MANILA, Philippines?Aside from too many commercials, televiewers these days are burdened with having to watch ?sponsored features.? These are minutes-long features that purport to shed light on an informative topic, but in fact are extended plugs for a person, product, service or organization.

What rankles is the deception. Program hosts piously declare that they?re sharing this information because it?s interesting or important, but it turns out that the feature is paid for in cash or in kind by its sponsoring individual or organization.

This is a betrayal of viewers? trust because, in accepting payment for a sponsored feature, the TV program gives up its vaunted objectivity, and pretty much concentrates on making the featured service or product look good to viewers.

Another element that rankles is the fact that sponsored features aren?t counted in the 18 minutes per TV hour that have been set as the limit for TV commercials. So, with sponsored features, viewers? non-commercial program time is further limited. So much for some TV people?s professed devotion to the viewing public?

Why do some programs go in for sponsored features? Because of the extra income they generate ? some of which, by the way, may not go to the producers, but to the ?facilitating? program hosts, instead.

The biggest disappointment is the fact that some sponsored features find their way into programs that involve some well-known people in the broadcast industry. Again, so much for admirable conduct on TV.

We?re writing about this now because for the past few months, we?ve noted an increase in the number of sponsored features on quite a number of TV shows. Are local viewers really clueless about this? They should complain, because this practice further cuts into the non-commercial program time they deserve to enjoy.

What are the telltale signs that the ?important? or ?interesting? feature you?re watching is in fact an extended plug or puff piece? First, it deals, not with a trend, but with a specific product or service provider. Or else, it may start out in general terms, but it quickly becomes apparent that the process of making a product is being detailed, not really to inform, but to rave about the ?high quality? of the product being featured.

When the topic is an individual or organization, the feature keeps building up the sponsor so glowingly that its fawning motive soon betrays itself. And, always, the befuddled viewers keep asking, ?Aside from making this person or group look great, what?s the point to all this?? What, indeed?

One of the worst offenders as far as sponsored features are concerned turns out to be little more than one puff piece after another. Surely, viewers can see the peso signs all over the place?

Other programs may have fewer sponsored features, but they?re still one or two too many, because of the blithe deception involved. With TV commercials, you at least know that you?re being sold a bill of goods. With sponsored features, however, you?re being sold a bill of goods. With sponsored features, you?re being sold something in the guise of objective information.

Now, that definitely isn?t on the up-and-up, and viewers should know when they?re being had.