Here is why American TV channels have so many commercials nowadays - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

LUNCH · 10-09-2015, 12:35 PM

It's not because they need the money. And as far as cable goes if anything those channels could all be commercial free because you're paying for it. Around 1996/97 the last rules,laws etc. controlling the amount and content of advertising on American television were removed. Compare the average channel nowadays to the 1970s for example. During the 1970s TV advertising averaged about 4 minutes per half hour. Anyhow I just thought I'd mention this for anyone wondering why the amount of advertising(and all the problems associated with it) has skyrocketed over the years to unacceptable levels.

Regulus · 10-09-2015, 02:03 PM

The Amount of money a company pays to promote their product depends on how many viewers watch a show. Mediapost published an article today which states the networks are adding more advertising because they have lost so many viewers so in order to compensate for the loss they add EVEN MORE commercials, hoping they'll make more money. This isn't just insane it is SUICIDAL! Viewers continue to eschew "Appointment TV" for other sources such as Hulu, Netflix and other "Streaming Services" as well as my personal favorite - Home Video, leaving the commercial-infested programming behind. TV is about to come down, HARD

dakert · 10-09-2015, 03:00 PM

Has anyone ever come across a program and there were so many ads you forgot what you were watching. That has happened to me a few times.

mets82 · 10-09-2015, 03:14 PM

Its totally absurd that this is happening. I dont think I've lost my train of thought as to what I was watching but here's one. How about the shows that have a 41 window and the show is 30 mins. If a show is 22 mins. long, there's 19 mins. of commercials???!!! Are you kidding me???!!!

MrCleveland · 10-09-2015, 08:33 PM

Pretty soon, they'll only be one minute of show and the rest is a commercial!

bgva · 10-29-2015, 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dakert

Has anyone ever come across a program and there were so many ads you forgot what you were watching. That has happened to me a few times.

Quite a few shows on MTV or Comedy Central. What's ironic is that some shows air at irregular times or in "extended" time slots, but simply air more commercials with the same amount of content. Part of the reason I got rid of cable.

Mace Dolex · 10-30-2015, 12:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mets82

Its totally absurd that this is happening. I dont think I've lost my train of thought as to what I was watching but here's one. How about the shows that have a 41 window and the show is 30 mins. If a show is 22 mins. long, there's 19 mins. of commercials???!!! Are you kidding me???!!!

TVLand is notorious for doing that and they don't even start their programs at the right time (eg; 0:04, 0:15).

SitcomsOffline · 10-30-2015, 12:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LUNCH

It's not because they need the money.

They may not NEED the money, but I doubt they have any complaints about the extra dough rolling in.

Zoneboy · 10-30-2015, 12:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LUNCH

It's not because they need the money. And as far as cable goes if anything those channels could all be commercial free because you're paying for it. Around 1996/97 the last rules,laws etc. controlling the amount and content of advertising on American televsion were removed. Compare the average channel nowadays to the 1970s for example. During the 1970s TV advertising averaged about 4 minutes per half hour. Anyhow I just thought I'd mention this for anyone wondering why the amount of advertising(and all the problems associated with it) has skyrocketed over the years to unacceptable levels.

Do you have a link that corroborates your claims?

Yong Fang · 10-30-2015, 08:41 AM

I just returned from being in the United States after over 14 years. Even in China, I have been spoiled with watching my shows without commercials via the Internet, and I have been exposed to few commercials as these years.

The commercials were so ANNOYING, on so many levels. The medicine commercials, "Ask your doctor of Lipator is right for you.....". Now, would anyone go to their doctor with their medical problem and then ask the doctor for this medicine, instead of the doctor knowing what medicine to give or not? TGI Fridays commercials also made me want to shoot the TV, with people digging fried crap into some orange sauce with some d-bag announcer stating that a plate of these Monterrey Beijing Wrap Quaesidilla is 10 bucks now!

Or elderly, washed up actors selling silver coins (William Devane) or Morgan Fairchild selling funeral plots. Seriously. Then there is the huge head of the Papa John's owner with Peyton Manning. Then there is Peyton Manning doing an insurance commercial singing.

Then there were the local lawyer commercials, everyday, constantly. Three major law firms advertising their lawsuit services to a mostly inner city community of people. Thinking of these lawyers toiling around with these people, sifting through the fender benders looking for the millionaire crack smoker who ran over a gaggle of nuns with a steamroller.

In China, I would tell my wife that Chinese television is stupid, and now I have apologized, because American television is stoopid, too stoopid to be spelled correctly stoopid. Honestly, if I lived in the USA, I would just do the Wifi route and not even bother with a television. If I were home, I could get an online sports package and I would be set.

loaferman · 10-30-2015, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yong Fang

I just returned from being in the United States after over 14 years. Even in China, I have been spoiled with watching my shows without commercials via the Internet, and I have been exposed to few commercials as these years.

The commercials were so ANNOYING, on so many levels. The medicine commercials, "Ask your doctor of Lipator is right for you.....". Now, would anyone go to their doctor with their medical problem and then ask the doctor for this medicine, instead of the doctor knowing what medicine to give or not? TGI Fridays commercials also made me want to shoot the TV, with people digging fried crap into some orange sauce with some d-bag announcer stating that a plate of these Monterrey Beijing Wrap Quaesidilla is 10 bucks now!

Or elderly, washed up actors selling silver coins (William Devane) or Morgan Fairchild selling funeral plots. Seriously. Then there is the huge head of the Papa John's owner with Peyton Manning. Then there is Peyton Manning doing an insurance commercial singing.

Then there were the local lawyer commercials, everyday, constantly. Three major law firms advertising their lawsuit services to a mostly inner city community of people. Thinking of these lawyers toiling around with these people, sifting through the fender benders looking for the millionaire crack smoker who ran over a gaggle of nuns with a steamroller.

In China, I would tell my wife that Chinese television is stupid, and now I have apologized, because American television is stoopid, too stoopid to be spelled correctly stoopid. Honestly, if I lived in the USA, I would just do the Wifi route and not even bother with a television. If I were home, I could get an online sports package and I would be set.

You can pretty much tell me the commercial and I can pretty much guess what time of day or what Network. Those daytime Judge shows have the most low-rent commercials, you can tell they know people who work for a living aren't watching unless you have a day off. The audience is apparently an odd mixture of retirees and brain-dead low-lifes.

Then those for prescription meds and burial plots, life insurance, etc. tend to be on Networks such as GSN, Hallmark, and stuff that skews older viewers.

LUNCH · 11-20-2015, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zoneboy

Do you have a link that corroborates your claims?

Surprisingly there is not any good information on the internet about this that explains WHY the amount of commercials has gone up so much.At least I haven't found anything,maybe I don't know where to look.

James28 · 01-30-2016, 08:44 PM

Networks and Channels in the United States having more commercials now than in the past: How does it affect the programming within those channels, whether original or acquired for reruns?

Regarding the shows that originally air on the networks/channels, are they not coming up with enough content for those shows, or are they trying to restrict the content for the shows because of the commercials within them? "Content" refers to the shows' story, characters' lines, etc..

tlc38tlc38 · 01-30-2016, 09:08 PM

Something I've just noticed while recording episodes of "Days of our Lives";
There's only 37 (out of 60 minutes) minutes of actual show once the commercials are removed. That's 37 minutes of show and 23 minutes of commercials....that's ridiculous.

Oh well, I guess I should just be glad the soap is still on the air.

Yong Fang · 01-31-2016, 01:30 AM

Me again!

A thirty minute show, like a sitcom, has about 8 to 10 minutes of commercials if not more. A sitcom is about 19 minutes long. An hour show is about 40 minutes long on commercial television. I know this because I live overseas and use websites which show content without the commercials.

Netflix is pretty damned good. So is some of HBO and other pay services. This should be the wave of the future, just pay a fee to watch what you want. I also wish the networks would (or could) just stream their content overseas with the commercials.

There are probably more commercials because people now have the means to circumvent them legally or otherwise using sanctioned or unsanctioned web services.

10-09-2015, 12:35 PM	#1
LUNCH Member Senior Member Join Date: Oct 23, 2010 Location: New York State Posts: 1,304	Here is why American TV channels have so many commercials nowadays It's not because they need the money. And as far as cable goes if anything those channels could all be commercial free because you're paying for it. Around 1996/97 the last rules,laws etc. controlling the amount and content of advertising on American television were removed. Compare the average channel nowadays to the 1970s for example. During the 1970s TV advertising averaged about 4 minutes per half hour. Anyhow I just thought I'd mention this for anyone wondering why the amount of advertising(and all the problems associated with it) has skyrocketed over the years to unacceptable levels.
	Last edited by LUNCH; 11-12-2015 at 01:47 PM.

10-09-2015, 02:03 PM	#2
Regulus Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Feb 07, 2011 Location: Port Orange, Florida Avatar - Poiuyt Posts: 3,374	The Amount of money a company pays to promote their product depends on how many viewers watch a show. Mediapost published an article today which states the networks are adding more advertising because they have lost so many viewers so in order to compensate for the loss they add EVEN MORE commercials, hoping they'll make more money. This isn't just insane it is SUICIDAL! Viewers continue to eschew "Appointment TV" for other sources such as Hulu, Netflix and other "Streaming Services" as well as my personal favorite - Home Video, leaving the commercial-infested programming behind. TV is about to come down, HARD
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10-09-2015, 03:14 PM	#4
mets82 Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Mar 14, 2011 Location: Connecticut Posts: 5,058	Its totally absurd that this is happening. I dont think I've lost my train of thought as to what I was watching but here's one. How about the shows that have a 41 window and the show is 30 mins. If a show is 22 mins. long, there's 19 mins. of commercials???!!! Are you kidding me???!!!
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10-09-2015, 08:33 PM	#5
MrCleveland Drew Carey from Hell Forum Star Join Date: Nov 10, 2007 Location: The City of Cleveland, in The State of Cleveland, in The United States of Cleveland Posts: 14,234	Pretty soon, they'll only be one minute of show and the rest is a commercial!
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01-30-2016, 08:44 PM	#13
James28 Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 14, 2007 Posts: 3,991	Networks and Channels in the United States having more commercials now than in the past: How does it affect the programming within those channels, whether original or acquired for reruns? Regarding the shows that originally air on the networks/channels, are they not coming up with enough content for those shows, or are they trying to restrict the content for the shows because of the commercials within them? "Content" refers to the shows' story, characters' lines, etc..
	__________________ "When the run of a network TV show has ended, some go out with a bang, some with a whimper, but all are...Future Endeavored." "Stay Safe"? More like "Stay Sad". #2020Hurts

10-09-2015, 03:00 PM	#3
dakert Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: May 10, 2007 Location: Altoona PA Posts: 3,411	Has anyone ever come across a program and there were so many ads you forgot what you were watching. That has happened to me a few times.

10-30-2015, 08:41 AM	#10
Yong Fang Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 04, 2009 Location: Memphis Tennessee Posts: 3,073	I just returned from being in the United States after over 14 years. Even in China, I have been spoiled with watching my shows without commercials via the Internet, and I have been exposed to few commercials as these years. The commercials were so ANNOYING, on so many levels. The medicine commercials, "Ask your doctor of Lipator is right for you.....". Now, would anyone go to their doctor with their medical problem and then ask the doctor for this medicine, instead of the doctor knowing what medicine to give or not? TGI Fridays commercials also made me want to shoot the TV, with people digging fried crap into some orange sauce with some d-bag announcer stating that a plate of these Monterrey Beijing Wrap Quaesidilla is 10 bucks now! Or elderly, washed up actors selling silver coins (William Devane) or Morgan Fairchild selling funeral plots. Seriously. Then there is the huge head of the Papa John's owner with Peyton Manning. Then there is Peyton Manning doing an insurance commercial singing. Then there were the local lawyer commercials, everyday, constantly. Three major law firms advertising their lawsuit services to a mostly inner city community of people. Thinking of these lawyers toiling around with these people, sifting through the fender benders looking for the millionaire crack smoker who ran over a gaggle of nuns with a steamroller. In China, I would tell my wife that Chinese television is stupid, and now I have apologized, because American television is stoopid, too stoopid to be spelled correctly stoopid. Honestly, if I lived in the USA, I would just do the Wifi route and not even bother with a television. If I were home, I could get an online sports package and I would be set.

01-30-2016, 09:08 PM	#14
tlc38tlc38 Every day’s a Dolly day! Forum Star Join Date: May 02, 2008 Location: I’m just travelin’ thru Posts: 19,270	Something I've just noticed while recording episodes of "Days of our Lives"; There's only 37 (out of 60 minutes) minutes of actual show once the commercials are removed. That's 37 minutes of show and 23 minutes of commercials....that's ridiculous. Oh well, I guess I should just be glad the soap is still on the air.
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01-31-2016, 01:30 AM	#15
Yong Fang Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 04, 2009 Location: Memphis Tennessee Posts: 3,073	Me again! A thirty minute show, like a sitcom, has about 8 to 10 minutes of commercials if not more. A sitcom is about 19 minutes long. An hour show is about 40 minutes long on commercial television. I know this because I live overseas and use websites which show content without the commercials. Netflix is pretty damned good. So is some of HBO and other pay services. This should be the wave of the future, just pay a fee to watch what you want. I also wish the networks would (or could) just stream their content overseas with the commercials. There are probably more commercials because people now have the means to circumvent them legally or otherwise using sanctioned or unsanctioned web services.