Washington ? When Wally and the Beaver came home from school, their mom often had cookies and milk waiting for them. These days, it isn’t just cookies but Oreos that are featured in the plot of “7th Heaven.”

And how about “American Idol,” in which contestants make a Ford advertisement that’s presented as a hip video?

Some are questioning whether viewers should be better informed when broadcasters are paid to feature a brand in a TV show. The Federal Communications Commission said Thursday it will look into the blurring of the line between content and commerce.

The issue of product placement, in which brand-name items are used as props in shows, is not new and has not generated much controversy. It is the practice of insinuating products into actual plot lines, known as “embedded advertising” and “product integration,” that has raised concern.

Spending on embedded advertising has grown as advertisers look for new ways to reach viewers who flip channels during commercials or use digital video recorders like TiVo to fast-forward past them.

In a Thursday order, the agency said it is considering whether to require sponsorship identification notices to be in larger type, appear for a longer period on the screen or to appear at both the beginning and the end of programs.

The commission is also considering tightening sponsorship rules regarding children’s programming and whether to extend the advertising disclosure requirements to cable, according to the order.