“NBC Nightly News With Brian Williams” is trying a different approach by offering its news broadcast in a sponsorship deal with Philips Electronics North America Corporation. The result will be that people will have few interruptions and more time to watch the news.
The electronics company has the advertising theme of “sense and simplicity,” which they believe, in the agreement with NBC Universal (GE), will help them to position that in the viewers mind.
The sponsorship deal, which is worth $2 million, will also include '“Today,” two 
cable shows and a feature on NBC’s digital weather channel.'
On the Nightly News, the total commercial time will be only one minute and 15 seconds, in contrast to the normal news broadcast carrying 14 commercials nationally which take up around 7 minutes. The Nightly News broadcast will add an additional segment or two that are long in length as a result of the reduced commercial time.
I don't know if this will become a pattern, but I think it's something that needs to be explored more. With the disruption coming from the moving of ad dollars to the Internet, this could be a very predictable income stream that networks could rely upon.
It's nothing new as decades ago the Mutual of Omaha insurance company used to sponsor "The Wild Kingdom" for years. But I think this is definitely something that bears a closer look and incorporating more into the broadcasting mix.
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