CBS Uses TV Compression Technology To Get In Extra Commercial

from the caught! dept

The CBS television affiliate in Pittsburgh was caught using special TV compression technology to squeeze an extra commercial into a Pittsburgh Steelers game last month. Apparently, the technology tries to take out bits and pieces of the game in an unnoticeable way (it removes very short segments that have no noticeable change in what it's displaying) in order to add an extra 30 seconds - in which the station can broadcast an extra commercial. The problem came when viewers tried to listen to the game over the radio while watching it on the TV. Suddenly things on the TV were happening 30 seconds after they were on the radio. The NFL is pissed off because the station has a contract saying they'll broadcast the game "live". The station has said it was a mistake and they won't do it again.