The hosts distinguish between "product placement," such as Starbucks cups on *Morning Joe*, and "native advertising," where news segments are paid for by corporations. They cite a *Wall Street Journal* article that transitioned into a pitch for a communications firm and a news report on car safety that suspiciously praised the Chevrolet Spark while panned the Honda Fit. They argue that television native ads are particularly "sinister" because they are difficult for the average viewer to detect.
