Watermark information (denoted WM) consists of several symbols which are embedded continuously in an audio or a video signal. At decoder site the WM is regained using correlation of the received signal with an m-sequence if Spread Spectrum is used. According to the invention, each WM symbol carries an identification data ID item in addition to its normal payload, and it is already tested in the encoder whether or not the signal is good enough so that the embedded symbol can be recovered at decoder side. If true, it is embedded. If not true, no WM is embedded for the length of one symbol and the test is repeated for the following symbol. The sequence of IDs is known at the encoder which can therefore detect using the ID whether or not a symbol has been skipped.