CBS teams up with TiVo- Tivo users get "The Class" a week early!! - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

theshark8777 · 09-06-2006, 07:27 PM

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Embracing a media technology once feared by commercial television as the industry's boogeyman, the CBS network has teamed up with
TiVo Inc. to help promote its new fall shows.

In a first-of-its-kind deal between one of the Big Three U.S. broadcasters and the leading maker of digital video recorders (DVRs), TiVo users will be able to watch the pilot episode of CBS's upcoming sitcom "The Class" a full week before its prime-time premiere.

"The Class" pilot will be delivered to TiVo subscribers along with a separate package of brief clips of CBS's three other new series debuting this fall -- hour-long dramas "Jericho," "Smith" and "Shark," the two companies said on Tuesday.

"The Class," about a twentysomething guy who rekindles friendships with several old third-grade pals, will be offered through TiVo on a commercial-free basis, followed by a string of one-minute promos for 11 returning CBS shows.

TiVo's system enables viewers to record and store programs on computer hard drives built into their own home set-top boxes. But it has become especially popular for the very feature that has spooked TV broadcasters and advertisers the most -- the ability to skip over commercials.

Still, recent media studies have found that TiVo users are particularly avid fans of the most popular shows on television, suggesting they are worth cultivating as the networks seek to build audiences for new programs.

"We're not rewarding bad behavior. That technology is here to stay," CBS marketing group president George Schweitzer said of DVRs and its users' ad-skipping habits.

"We first thought it would be the boogeyman, and then we found out that people who use TiVo watch television more, they're much more involved in what they see, and we want these people to watch our shows so they can tell other people how good they are," he told Reuters.

TiVo is not the only novel approach CBS and other networks are using to promote their wares on alternative platforms. On Monday, CBS began offering its pilot episodes of "The Class" and "Shark" as part of its "Eye on America" in-flight programming aboard American Airlines jets, Schweitzer said.

The major networks also are using various online gimmicks to reach new viewers.

theshark8777 · 09-10-2006, 08:47 PM

I got my tivo set to record The Class tonight I believe. I hope it's as good as I hope

puertaazul · 09-13-2006, 11:24 AM

I saw this actually emailed to me this morning! I hadn't realized that the pilot for The Class was already on my Tivo!! I am definitely going to watch it again when I get back home!! You should check it out, it's a pretty funny show!

theshark8777 · 09-13-2006, 04:03 PM

I watched it, it wasn't bad. I wonder if he killed that girl.

puertaazul · 09-14-2006, 04:44 PM

I have no idea, but it was a pretty funny way to end the show, right?!

theshark8777 · 09-14-2006, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by puertaazul

I have no idea, but it was a pretty funny way to end the show, right?!

Yeah the suicidal guy backing over her. eek.

puertaazul · 09-18-2006, 10:25 AM

hahaha...yeah, I am still wondering what they are going to do with that. She is not killed off because she is main character on the show, but I wonder what happens to her. It'll be funny to catch the pilot again tonight!

TVJunkie101 · 09-18-2006, 10:49 AM

It was better than I thought it'd be. Not spectacular but I'll probably watch it.

Jason Ritter was great. A very good young actor.

puertaazul · 09-18-2006, 11:06 AM

Yeah, I liked him too. But I must say that my favorite is Jesse Tyler Ferguson, the actor who plays the depressed guy on the show. I think he did a really good job at getting people to like someone who is not supposed to be funny.

09-06-2006, 07:27 PM	#1
theshark8777 Hats for Bats Forum Veteran Join Date: Jan 23, 2001 Location: northeast Ohio. Posts: 5,315	CBS teams up with TiVo- Tivo users get "The Class" a week early!! LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Embracing a media technology once feared by commercial television as the industry's boogeyman, the CBS network has teamed up with TiVo Inc. to help promote its new fall shows. In a first-of-its-kind deal between one of the Big Three U.S. broadcasters and the leading maker of digital video recorders (DVRs), TiVo users will be able to watch the pilot episode of CBS's upcoming sitcom "The Class" a full week before its prime-time premiere. "The Class" pilot will be delivered to TiVo subscribers along with a separate package of brief clips of CBS's three other new series debuting this fall -- hour-long dramas "Jericho," "Smith" and "Shark," the two companies said on Tuesday. "The Class," about a twentysomething guy who rekindles friendships with several old third-grade pals, will be offered through TiVo on a commercial-free basis, followed by a string of one-minute promos for 11 returning CBS shows. TiVo's system enables viewers to record and store programs on computer hard drives built into their own home set-top boxes. But it has become especially popular for the very feature that has spooked TV broadcasters and advertisers the most -- the ability to skip over commercials. Still, recent media studies have found that TiVo users are particularly avid fans of the most popular shows on television, suggesting they are worth cultivating as the networks seek to build audiences for new programs. "We're not rewarding bad behavior. That technology is here to stay," CBS marketing group president George Schweitzer said of DVRs and its users' ad-skipping habits. "We first thought it would be the boogeyman, and then we found out that people who use TiVo watch television more, they're much more involved in what they see, and we want these people to watch our shows so they can tell other people how good they are," he told Reuters. TiVo is not the only novel approach CBS and other networks are using to promote their wares on alternative platforms. On Monday, CBS began offering its pilot episodes of "The Class" and "Shark" as part of its "Eye on America" in-flight programming aboard American Airlines jets, Schweitzer said. The major networks also are using various online gimmicks to reach new viewers.
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09-18-2006, 10:49 AM	#8
TVJunkie101 Member...you 'member? Senior Member Join Date: May 28, 2002 Location: Florida Posts: 2,838	It was better than I thought it'd be. Not spectacular but I'll probably watch it. Jason Ritter was great. A very good young actor.
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09-10-2006, 08:47 PM	#2
theshark8777 Hats for Bats Forum Veteran Join Date: Jan 23, 2001 Location: northeast Ohio. Posts: 5,315	I got my tivo set to record The Class tonight I believe. I hope it's as good as I hope

09-13-2006, 11:24 AM	#3
puertaazul Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Aug 18, 2006 Location: Washington, DC Posts: 264	I saw this actually emailed to me this morning! I hadn't realized that the pilot for The Class was already on my Tivo!! I am definitely going to watch it again when I get back home!! You should check it out, it's a pretty funny show!

09-13-2006, 04:03 PM	#4
theshark8777 Hats for Bats Forum Veteran Join Date: Jan 23, 2001 Location: northeast Ohio. Posts: 5,315	I watched it, it wasn't bad. I wonder if he killed that girl.

09-14-2006, 04:44 PM	#5
puertaazul Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Aug 18, 2006 Location: Washington, DC Posts: 264	I have no idea, but it was a pretty funny way to end the show, right?!

09-18-2006, 10:25 AM	#7
puertaazul Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Aug 18, 2006 Location: Washington, DC Posts: 264	hahaha...yeah, I am still wondering what they are going to do with that. She is not killed off because she is main character on the show, but I wonder what happens to her. It'll be funny to catch the pilot again tonight!

09-18-2006, 11:06 AM	#9
puertaazul Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Aug 18, 2006 Location: Washington, DC Posts: 264	Yeah, I liked him too. But I must say that my favorite is Jesse Tyler Ferguson, the actor who plays the depressed guy on the show. I think he did a really good job at getting people to like someone who is not supposed to be funny.