I watch very little network or major cable TV, mostly MeTV, with low budget ads and TCM with no ads. I guess it was while my husband was watching a football game that I saw some new shows advertised. I don’t know what they were, but they sure looked like blatant propaganda to me.
“The Dallas Observer reported in 2011 that the Texas tourism office paid the show $400,000 to integrate the state’s brand into season nine. According to the website SeattleMet.com, that city pitched in more than $300,000 in production costs for similar considerations.
Details of the show’s sponsorship agreements with the New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corporation and the Louisiana Office of Tourism have not been released.”
http://www.nola.com/tv/index.ssf/2013/05/bravos_top_chef_headed_to_new.html
That’s not counting the non-cash perks.