UK bans product placement : Relief? or Economic Hardship

Long Ago, The United Kingdom (England to the unenlightened) enacted laws that have effectively cut product placement from their original shows. In-program advertising is still available in television shows that are imported- including Desperate Housewives and 24, two huge standards of brand placements here in the United States.
Unfortunately, not having this marketing opportunity has hurt the country economically according to the European Comission. The UK is at a disadvantage when compared to the United States counterparts.

Presently, it may all be about to change. Soon after the Europen Commission made this announcement, Ofcam, a telecommunications regulator began a series of discussions to discover if there was a direct hit to their economy because of the lack of product placement. "According to Ofcom, developments in the television market, audience fragmentation and video on demand have challenged the value of traditional spot-advertising." Programming funding in the future could be at risk if advertisers aren't assured that television is a viable medium.

Obviously, there is a huge outcry from the National Consumer Commission who claim that product placement would detract from the original creativity that the shows currently posses. It would interfere with the entertainment prospects by becoming blatant marketing efforts. (wonder where they got that idea- 24!)