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03-04-2015 07:04 AM
"Cable networks — like Time Warner Inc. properties TNT and TBS — have been found to be using compression technology on movies and TV shows to squeeze in more commercials, The Wall Street Journal reports.
Viewers say they have been able to notice the difference because voices sound noticeably higher.
Among the shows found to be sped up: the popular sitcom "Seinfeld," and "Law & Order."
The latter's opening sequence was also shortened to 24 seconds from 1 minute, 45 seconds to accommodate more ads.
This is done, The Journal says, because cable networks still need to "meet audience guarantees made to advertisers," and throwing in more ads helps boost revenue as ad prices continue to fall.
A Nielsen study of prime-time cable TV from December 2014 cited by The Journal seems to bolster these facts.
The A&E Network, for example, showed almost three more minutes of commercials during each night of prime time than it did over the same period a year ago. The
History Channel added over two additional minutes.
On many cable networks, including Viacom's MTV and Spike, "non-programming content" accounts for one-third of each hour.
The Journal says broadcast networks have also added more commercial time per hour, but the increases aren't quite as large as what you would find on today's cable networks.
Some experts say speeding up content to fit in more ads will only hurt cable, motivating people to start watching TV through non-traditional "cord-cutting" services like Netflix and driving down ratings.
The head of one major TV studio told The Journal "it has gotten completely out of control. I'm concerned when you look at the performance being diminished and hurt by their running the shows that way."
Read the full story over at The Journal."
03-04-2015 07:40 AM
03-04-2015 07:43 AM
On 3/4/2015 tishkins said: Tell me if I am wrong,but when cable first came on the scene wasn't it suppose to be commercial free or very few .
That was just the premium channels - the ones you pay extra to receuve like HBO and Showtime.
Cable networks have always had commercials....I sold them for over 20 years!
03-04-2015 08:17 AM
I fast forward or change the channel during commercials. Very rarely watch them anyway.
03-04-2015 10:35 AM
They've been doing this for many years, noticed it a long time ago when I would watch a program - you could tell it had been sped up. Quit watching.
03-04-2015 10:39 AM
The MLB is actually speeding up the baseball game in order to break for commercials. They are instilling time rules.
03-04-2015 10:41 AM
On 3/4/2015 TaxyLady said:The MLB is actually speeding up the baseball game in order to break for commercials. They are instilling time rules.
Hockey did this a few years ago too.
03-04-2015 10:58 AM
This is crazy, TV shows are going to look like fast cartoons and the actors with high pitched voices lol!
03-04-2015 11:04 AM
All the ads have made watching any programming annoying....so much interrupting takes the fun of anything I tune into...and they are so LOUD...I have to keep my remote next to me to turn it down when the ads come on and then back up to hear what I tuned in for...
03-04-2015 11:11 AM
On 3/4/2015 brii said:I fast forward or change the channel during commercials. Very rarely watch them anyway.
We rarely watch anything "live" anymore, for this very reason. I have noticed that it takes longer to FF through the commercials to get back to the shows, though, and I mentioned it to my husband. I thought it was my imagination but I guess not.
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