corporations hate you, pt. 2
Check out this story. What jerks. Apparently networks are deliberately shifting the start and end times of their shows to confound TiVo users. Networks hate TiVo due to its commercial-skipping powers. By making time-shifters miss the end of their recorded shows the practice is discouraged.
Of course, you can manually extend the recording period by the necessary minute or two, but if you're planning to record NBC at 9 and ABC's 8PM show runs until 9:01, your one-tuner DVR will typically decide there's a conflict and conclude that it's not worth recording any of the NBC show. ABC gains an advantage either way: either time-shifting is discouraged, or its competitors get fucked over. Great job, guys!
It's curious how this innovation has popped up, yet, having had decades to offer additional value to consumers by competitively scheduling their commercial breaks -- that is, not having them simultaneously -- the networks have managed to stay in wonderful synchrony: when one is at commercial, so are all the others. Hmm.
Obviously something has to pay for TV, but I don't think it's going to be commercials for much longer, ill-advised legislation notwithstanding. Networks will increasingly have to turn to subscription fees to support themselves. There won't be a massive switch to an HBO model, but fees paid by cable companies will slowly increase. Some networks will disappear and your cable bill will creep upward. That's a shame, but if it means I can escape a nightly corporate assault on my subconscious it's a tradeoff I'll be happy to make.
In the meantime, I suggest you apply the power of righteous indignation to downloading this week's episode of Lost (click the link, click on 'Lost', then scroll down). Who would have thought that the pregnant girl's backstory episode would be so fascinating and spooky? I liked the show before, but I thought it was going to end up with an unfortunately mundane foundation once the island's mystery was stripped away. Now I'm not so sure. Seriously, go watch it.
Comments
I just posted about it, but you should really read Making Light today (nielsenhayden.com/makinglight).
That episode of Lost was fantastic. Especially all the action at the end. Holy CRAP was I scared.
Another reason that stations are doing that extra couple of minutes thing is that it helps their follow-on shows. I read an article just this week where an ABC exec discussed the extra minutes on Desperate Housewives, saying "If you switch over to "Judging Amy" and it's already started, you'll be that much more likely to switch back to ABC to watch "Boston Legal." Anything to make sure that viewers don't have to think for themselves . . .
yes, I loved that episode...that man is freaky! Even the sneak preview for next week's episode had my heart racing!
That epsiode of Lost definetly got me interested again after missing a few episodes. I may have to go download the last 2 shows so I can fill in the gaps about what happened to Sayid.
sayid found insane french lady who tied him up and then went off polar bear hunting. i'm sure she'll make an interesting comeback. i'm wondering if ethan rom has anything to do with her. and i want this freaky baby to be born so we can see why it's going to cause the downfall of the world.
That episode was great, and while we're on the subject, I'd like to note that over the course of the show we've seen 1 menacing French woman, as compared with 0 of all y'all's theories.
So is Ethan Rom supposed to be a play on Ethan Frome? I never read that book, so I don't know if there's any significance there. I doubt Edith Wharton was writing about creepy island spirit monster men, but you never know.
ahem, Kriston
"also, I think someone from the episode was never even on the plane! or the french girl in the looped transmitter message is still alive and part of some weird cult still on the island? "
Posted by: Naomi on October 14, 2004 12:09 PM
uh, hello people. aren't you all forgetting about this?
Curse you, Tommy! That's not real! Curse you and your Dinobots!
Post A Comment