Long or short advert breaks

On Thu, 20 Mar 2008 at 12:15:35, Paul Heslop
wrote in uk.media.tv.sky :

I guess you haven't seen this?

http://tinyurl.com/2h27tm

March 20, 2008

More frequent advertising breaks likely under watchdog’s proposal

British television would have more frequent, American-style
advertising breaks under a proposal from the media regulator.

Ofcom recommended removing a rule which requires a 20-minute interval
between advertising breaks during programmes on commercial channels.

But in a package of options sent out to broadcasters for consultation,
Ofcom also opened up the possibility of a complete US-style
free-for-all. One approach on the table is “letting all channels
decide for themselves how often to have advertising breaks�.

The watchdog cautioned that viewers had complained about instant
breaks being introduced during the American imports Lost and The West
Wing by Channel 4, within seconds of an episode beginning. However,
Ofcom said it believed that “allowing flexibility for the timing of
breaks is likely to be welcomed by viewers as it would allow breaks to
be timed to suit the content of programmes�.

And the brown envelope the size of a HGV that the advertisers must have
slipped Ofcom has nothing to do with it, of course...
--
Paul 'Charts Fan' Hyett

On Thu, 20 Mar 2008 at 11:42:11, Krustov wrote in
uk.media.tv.sky :

What do you lot prefer - and why .

- long advert break ?

- short advert break ?

If I *had* to choose, I'd say longer - as it's less work to edit out
fewer, longer breaks than loads of little ones.
--
Paul 'Charts Fan' Hyett

On Thu, 20 Mar 2008 at 12:15:35, Paul Heslop
wrote in uk.media.tv.misc :

The watchdog cautioned that viewers had complained about instant
breaks being introduced during the American imports Lost and The West
Wing by Channel 4, within seconds of an episode beginning. However,
Ofcom said it believed that “allowing flexibility for the timing of
breaks is likely to be welcomed by viewers as it would allow breaks to
be timed to suit the content of programmes�.

IMO, this would be the biggest own goal since Gerald Ratner...
--
Paul 'Charts Fan' Hyett

Edster wrote:

Paul Heslop wrote:


Ofcom recommended removing a rule which requires a 20-minute interval
between advertising breaks during programmes on commercial channels.

Does that only apply to normal TV? Sky One has been having ad breaks
about 8 minutes into the programme for as long as I can remember. It
was one of the first things I noticed about them.

it happens on itv at about 12 mins sometimes too

--
Paul (We won't die of devotion)
-------------------------------------------------------
Stop and Look
http://www.geocities.com/dreamst8me/

Paul Hyett wrote:

On Thu, 20 Mar 2008 at 12:15:35, Paul Heslop
wrote in uk.media.tv.sky :

I guess you haven't seen this?

http://tinyurl.com/2h27tm


And the brown envelope the size of a HGV that the advertisers must have
slipped Ofcom has nothing to do with it, of course...
--
Paul 'Charts Fan' Hyett

agreed, though this seems to be the way now. big business has a big
voice

--
Paul (We won't die of devotion)
-------------------------------------------------------
Stop and Look
http://www.geocities.com/dreamst8me/

Paul Hyett wrote:

On Thu, 20 Mar 2008 at 12:15:35, Paul Heslop
wrote in uk.media.tv.misc :

The watchdog cautioned that viewers had complained about instant
breaks being introduced during the American imports Lost and The West
Wing by Channel 4, within seconds of an episode beginning. However,
Ofcom said it believed that “allowing flexibility for the timing of
breaks is likely to be welcomed by viewers as it would allow breaks to
be timed to suit the content of programmes�.

IMO, this would be the biggest own goal since Gerald Ratner...
--
Paul 'Charts Fan' Hyett

It stinks, doesn't it? I think they realised that many people now are
so lethargic they can get away with anything

--
Paul (We won't die of devotion)
-------------------------------------------------------
Stop and Look
http://www.geocities.com/dreamst8me/

allan tracy wrote:


I don't know if it's a secret but I watched a really good drama last
night with no advert breaks at all! It's not the first either! This
channel, though obscure, may be available if you fine tune your
Freeview box. It was called BBC2.

All of SKY's film subscription channels are advert free as well.

well, DURING the movies.
--
Paul (We won't die of devotion)
-------------------------------------------------------
Stop and Look
http://www.geocities.com/dreamst8me/

Edster wrote:
allan tracy wrote:


Long advert breaks allow viewers to get up a do something else and are
far more likely to be fast forwarded when watching a recording.

A smart advertiser would make adverts that can still get their message
across when watched at 12x speed with no sound. (30x fast forward
doesn't work because you are often a few minutes into the programme
before you notice the adverts are finished).

Not a bad point, but then for it to work really well all PVRs would have
to use the same speed(s) of fast-forward. Plus, they wouldn't last very
long at 12x.

In message , Anton Gÿsen
writes
Edster wrote:
allan tracy wrote:

Long advert breaks allow viewers to get up a do something else and
are
far more likely to be fast forwarded when watching a recording.
A smart advertiser would make adverts that can still get their
message
across when watched at 12x speed with no sound. (30x fast forward
doesn't work because you are often a few minutes into the programme
before you notice the adverts are finished).

Not a bad point, but then for it to work really well all PVRs would
have to use the same speed(s) of fast-forward. Plus, they wouldn't last
very long at 12x.


Max Headroom anyone? Blipverts :-))

--
Chris Ridley,

who just can't get around to setting up a decent sig file.

"Paul Hyett" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 20 Mar 2008 at 11:42:11, Krustov wrote in
uk.media.tv.sky :

What do you lot prefer - and why .

- long advert break ?

- short advert break ?

If I *had* to choose, I'd say longer - as it's less work to edit out
fewer, longer breaks than loads of little ones.

Yes, agreed. As 95% of what I watch is recorded, it's quite easy to delete
out the ads and burn to DVD before watching. A 1-hour programme is only 40
minutes long then.