Kellner Says Commerical-Skip Worth $250/year

Steve B writes: "A sequel to Turner CEO: "PVR Users Are Thieves" -- according to this story reported by Broadcasting & Cable, our friend Jamie Kellner says that consumers should be prepared to pay "as much as $250 per year" for the privilege of zapping over commercials. BTW, I'm not being entirely sarcastic when I call Kellner "our friend" -- if we properly exploit this story as an example of why Hollywood wants control over our consumer electronics, Kellner just might dig their graves with his big mouth."

Comments

Re:Are networks screwing with program start times?

[unitron]

No, it has not always been that way. Once upon a time not so very long ago you could count on the ABC, NBC, or CBS programs to start exactly at 8:00pm, exactly at 9:00pm, and exactly at 10:00pm. I think what they're doing now is stretching the highest rated shows from 60 minutes to 61 or 62 minutes so as to insert more advertising within that particular show. For instance, NBC starts ER on Thursday nights a minute or so earlier than 10:00pm in order to be done exactly at 11:00 when the local affiliates make their major money on the local news (which now runs until 11:35pm instead of 11:30pm so that the locals can insert more ads). Whatever Fox is running just before the 9:00pm airing of 24 on Tuesday nights doesn't actually finish completely (ending credits, etc) until about 9:01pm. Same deal with CBS and "Survivor" or whatever that show is that they think is worthy of a news story the next morning.

Are they doing this to screw over VCR users? No, that's just a fringe benefit for them.