turn a segment that looked like "ET" and sounded like "ET" into what amounted to an extended spot for its Bountifuls Wish-Bone salad dressing line (one of the top product placements of the week, according to measurement firm iTVX). And, it didn't go out of its way to hide its intentions.

In motion, the piece received the "ET" signature introduction: an impeccably coiffed host exuberantly touting what's to come with an anticipatory beat playing. Then, unspooled "Wish-Bone Bob Greene's bestlife moment."

The Oprah-endorsed fitness expert showed up at the home of Melissa Joan Hart, the former star of "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch."

Hart's a new mom with two kids and constantly pressed for time. And while she may have dropped to the B-List, she wants to stay in shape. It's Hollywood.

Greene doesn't mince words: "How about the pressure to get back to your pre-baby weight?"

He's got the dietary solution.

Enter the "ET" announcer: "Well, Wish-Bone Bountiful salad dressing with Bob's 'bestlife' seal of approval are perfect for the busy mom." (On paper, it sounds like something from a black-and-white pre-Sputnik spot.)

The spot, er, segment, then morphs into Greene offering up a "great recipe" that's a cinch to make: "Bob's Tortellini Salmon Salad."

Ingredients include the namesakes--and, wouldn't you know it, Bountiful's Hearty Italian Dressing.

Greene demonstrates preparation.

Cue announcer: "Plus, each serving of the dressing has only 35 calories or less."

And the segment ends with Hart tossing the salad with a smile on her face.

There are five Bountifuls bottles arrayed in front of her--just the latest of the, well, bountiful shots of the dressing.

More notably, "ET" allows Unilever to station the Wish-Bone logo in the screen's upper right. Channel-surfers may have thought they'd found the "Wish-Bone Network."

How would that play in the UK?