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posted by martyb on Thursday November 12 2015, @04:24PM   Printer-friendly
from the adverts-averse? dept.

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.


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  • (Score: 2) by etherscythe on Friday November 13 2015, @08:44PM

    by etherscythe (937) on Friday November 13 2015, @08:44PM (#262821) Journal

    No viewer WANTS ads.

    Not quite. There are, for example, people who watch the Superbowl simply for the ads - because they are entertaining. Of course, those are some big-budget productions, which helps.

    Additionally, people need things in this society; we don't quite have Star Trek replicators figured out yet. How do you know about the best new widget to replace your old one that just died? Maybe you're not shopping around right now, but if you've been presented a business case for a product that at least superficially appears to be of decent quality and return-on-investment, you've got a place to start when the time comes. But this assumes that the ad isn't so condescending as to treat you like a puppy or small child with no self-control when presented with the shiny thing in question. You can go to Consumer Reports and maybe get some good information, but that's work, and we're very busy people. If someone gave you a break from your regular routine, and happened to drop you some useful information at the same time, you might actually appreciate the value of it.

    Ultimately though, it is the brazen disrespect (even veiled contempt) that advertisers show to their audience which has led me not to partake in the radio/TV channels broadcast through my airspace in many years.

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