DVRs to Cost Broadcasters $600 Million in 'Lost' Revenue They'd Find Again if They Were Innovative
from the I'd-watch-that-ad-if-it-didn't-suck dept
Nielsen Media Research CEO Susan Whiting has released data that suggests time shifting technology could cost broadcasters $600 million next year, up from the estimated $300 million in lost revenue this year. Of course that revenue isn't "lost" as so much as it's sitting and waiting for broadcasters to finally find more innovative ways to capture it. Whiting states that about 40% of all broadcast viewing is done via DVR, and that nearly half of all DVR owners sit through the ads; a strange statistic considering that for many people, that's the primary reason to own one. So far broadcasters seem more interested in stifiling threatening technology and annoying users than tackling more innovative solutions, such as making better ads, or further blurring the line between advertising and content.Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
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$600 Million?
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I do watch some commercials on the PVR. If it is a product or class of products I am currently interested in, or if it is funny or entertaining commercial. I make no claims of normalcy though.
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Yeesh
1. My wife is a huge sports fan (and keeping her happy makes for a much more enjoyable home life)
2. With the deal I get from Comcast it's cheaper to get internet, cable and phone than just internet & phone.
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Time Shifting
Prevent my time-shifting, and I will watch more DVDs instead.
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Are there "good" ads?
I hate to say it, but the only way is product placement, ad integration, etc. Which to me, is far more annoying than commercials.
Am I the only one who hates it when you can tell a product was blatantly inserted into a scene for ad purposes? To me, that's more distracting than sitting through 90 seconds of ads - at least I know they're ads and I can ignore them.
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How'd they lose $600M?
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The only TV show that has been able to draw me to their website is "The Office" the extra and deleted scenes are hilarious and definitely worth it. And I didn't know about the website until someone sent me an email about a feature the site has where you can have one of the characters dial your friends and say any of several different inside jokes. Now, THAT is how to get viewers to your website and keep them coming back.
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Good Ol' VHS
Hooray for not-so-modern technology!!!
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Tivo wishes
Whiting states that about 40% of all broadcast viewing is done via DVR, and that nearly half of all DVR owners sit through the ads; a strange statistic considering that for many people, that's the primary reason to own one.
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Tivo wishes
Whiting states that about 40% of all broadcast viewing is done via DVR, and that nearly half of all DVR owners sit through the ads; a strange statistic considering that for many people, that's the primary reason to own one.
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I watch some ads..
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I really only care about the timeshifting
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I work in the television industry and I fully support BETTER ads. I work wierd hours so every show I watch is on the DVR and I do in fact stop for some commercials if they look interesting or funny. Another idea would be to include a static logo in the ad that would be clearly visibly throughout the fast-forwarding process.
Also, to whoever was confusing 'time-shifting' with 'fast-forwarding', they are two different things. Time-shifting is the act of recording a show and 'shifting' when you watch it to a later time...and I think you probably know what fast-forwarding is.
As far as the VCR argument is concerned, those of us who enjoy our programming in HD don't have this option as the only thing capable of recording these programs currently are DVRs.
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Re:
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one more idea
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Funny thing though
Not to mention the people who used their ancient VCRs to "time-shift" and fast forward through the commercials.
What's changed?
Oh, now they have tools to actually try and do something about it....
This is why I get my news on the web, and my entertainment via DVD. All the TV shows I watch I buy a season at a time on DVD. (Movies too. No more theaters for me - I'm tired of being accused of being a thief every time I sit in a theater.)
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Better ads
Also the "blurring the line" can be effective but not annoying. Like people drinking Pepsi in my show. or How about when Will Smith was using his blackberry? That sort of passive advertisement doesn't bother me.
I too am very "on demand" Who really has time these days to reschedule life around a tv? I wont have TV execs messing with what I watch, i will do just like the others and buy what I want to watch.
TiVo is not a new concept I used a VCR for the same thing 10 years ago. and watched what I wanted when i wanted and will always find a way to be in control of MY entertainment
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Banner ads
What bothers me are the banner ads displayed during the show, which are not only distracting, but they block the screen. The worst offender I can think of is the Lifetime channel and their "my story" BS. As soon as the show starts a banner taking up a forth of my screen appears at the bottom letting me know what I am watching and then they let me know what show is next, then the show after the next show and then the show that follows that one. Currently, the family channel is displaying their "25 days of Christmas" banner when the shows come back from commercial. Out of all the banner ads shown the worst is NASCAR because those even have the sound of a car engine revving, as if the viewers want to hear that.
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Banner ads
What bothers me are the banner ads displayed during the show, which are not only distracting, but they block the screen. The worst offender I can think of is the Lifetime channel and their "my story" BS. As soon as the show starts a banner taking up a forth of my screen appears at the bottom letting me know what I am watching and then they let me know what show is next, then the show after the next show and then the show that follows that one. Currently, the family channel is displaying their "25 days of Christmas" banner when the shows come back from commercial. Out of all the banner ads shown the worst is NASCAR because those even have the sound of a car engine revving, as if the viewers want to hear that.
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typical
If we had better protection against frivolous law suits that made it costly for companies to be lazy things might change. Something as simple as a company always being responsible for all court costs if they lose would change things drastically.
Normally Im never in favor of any anti business laws but the situation with lawyers is out of control.
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I'm thinking old-timey radio ads...
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Cisco
I don't remember what season of 24 it was in as well but I remember the terrorist were trying to hack into the system and the director of CTU asked Chloe, "Is there any threat"
Chloe: "No, the Cisco servers are self-defending"
Camera shot to the main display window with the Cisco logo and the words "Hack prevented"
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