Broadcasting and Cable magazine has released an article this month noting that the USA network will start featuring Picture-in-Picture style advertising during Smackdown Live in the near future. This would feature the WWE action in the main part of the screen while advertising breaks would be held in a smaller picture on the screen at the same time. The article noted this would be the first of many other USA network shows to feature ads in this method.
This style of advertising is not new and most notably is featured during the ABC network coverage of the Indianapolis 500 auto race every year. This style of advertising helps the viewing audience keep attention on the show and less chance of channel surfing during the advertisements. The WWE has used this method before sporadically in the past.
The article also lists Smackdown Lives biggest advertisers, noting that WWE itself is top of that list followed by Taco Bell, Verizon, The Real Cost anti-smoking campaign, and Nutrisystem being the rest of the top 5. The article didn’t give a specific date when this was to begin, or if or when this advertising method would be used on Monday Night RAW.