TV Networks Cutting Back On Commercials (bloomberg.com)

An anonymous reader writes: Cable providers aren't the only ones feeling pressure from cord cutters. The TV networks themselves are losing viewers the same way. A lot of those viewers are going to Netflix and other streaming services, which are often ad-free, or have ad-free options. Now, in an effort to win back that audience (and hang on to the ones who are still around), networks are beginning to cut back on commercial time during their shows. "Time Warner's truTV will cut its ad load in half for prime-time original shows starting late next year, Chief Executive Officer Jeff Bewkes said last week on an earnings call. Viacom has recently slashed commercial minutes at its networks, which include Comedy Central and MTV. Earlier this month, Fox said it will offer viewers of its shows on Hulu the option to watch a 30-second interactive ad instead of a typical 2 1/2-minute commercial break. Fox says the shorter ads, which require viewers to engage with them online, are more effective because they guarantee the audience's full attention."

Comments

...and I predict

[JustNiz]

up next: an app for your phone that interacts with all the crap they try to make you watch before they show you any content, then beeps to let you know the actual content is starting.

Re:...and I predict

[Austerity Empowers]

up next: an app for your phone that interacts with all the crap they try to make you watch before they show you any content, then beeps to let you know the actual content is starting.

I suspect this is truth, but it doesn't make sense. Google found me this article, showing cost of prime time commercial slots for shows. The #1 show in that list was the Big Bang Theory, raking in $6.5M per episode in commercial spots with a viewership in 2014 of almost 20M people (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Big_Bang_Theory). So to generate equivalent revenue, without the bullshit, a viewer could pay just $.33 to watch the episode commercial free, and they'd win. This is for the most popular show on TV, most make do with less than 1/4 of that. For just $8 you could in theory own a 24 episode season, they'd make bank and you'd get your favorite show. No bullshit required!

Instead IF they give you that option it's usually $2 per episode, and/or you have to use their lousy site and be subjected to whatever arbitrary rules they want to impose.

Re: ...and I predict

[Flavianoep]

Advertisers have earned the wrath of pretty much everyone now by being forceful and greedy. Basically they act like we owe them something and they're wrong.

That's because we are watching a show that it is them that have paid for.

Re:...and I predict

[JustNiz]

...or you could just do what I do.. throw up an antenna, set up mythtv on an old PC, then legally record and watch Big Bang and much other good stuff without ever paying a cent or watching a commercial, since mythtv also has automatic commmercial detection/skipping so you dont even need to press fast forward on your remote.
mythtv is especially great If you travel a lot, since you can also set it up as a server then stream your own live tv, recorded shows, and any ripped media to your android phone app or any browser no matter where you are.

Re:Shows may vary.

[JustNiz]

I'd be happy with ads on SyFy if they just hunted down and executed the moron executive that thinks horror, paranormal, CSI and low budget "reality" tv ghost hunts are somehow even related to actual Sci Fi.

Re:Shows may vary.

[reboot246]

Yeah, all that stuff should be over on the History Channel where it belongs. :)

Every channel has lost its original focus. The one I really hate is HGTV for dropping gardening and becoming the real estate channel.

Re:Shows may vary.

[SuperRenaissanceMan]

I think most of the tech showed in CSI counts as sci-fi.

Dear networks....

[Lumpy]

Too little too late. You guys jammed them in so much and so hard, plus using heavy compression so they are louder. I'm done. I record with a DVR that auto REMOVES commercials.

Suck it, I wont be watching your commercials anymore.

Re:Then what are they going to do with the extra t

[Hognoxious]

There was something on the BBC news this morning. They're incorporating the ads into the shows.

A character in an Australian soap skates past a poster, and the poster will be for a local product depending on where it's being broadcast.

They were even [the moving version of] shopping different cars into scenes. And the pixels weren't wrong - it wasn't at all obvious, even if you've seen a few.