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This puts an actual smile on my face:
Media companies, including Time Warner Inc., 21st Century Fox Inc. and Viacom Inc., have started cutting back on commercials after years of squeezing in as many ads as possible.
The new strategy is an attempt to appeal to younger viewers, who are more accustomed to watching shows ad-free on online streaming services like Netflix Inc., and to advertisers concerned their messages are being ignored amid all the commercial clutter.
Time Warner's truTV will cut its ad load in half for prime-time original shows starting late next year, Chief Executive Officer Jeff Bewkes said last week on an earnings call. Viacom has recently slashed commercial minutes at its networks, which include Comedy Central and MTV. Earlier this month, Fox said it will offer viewers of its shows on Hulu the option to watch a 30-second interactive ad instead of a typical 2 1/2-minute commercial break. Fox says the shorter ads, which require viewers to engage with them online, are more effective because they guarantee the audience's full attention.
(Score: 2) by gidds on Friday November 13 2015, @03:00PM
I don't know what people get elsewhere, but in the UK the BBC only broadcasts trailers between programmes, not during. (With the exception of long-duration magazine-type programmes, such as BBC Radio 4's Today programme, or BBC News 24's continuous rolling coverage.)
Yes, it can be a little annoying, but a 30-second trail once per hour hardly compares with the 20 minutes per hour that some commercial channels spend showing advertising.
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