{nl}A Chicago TV station got burned by limited-edition Pokemon Eggo waffles and kicked by Fruit by the Foot. The Federal Communications Commission Friday proposed fining the station, WCIU-TV, $16,500 for a series of violations of its limits on commercials during kids’ TV shows, including six program-length commercials.{nl}

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Chicago Station Aired Ads for Limited-Edition Pokemon Eggo Waffles, General Mills 'Fruit by the Foot' The FCC said any appearance of a character from a TV show in a commercial placed within that show turns the whole program into a commercial.{nl} {nl}Six of those program-length commercials involved Pokemon, but let's let the FCC's Media Bureau, with some help from the station, describe it: "The licensee stated that on four occasions, the station aired a commercial for Eggo waffles containing ‘fleeting images’ of a Pokemon character during the Pokemon program," the bureau said in its notice proposing the fine.{nl} {nl}"According to the licensee’s description, a Pokemon character appeared during the commercial and transformed 'into an embossed image of itself on several Eggo waffles' while the announcer stated, 'And look out for limited-edition Pokemon Eggo waffles,’” the Media Bureau continued. “‘You can catch ‘em all.' Further, the licensee reported that on two occasions, the station aired a commercial for a General Mills 'Fruit by the Foot' product containing a 'fleeting appearance' by a Pokemon character during the Pokemon program.”{nl} {nl}The station argued that the appearances were fleeting, minor, would not have harmed a child viewer and didn't turn the shows into commercials. The FCC disagreed.{nl}

{nl}{nl}Source: http://www.broadcastingcable.com