In a recent interview with Cableworld, Chairman and CEO of Turner Broadcasting was asked why PVRs such as TiVo, Replay, and Ulitmate TV are bad for the television industry. He responded that skipping commericals is stealing their programming. What's next? Legislation which bans any electronic devices from having fast forward buttons? Is anything not stealing nowadays? Pretty soon we'll all be listening to CDs which don't play and watching TV shows with commerical ad "pop-ups"... Excerpt from the article, "Content's King" JK: ...I'm a big believer we have to make television more convenient or we will drive the penetration of PVRs and things like that, which I'm not sure is good for the cable industry or the broadcast industry or the networks. CW: Why not? JK: Because of the ad skips.... It's theft. Your contract with the network when you get the show is you're going to watch the spots. Otherwise you couldn't get the show on an ad-supported basis. Any time you skip a commercial or watch the button you're actually stealing the programming. CW: What if you have to go to the bathroom or get up to get a Coke? JK: I guess there's a certain amount of tolerance for going to the bathroom. But if you formalize it and you create a device that skips certain second increments, you've got that only for one reason, unless you go to the bathroom for 30 seconds. They've done that just to make it easy for someone to skip a commercial.
Wow. I've got one of those timers on my TV that I can press and it lets me skip around and see what's on other channels but will automatically change back to the channel I was originally watching when the time limit is up (You can set it in 30 second intervals). I guess that's stealing, too. And actually, I usually turn the volume down on the TV during the commercials and oftentimes will engage others in the room in conversation. I guess that should be outlawed, too, as it is stealing, I suppose.
I didn't realize I had signed any contract with anybody. I wonder when that contract is up for renewal.
What a bonehead. With remote controls (and MTV), we actually started getting commercials worth watching. If his Network airs crappy commercials and turns their volume up 20 decibals, TFB, I'm a skip'n and a change'n.
Say what you want, but he's right. If people watch the shows without the commercials, the shows won't exist anymore. Advertisers aren't going to pay for non-existent eyeballs. It's not a big deal on a small scale. If everyone starts doing it, then things will change.
So you really think that constitutes theft, Major? Whats your definition of theft? I don't care for being called a thief and I think he's an idiot for offending so many. If more people skip commercials, change will be forced on the system, just like before. So what? With the advent of remote controls, we heard similar 'the sky is falling' proclamations...'Iyee! the networks will disappear!'. Some creative individuals thought 'out of the box' and responded by making commercials enjoyable. Change is not always bad, eh?
So you really think that constitutes theft, Major? Whats your definition of theft? I don't care for being called a thief and I think he's an idiot for offending so many. In a sense of the word, yes it's theft. Not legally, certainly, but the general informal agreement for network TV is that they provide it for free and fund it through advertising. If you get the product without paying the "price" for it, it's a form of theft, although there's probably a better word for it. As for offending so many, that's their problem. I'm certainly not offended. I know what he was trying to say and am not going to focus on that one word. If more people skip commercials, change will be forced on the system, just like before. So what? With the advent of remote controls, we heard similar 'the sky is falling' proclamations...'Iyee! the networks will disappear!'. Some creative individuals thought 'out of the box' and responded by making commercials enjoyable. Do you really think that people who record programs on VCR's now stop for commercials? The reason I posted is that we deal with this in the internet world. People who use ad blockers get content without the advertising. Fine, it's legal. But those people shouldn't then complain when their favorite services start charging or disappear because they couldn't generate enough revenues to provide the service for free. I don't claim any "moral authority" here -- I do it too with regard to TV commercials. I just understand where he's coming from. If I was setting up a TV network, I would instead put the advertising on a ticker at the bottom of the screen during the programming and have no actual "commercial time" where you can change the channel.
I never saw that movie, but I think you're right regarding ad placement. I also really think we'll start seeing pop-up ads during broadcast like we see during sports telecasts (although not AS intrusive). Good points, Cohen. What industry doesn't have to change its business model from time to time to adjust to technological advances or market demands? Apparently, the media and entertainment industries believe they shouldn't have to...
Apparently, the media and entertainment industries believe they shouldn't have to... Huh? Of course they will. But if those popups were a better ad model, they would already be using them. Of course they are going to resist changing a system that works for them. To expect them to WANT to change is silly.
Actually what it will mean is that FREE TV will end and we will have only PAY TV. Big deal, most of us have cable anyway. Cry me a river Turner. DaDakota
Resisting change when your model doesn't work for your customers is downright ignorant. Whether they want change is irrelevant, the market is not determined by them but US and change is inevitable. Again, to be so unhappy with the change that you call your customers thieves is just plain stupid. Let's assume we did have some kind of contract to watch the commercials (let's see them take this to a court) . In my mind, the 'contract' is vitiated when the commercials are boring and louder than the shows. My expectation under this contract is 60 minutes of entertainment, not 52 minutes of entertainment and 8 minutes of boredom. I also don't expect them to wake-up our baby when a commercial comes on.
I like the current system better than schemes to force ads on you, like integrating it with the programming or like the pop-ups you get on the internet. He's still a jerk for calling people thieves. He seems to feel he's entitled to something that was never given to him. It isn't a theft of any kind. We aren't 'paying' for the service by watching ads. We get the service for free and other companies buy spot time. We'll watch what we want. We're not at all -- not in the slightest way -- responsible for their ad revenue. If it doesn't work, fine, but it isn't our fault.
We'll watch what we want. We're not at all -- not in the slightest way -- responsible for their ad revenue. If it doesn't work, fine, but it isn't our fault. And that's completely fine. But don't then turn around and complain when the industry finds new ways of generating revenue and advertising gets more intrusive and annoying. (It will happen, and people will inevitably whine and b**** about it.)
Until free channels get satelites, don't be expecting to lose them any time soon. Turner! You ruin EVERYTHING!
