Television (TV) Advertisements: We Have to Watch Commercials and Pay for Cable?
Are We Being Cheated?
In the 1960's, the television consumer would get 51 minutes of free programming by watching 9 minutes of commercial advertisements. 5.67 Companies like ABC, NBC, and CBS made substantial profits through this fair set up.
But then TV got greedy. Commercial advertisements have doubled. Today, we have to watch 18 minutes of commercial advertisements just to see 42 minutes of TV programming. Some reruns, like Star Trek, are actually cut by 9 minutes to make room for today's extra commercials. We got more annoying advertisements; the TV stations get more profit.
We've also added cable television, which charges us a monthly fee. Wait, wasn't the point of television advertisements to make TV free? That must mean that we can pay monthly for cable television and not have to watch advertisements. Nope, we pay for cable TV and we still have to watch commercials.
It turns out that the money we pay each month for cable TV goes to the company that owns the cables and the big antenna. For me, that's Comcast. I honestly don't know if any of the monthly fee goes to the cable television stations, but it is clear that the cable television stations still feel the need to make their money through commercial advertisements.
The concept has become flawed. First we purchase a television, then we pay monthly for our TV programming (85% of American homes pay monthly, since they have cable), and then finally we watch 18 minutes of commercial advertisements per 42 minutes of programming.
Are we getting swindled here? I think so. To be fair, TV demand has increased, which partially explains the extra prices we have to pay (both dollars and commercial watching time) to get our programming.
But regulation and monopolies also add to the price. In most areas in my state, there is only one cable television company providing service. In my experience, this company
has offered terrible service. Why? Because they're the only company to choose from.
Customer service has been terrible, channel lineups rigid, and prices high. If I want a certain channel, I'm usually forced to purchase 10 to 20 more that I don't intend to watch. But they're the monopolists, so I have no choice.
Satellite television appeared to be the savior, but seems to have joined cable TV in a duopoly. They seem to have similar prices and channels.
For now, we only have two options. And since few of us want to live without TV, we will continue to pay for the cable and watch the extra advertisements. Still, I can't help but feel cheated.
Published by Scott Schlimmer
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- Instead of charging its viewers, TV stations decided to run commercial advertisements.
- In the 1960's, people had to watch 9 minutes of advertisements to get 51 minutes of programming.
- Today we have to watch 18 minutes of commercials to get 42 minutes of programming.
12 Comments
Post a CommentNot only do we have to pay to watch comerciels but we have to watch it on the botom of the screen during the cut up movie also IT SUCKS
Agreed. PBS is the only thing I've found w/o commercial interruptions. They run them before and after each program.
Hey If we are paying a premium for a service. and you have their box. for which to view the items of your choice. shouldn't they offer a commercial opt out button. it just makes good sense. we are being advertised out of our programs. not into them they have become shorter and the commercials are worse. I sat and counted 8# 5$ foot longs. 6 sat sun mon tue everyday.. Neuvarings.. even on the on demand channels I am a subaru sedan smoke its tires... not once but during the middle of my program they show it again... a break...
I have an inside source at the cable company (my husband works for them), and he says that most of the premium channels charge high amounts (like $1.50 per customer per month) to be included in a lineup. Sports channels are particularly high. (Stadium tickets aren't the only thing that pays those athletes' high salaries!) So the premium channels get money from ads AND from you.
I have to write quickly to keep up with people like you who are wise enough to live without cable!
Hey, you are just bragging about how quickly you can write!
Michael: Yes, studies have shown that commercials reduce your IQ by 1 point per year. Actually, I just made that up, but it sure seems like it. Elizabeth: Commercials are so long, you could probably watch TV and write an article during each commercial break!
You're so right about this! I hate the fact that cable TV stations have so many commericals-- often more than the Networks. I don't get HBO or anything fancy. too busy writing articles for that! BTW, I haven't written much this week, so it will slow down.
Agreed. PBS occasionally has some great programs.
There is always PBS on regular tv. But I understand, It helps that sports is the very last thing on my mind when it comes to television and as far as history is concerned, I have the internet! Did I tell you how much I love the internet?