Disney Says, You WILL Watch the Ads

smooth wombat writes "ABC and ESPN, both owned by Disney, have struck a deal with cable operator Cox Communications to offer hit shows and football games on demand, but with the condition that Cox disable the fast-forward feature that allows viewers to skip ads. This is the first agreement of its kind. It only applies to Cox's video-on-demand service and will not affect viewers using DVRs to fast-forward through ads. The companies will also test technology that will place ads in shows based on ZIP Codes and geographic area, and 'freshen' the ads with new ones every few days."

Comments

Re:Customer says

[decipher_saint]

IF Wikipedia is correct they own;

Disney-ABC Television Group

* U.S. Television Networks:
o ABC, Inc
+ ABC Television Network
# ABC Daytime
# ABC Entertainment
* Greengrass Productions
* Victor Television Productions
# ABC Kids
# ABC News
# ABC Owned & Operated Stations
* WLS Chicago - Channel 7
* WJRT Flint - Channel 12
* KFSN Fresno - Channel 30
* KTRK Houston - Channel 13
* KABC Los Angeles - Channel 7
* WABC New York - Channel 7
* WPVI Philadelphia - Channel 6
* WTVD Raleigh-Durham - Channel 11
* KGO San Francisco - Channel 7
* WTVG Toledo - Channel 13
+ ABC Radio (ABC Radio & ABC Radio Networks have been acquired by Citadel Broadcasting, the sale has not yet been completed)
o Disney ABC Cable Networks
+ Disney Channel
# Playhouse Disney
+ Toon Disney
+ Jetix
+ ABC Family - formerly Fox Family & The Family Channel
# BVS Entertainment - formerly Saban Entertainment
# Jetix Latin America
# Jetix Europe (Disney 74%, public shareholders 26%)
# SIP Animation (undisclosed minority stake)
+ SOAPnet
* U.S. Cable Network Equity Holdings:
o Lifetime Entertainment Services (joint venture between Disney (50%) and Hearst Corporation (50%))
+ Lifetime Television
+ Lifetime Movie Network
+ Lifetime Real Women
o A

Re:Well, then

[russ1337]

>>> ..for people who want a DVR and not an ongoing project...

I'd say that traditionally you would have been correct. But I just built my second mythtv for the house (Dual core, Ubuntu 7.04, Mythtv 0.20). It took me less than a day, and most of that was just messing with stuff I didn't need to mess with. Last time, a year ago, it took about a week.

The Ubunut7.04 recognizes the PVR-150 out out the box and has a full mythtv package in the repo's. It was a case of one click. No more IVTV rubbish and just follow the instructions to get your remote control working. All not that hard even for a noob like me.

Haven't seen any TV ads for a couple of weeks now.... Unlike Cox cable users....