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How Could TV Survive Without Commercials?
Milo_Mindbender asks: "I'm sure many of the readers of this site know the joy of skipping commercials using a TiVO, Replay or other form of PVR box. I'm sure it has occurred to a lot of us that if someone produced a schedule of commercial stop/start times the PVR could easily make all commercials instantly vanish from a recording. While this would be really cool, if it got really popular it would KILL all the local TV stations and TV networks who depend on ads to survive. Sure, you could say it's their fault for having an outdated business model, but there's a problem: these sources are where A LOT of the content for your PVR comes from. If they die, there's nothing for your PVR to record. My question for this crowd is: 'If the commercials stopped tomorrow, what business models can you come up with that would keep TV content flowing to your PVR?'"
"I've heard a few interesting ideas such as:
- having people pick a few ads from a list and watch them before each show...
- ...giving advertisers a profile of your interest and let them show you a (smaller number) of unskippable ads for things you are really interested in...
- ...ahaving the products show up in the show itself (product placement). For example: Buffy, after killing a vampire, could then slam down a Mountan Dew.
[PA]
Aren't there bears "outside?"
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--- Do you believe in the day?
You could be right. It could be that the
/. first. There, they could read some AC
BILLIONS of dollars spent on TV advertising
are not effective at all. It could be that
all these years, the TRILLIONS of dollars
cumulatively spent on TV ads were wasted.
Stupid advertisers. They should have checked
with
who has such an insipid, stupid, baseless
comment jacked up on mod points.
Food for thought - I watched *too* much tv. 6 hours a day.
I threw the bugger our and took up reading crappy scifi and posting on Slashdot. Same 6 hours wasted.
I've substitued one entertainment for another - and truth be told, I'm not more productive for it. However, I highly recomend to others that they make the switch:
After the switch, I've notices several good chainges in myself:
For some reason I don't consume as much goods, I'm less prone to inappropriate emotional outbreaks, and my vocabulary has improved. My spalling has remains attrocious as ever...
One thing that I won't do, is be a snob about it. I've only substitued one vice for another - I diden't acieve enlightenment or anything.
Moneyed corporations, non-working 'poor' and criminal prisoners are turning productive citizens into tax-slaves.
Paying $150 a year for being able to use a TV set without being continuously brainwashed?
But in fact the only difference is in who is controlling the brainwashing. So let's see: the British government, or Anheuser-Busch... who do I prefer... hmm... tough call
Ok, so here's my idea. Which is a total 180 from everyone else I've read here so far. How about a channel that shows ONLY commercials? Hell, how about a DOZEN channels that show only commercials?
Seriously, I'm sure advertisers would love to pay people to watch their 30 second films. And you could choose which "kind" of commercials you wanted to watch by special interest, language, product type, etc.. I have found that the better commercials tend to be a lot more entertaining than your average Friends episode (I'm thinking best commercials in the World here, not just North America).
There might be some weird splash-over of people watching commercial for products that aren't available in their area (watching a stylish commercial for a Europe-only car or a funny Japanese toy commercial, for example), but the programming becomes REALLY simple when all you are doing is showing one 30 second spot after another... this might mean we now need Ad Jockeys (grimace).
The purpose of these channels (which could actually be fun to watch), would be to pay for the non-commercial channels bundled with them. So, if you watch x commercials, your cable is free (or cheap, rather).
Don't want to watch the commercials? Just pay the difference. Poor white trash? Make a little money while you sit on your ass. Everyone is a winner. Or not, as the case may be.
I've got a bad attitude and karma to burn. Go ahead. Mod me down.
Have anyone ever read 'Contact', remember that the multi-mega-millionaire got that rich because he had invented a system that cut down ads, it was based on the sound level, because during the ads the sound is turned up a bit (or *Quite* a bit).
Offer contests to those that watch commercials.
Everyone that calls within a 10 minute time period after seeing an announcement in an ad gets entered to win.
Make commercials entertaining.
Better production, dramatic vignettes, serial storylines.
Offer compensation for watching commercials
For 5 minute of commercials you watch you get 30 minutes of pay-per-view TV. Require the person to respond to random prompts during the commercials.
Federally mandate a "Commercial Hour"
Nothing is offered on any station except commercials for one hour a day. As everyone knows, people will watch anything if they want to veg in front of a TV.
Allow folks to voice an opinion.
Offer viewers a system where they can interactively rate a commercial. People will watch just for the opportunity to say "You Suck"
The future is product placement, my friend. Only with product placement can commercial content get to viewers without such interference from pesky technology. Law & Order Classic, 2004:
"Before we investigate and inevitably arrest the prime suspect, why don't we relax and enjoy the soothing, refreshing taste of a Vanilla Coke?"
"Your honor, I request a recess so that we can try the new Subway Select Sweet Onion Chicken Teriyaki sandwich, only $2.99 for a limited time."
"The jury is hopelessly deadlocked, your honor. Half of the jury believes that the the defendant's beverage tastes great. The other half is convinced that it is less filling."
My car gets 40 rods to the hogshead, and that's the way I likes it!
I can't decide whether I'd rather watch TV shows with commercials or read the articles with "Comments" on Slashdot.
Mindless drivel vs. um, mindless drivel.
I think I'll stick with TV and commercials. At least with TV, I'm not tempted to waste even more time responding to the mindless drivel.
-Rick
What the hell? You're the same guy who was bragging about not watching any TV in a 5-rated comment in this same story. What's the deal?
You should have taken my sollution, ditch the day job, then you can watch 6 hours of tv AND 6 hours of /. :)
So now that viewers have found a way around the tedious mindfuck that is TV advertisement, maybe broadcast TV will finally die a natural death. Hopefully it will do so before we're all forced to buy HDTV enabled sets.
And honestly, who cares? There is so much else out there to do now. You can reclaim that TV time (books, family, friends, projects, sleep) or waste it even more pleasantly (DVDs, video games, online chat clients, the web, mp3 hunting, sleep).
Don't get me wrong - I'm no "TV is evil; unplugging it will cure all your problems" preacher. But if making broadcast TV tolerable to watch is what kills it - doesn't that mean its been doomed all along? And to put broadcast TV on life support just to keep your TiVO out of the attic for a few more months? Be real. That's like protesting the overall shift to CDs - so that AOL will keep sending you free, easy to reformat floppy discs!
"In a hierarchy every employee will rise to his level of incompetence". The Peter Principle
Don't say that too loud... you're reverse-engineering Aquafina, which would elicit a hefty penalty under the DMCA.
And /.'s hosting your instructions on how to circumvent "water copy protection" devices, meaning they could be held liable for any future drops in Aquafina's sales.
And here I am, commenting on it. Ummm... I think I'm going to go call my lawyer now.
InigoMontoya
This signature is self-referential.
I am trying to imagine a show where things like Tampax are advertised