Talk radio or a commercial?

The Baltimore Sun ran an interesting article yesterday about a new trend in radio commercials. Stations are selling blocks of time to mortgage brokers and others who produce their own talk shows intended to promote a product or service. The article states, “The people behind the programs say they are an effective and inexpensive way to advertise; hosting your own radio show costs as little as a few hundred dollars an hour. They note that shows must carry disclaimers at the beginning and end, explaining who paid for the program. And some show hosts say the advice they give on the air serves an educational purpose.” Consumer advocates, however, are worried casual listeners may not understand that the programs are an advertising pitch.