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November 14, 2020 9:02 pm  #1


“Spots” Before Your Eyes: One Local TV Station Takes It Too Far

There have been a lot of complaints here over the years about not only annoying radio commercials, but stations that air far too many of them in a row. I’ve rarely read anything about that happening on TV – until now.
 
I DVRed the latest remake of “The Twilight Zone,” the CBS All-Access Show that runs here on City TV. When I finally got around to watching it, I was absolutely stunned – not by the show (which, by the way, isn’t very good) but by the unbelievable number of spots that air on this supposedly hour long series.
 
It’s easy to complain about a TV station dumping too many commercials in a show, but this one was absolutely beyond belief.
 
Check out how bad it was:
 
1st break: 6 ½ minutes of spots
 
2nd break: 7 minutes of spots
 
3rd break: 7 minutes of spots
 
4th break: 6 ½ minutes of spots.
 
That’s 27 minutes of commercials in a one hour time slot. In other words, almost half the show is shilling. I’m guessing the program, because it’s from a commercial-free streaming service, runs considerably short of the usual 42 minutes, so this may be Rogers’ way of filling in the full hour.
 
Still, that’s no excuse. I can’t imagine anyone viewing this live as it airs sitting through that may commercials and promos at once. I’ve been watching TV for decades and I’ve never seen anything like this – not even on the Super Bowl or The Oscars, which are spot-heavy. What a disservice to their viewers.

 

November 14, 2020 9:14 pm  #2


Re: “Spots” Before Your Eyes: One Local TV Station Takes It Too Far

Whoah, the only time I have heard that is on the FAN 590, their commercial breaks can go on and on at times.

 


The world would be so good if it weren't for some people...
 

November 14, 2020 10:04 pm  #3


Re: “Spots” Before Your Eyes: One Local TV Station Takes It Too Far

I thought the max. number of ad minutes per hour was regulated. 
Guess not.
Maybe I'm thinking of the States. 
Twilight zone is not a sim sub, but I'm guessing that's where I got my thinking from.
During a Sim Sub it only makes sense to match the ad time with theirs so everything can flow smoothly, helping the 95% identical (sim sub) rule stay healthy.

Last edited by Radiowiz (November 14, 2020 10:05 pm)


RadioWiz & RadioQuiz are NOT the same person. 
RadioWiz & THE Wiz are NOT the same person.

 
 

November 14, 2020 11:21 pm  #4


Re: “Spots” Before Your Eyes: One Local TV Station Takes It Too Far

Episodes of "Days of our Lives" clock in at 37:20.

To explain, once in a while, I'll indulge and watch an episode on the NBC website courtesy of my vpn.  I know.  I should probably take up something less dangerous and habit forming like meth.

Looking back at television shows in the 60s and 70s, it was fairly common to have 25 minutes of program material per half hour.

 

 

November 15, 2020 8:09 am  #5


Re: “Spots” Before Your Eyes: One Local TV Station Takes It Too Far

Just asking. Are there not different rules for the number of commercial ads permitted per hour depending on daytime, primetime or overnight?

 

November 15, 2020 9:02 am  #6


Re: “Spots” Before Your Eyes: One Local TV Station Takes It Too Far

Many years ago Canadian stations were limited to 12 minutes of commercials per hour, that later became 14 and eventually no limits at all. I don't believe U.S. stations were ever regulated regarding the number of minutes of advertising allowed. 

 

November 15, 2020 10:23 am  #7


Re: “Spots” Before Your Eyes: One Local TV Station Takes It Too Far

& again, as I've mentioned above, this is how TV is changing. 
When it is a Sim Sub,
Canadian television is at the mercy of what the American channel is doing.
However, when it is content picked up freely through a streaming source, maybe City TV has that extra bit of freedom now to squeeze in more ad time in per hour.  

Too many ads DOES mean one important thing though.
City TV! You ARE the weakest link! GOOD BYE!!


RadioWiz & RadioQuiz are NOT the same person. 
RadioWiz & THE Wiz are NOT the same person.

 
 

November 15, 2020 11:56 am  #8


Re: “Spots” Before Your Eyes: One Local TV Station Takes It Too Far

That's why it's called a "news hole".

 

November 15, 2020 1:00 pm  #9


Re: “Spots” Before Your Eyes: One Local TV Station Takes It Too Far

I have seen heavy commercial load on CP24 when they have occasionally clocked in at 6.5 minutes with commercials and promos.  This is not the norm but I have noticed it between 6 and 7am.  They have no excuse since they are not running any scripted shows.

Mornings seem particularly bad.  I watched Good Morning America last week on Thursday from about 7:15 to 7:40am on Detroit TV.  In the 25 minutes I viewed, about 13-15 minutes were commercial breaks or promo with local weather and traffic or a local news story jammed in between.

Both local breaks they clipped the network programming in or out of the local segment, so when they joined the network, the hosts were already talking about whatever.
 
One "network break" on GMA was only 20 seconds with a short story and what was coming up next.  They had just come out of a six minute commercial break and then went directly into a local break of about 4-5 minutes, and again joining the network missing about the first 5-10 seconds of the network segment.  The local break included four-15 second Gardiner-White furniture ads.  This is a local furniture chain, that play all the time on Detroit TV.

In the case of Twilight Zone, that is a little tricky since it is a scripted show.  If it only runs 33 minutes for an hour break does present a problem.  Basically what do you put in?  Stick in a news update?  City likely wouldn't do this for only one show.  Other scripted one hour programs they schedule normally will run 42-45 minutes.

Since Twilight Zone is not produced for regular network TV, is there more leeway in how long the show runs?  If this is true then it does present a problem when running on commercial TV which will want to keep shows to time so as not to mess up the rest of the schedule.

Early morning, I have noticed some networks and stations aren't as strict about showtimes and actually can shorten commercial breaks.  But in prime time and daytime, other than a special report or sports event, networks and stations tend to really try and stick with the clock. 

CHCH on their retro shows keep to time and have shorter breaks.  I Love Lucy ran 26 minutes and channel 11 to their credit only had 3 breaks during the show with one two minute break after the musical intro, and only one commercial break during the show of 1 min to 90 seconds and then another short break right before the closing credits.