Ray Warren: 6-0 is the score in favour of the AAMI XXXX Queensland Maroons. Harvey Norman replay. — Channel Nine, Rugby League State of Origin 17th July, 2013

Hello I'm Paul Barry, welcome to Media Watch.

And as viewers of Nine's State of Origin discovered in 97 different countries last week, sport in Australia has advertisers' names plastered all over it.

Ray Warren: At half time it is Qld 8, NSW 4, Holden half time, our panel will take us through the KFC first half highlights, that's next as Wide World of Sports bring you the Holden State of Origin... — Channel Nine, Rugby League State of Origin 17th July, 2013

After the commercial break, which had four minutes of conventional ads, and with the second half under way a record 4.2 million Australian viewers flew into a blizzard of signage and supers ... for Holden ... AAMI ... and VB among others.

At the end of the game they were treated to Tooheys New highlights and the Australian Unions man of the match award.

A few nights earlier on Nine's digital channel GEM, we saw a similar commercial frenzy at the Ashes.

We had VB on the players' shirts, Investec on the pitch, and branded replays at every opportunity.

Like the Hyundai Highlights ...The KFC Match ups, and my all-time favourite: the Old Socks award:

Tim Gilbert: Yeah it was a stand-out All Day Socks Outstanding performance yesterday wasn't it, from Peter Siddle ... — Gem, The Ashes, 11th July, 2013

Now if you think the number of these sponsored segments is out of control, you might be right.

Even interviews can now be sold. During this chat with outstanding sock wearer Peter Siddle, there was a logo over the fast bowler's shoulder.

Which was followed by a back-announce for the sponsor.

Tim Gilbert: Roz's interview today of course brought to you by the good people at Boating, Camping and Fishing, a great sponsor of our coverage. — Gem, The Ashes, 11th July, 2013

But that's not all the cash-strapped Channel Nine is now prepared to do to cosy up to advertisers...

Michael Slater: More Four X Cricket Gold with me Michael Slater. — Gem, The Ashes, 11th July, 2013

Michael Slater is a regular member of Nine's commentary team.

He's on the Wide World of Sports set with the theme tune behind him.

But while he sounds like he's part of the Ashes broadcast, this too is an ad.

Michael Slater: There's nothing more enjoyable than beating England in their own backyard, and Australia's 1948 side captained by the Don won every game. They were nicknamed the Invincibles and reckoned to be our best line up ever. Mind you, this line up's looking pretty good — Gem, The Ashes, 11th July, 2013

Now not all this stuff is new but it is more and more pervasive.

And it's not just driven by greed.

Channel Nine nearly went bust last year. Channel Ten is in dire straits. And Australia's newspapers are in a spiral of decline.

So everyone is desperate for revenue and eager to give advertisers whatever they want.

And that is to be part of the program.

Lachlan Kennedy: Good Evening, Lachlan Kennedy with a special interest rate update. Earlier today, the Reserve Bank kept the official cash rate on hold at 3 per cent. Ben Herden from Mortgage Choice joins me now. — Channel Ten News Update, 2nd April, 2013

It has the Ten News at Five set, the Ten News presenter and it looks like a Ten News story. But it was in fact fake news: an ad for Mortgage Choice. And so was this.

Matt Doran: Good evening, Matt Doran, with a special interest rates update. — Channel Ten News Update, 7th May, 2013

Two months ago Media Watch branded these ads prostitution . And Ten replied it's now the way of the world.

To describe them as prostitution is ludicrous, extreme and naive. Sponsored segments are commonplace in News bulletins across all commercial networks. — Mumbrella, 21st May, 2013

The folks on breakfast television understand that, and they keep their paymasters happy with regular puffs for their sponsors like Myer, and David Jones.

Qantas is a big sponsor of Channel Nine's Today.

And when the airline resumed flights to the Gold Coast last year there was huge excitement, with live crosses and a string of good news stories about happy customers.

Georgie Gardner: Back home now and some good news for travellers heading to the Gold Coast ... — Channel Nine, Today, 14th August, 2012

Lisa Wilkinson: Well, Qantas has announced it will resume daily services between Sydney and the Gold Coast ... — Channel Nine, Today, 14th August, 2012

Ben Fordham: Qantas will resume daily services between Sydney and the Gold Coast in late October. Good news. After a deluge of feedback from its frequent flyers. For more we're joined by Alison Ariotti our reporter on the ground, Alison this was the number one request in terms of feedback from customers and now it's on. — Channel Nine, Today, 14th August, 2012

Today covered the story four times in a morning and picked up a heap of frequent flogger points for its seven minutes of priceless plugs, which really kept the sponsors happy.

And nowadays that's the name of the game.

As the editor of the Australian's luxury magazine Wish recently admitted, publications like his, which get all their revenue from ads, can only exist if they listen to advertisers demands.

I think you have to, if you're working in magazines today. And I think any magazine editor who tells you that they're not is either lying or is heading for failure very quickly ... Once upon a time it would just be about stories, you know, 'who have you got on the cover, who've you got an interview with now?' Now it's, you know, 'how much money is so-and-so spending with you?' — Media Week, Podcast interview with David Meagher, Editor, Wish, 20th May, 2013

Take a look at the July issue of Wish and you will see what he means.

There's a two page ad for Omega Watches ... and a three-page article on George Clooney, who's an Omega ambassador.

There are also glossy ads for Tag Heuer watches, Argyle Diamonds, and Melbourne's Crown Metropole ... and sure enough Wish has good news stories to match them all.

Back in 2011 the marketing man for Pandora jewellery confessed that getting editorial coverage for their ad spend was the key to success

PANDORA CREDITS SUCCESS TO EDITORIAL DEMANDS Jeff Burnes ... told AdNews that the company's editorial integration approach ... is one of the most important factors in its rapid rise. Part of his magazine deals is a stipulation that Pandora gets plenty of editorial coverage. — Ad News, 2nd February, 2011

Burnes also told AdNews that some media organisations were keen to meet his demands.

News Limited is showing far more interest than Fairfax, Burnes says News Limited has been doing a fine job — Ad News, 2nd February, 2011

In fact, News Corp Australia as it's now called, now makes this clear, telling advertisers in this presentation that it's happy to play their game and ensure the message gets through

Editorially we will support the campaign. Our editorial teams are commercially minded and work with partners to achieve campaign objectives — News Australia, Branded Content and Content Integration

The buzz words in this area are Branded Content and Content Integration. According to News:

Branded content is where News Australia commissions journalists to write content which reflects the brand attributes and values of the advertiser — News Australia, Branded Content and Content Integration

That's not what journalism was when I started my career. Clearly, times are changing.

Content integration is where existing content relevant to an advertiser is sponsored or branded for a period of time — News Corp Australia, Branded Content and Content Integration

The examples News Corp Australia gives, like a Mercedes campaign in Wish or Paul Newman sauce recipes on Taste.com.au or Vodafone branding the summer of cricket across News mastheads ... may be no big deal for readers or the paper's integrity.

But it would be far more serious if it spread to news. So let's take a look at this.

On 23rd and 25th May this year News's major daily newspapers carried huge double-page ads for clothing store Target.

On 23rd and 24th May, news.com.au and Melbourne's Herald Sun splashed a story on Catriona Rowntree's new range of baby clothes, designed for, yes, Target.

Rowntree targets more woolly thinking Rowntree has created the first 100 per cent wool baby range for Target. ''It's beautiful, soft and sustainable, and, thankfully, at a Target price.'' — Herald Sun, 24th May, 2013

In case you missed the point, if you want to buy this clothing range:

It's available exclusively at Target stores and online. — Herald Sun, 24th May, 2013

The story was written by the Herald Sun's fashion editor, Kim Wilson, who sounds almost as cosy with Rowntree as those Target woollies.

The next day, the celebrity designer tweeted gratefully

A belated but heartfelt thankyou to Kim Wilson and News.com.au HQ for supporting AustWool and my range now at Target Aus xx — Twitter, 25th May, 2013

But it wasn't only Rowntree the Herald Sun was supporting.

Again, on the 24th May, Kim Wilson hit the Target with another story in the paper .

One style fits all: Onesies for the whole family. All available from Target. As the cold weather hits, department stores Target and Myer, and specialty onesie retailers, are reporting a spike in sales. Sally Shing, of Target, said all-in-one sleepwear had become one of the most popular items for winter. — Herald Sun, 24th May, 2013

Now ... Maybe these were the two best fashion stories of the day. Or maybe not.

But here's another example.

Target's sister company Coles is an even bigger advertiser with a total media budget of $76 million a year.

A good chunk of this goes to News Corp Australia's tabloids, which depend on ads from the supermarkets and banks to stay in business.

There must be a huge temptation to give Coles editorial support for ITS marketing campaigns. So does News give in?

COLES SLASHES PRICES Coles has expanded its "Down Down" campaign to leading branded groceries by slashing the price of Vegemite, Corn Flakes and Milo. — Herald Sun, 9th May, 2013

A couple of weeks before those Target stories, the Herald Sun went big on the latest Coles price-cut campaign

COLES PRICES, DOWN DOWN, 'I think the customers are going to love it.' — Herald Sun, 9th May, 2013

The story, which came from a Coles media release, also went out online on News.com.au right across Australia.

And a couple of other papers in the network also gave it a run.

That same day double page ads for the Coles campaign appeared in ALL the major daily papers owned by News Corp Australia.

And looking back through the archives it's clearly not the first time this has happened.

COLES REVS UP PRICE WAR — Herald Sun, 9th January, 2013

Back in January the Herald Sun ran another big story on Coles cutting prices

In a new front in the supermarket price war Coles is slashing the price of scores of shelf items. From today the Down Down campaign will be expanded by more than 100 products. — Herald Sun, 9th January, 2013

That story, which also relied on a Coles media release, ran in various guises in seven News Corp Australia dailies.

And once again it was accompanied in all the papers by big ads from Coles.

Looking through the cuttings we also wonder whether negative stories about Coles get the space they deserve.

A year ago The Australian ran a piece in which former Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett laid into the supermarket chain for selling Irish bread, claiming it was Baked Today.

COLES FRESHLY BAKED (IRISH) BREAD A CON, KENNETT TELLS ACCC JEFF Kennett has demanded the consumer watchdog step up its investigation of the supermarket giants, launching a fiery attack on Coles for manipulating its market power and "deceiving" customers by selling foreign bread as freshly baked. "Coles is trying to drive producers and farmers out of business here," he said. — The Australian,6th July, 2012

It seemed the perfect tabloid story. TV and radio loved it. But there was nothing at all in the mass market Daily Telegraph and Herald Sun.

Recent rows involving Coles, where the supermarket has been fined or caught making dubious claims, have also rarely been prominent in those papers.

So is there a connection? Does good news on Coles get more of a run and bad news less than it deserves to keep this big advertiser happy?

News Corp Australia's John McGourty says absolutely not . Stories get in on merit and advertisers do not influence their decisions.

The Editorial Network breaks stories - such as supermarket price wars - that we believe are of interest to readers battling with the rising cost of living. Our editorial procedures are independent of any commercial relationships. — John McGourty, Executive Editor, Editorial Network, News Corp Australia, 19th July, 2013

It's a hard life in newspapers nowadays.

Sales are falling fast. Ad revenues this year are down 20 per cent.

And those News Corp Australia papers can no longer rely on profits from other parts of the business.

But I can't help recalling that famous line:

News is something that somebody doesn't want printed. All else is advertising.

It's not just News Corp Australia, Channel Nine and Channel Ten that are facing these pressures and perhaps succumbing to them. Times are tough.

But please, all you editors and journalists out there, for our sake, don't give in.

Trust is a valuable commodity. Don't throw it away.

As always you'll find more on this story on our website. But for now that's all from me. Goodbye.