1 of 1- RadioActive
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TV Critic Hits The "What Bugs Me About TV" (& Radio) Nail On The Head
Alan Pergament is the long time (long suffering?) TV critic for the Buffalo News. In an absolutely wonderful column on Thursday, he outlines the things that bug him about television and radio, especially broadcast TV. While some of them are Buffalo-specific, others really resonated with me. And maybe will with you.
Among the ones I've thought of in the past that he also mentions - texts and notes on TV that are plot pivotal but you can't possibly read, DVRs that stop recording just as you're watching the scenes from next week, squashed credits so you can't I.D. the actor whose name you can't think of but played reporter #2 in Law & Order, and my personal favourite about radio, which he also covers:
"I try to avoid listening to commercials when I listen to local radio by switching channels as soon as an ad starts. Unfortunately, it seems that every local radio station goes to commercial at the same time. It must be a conspiracy."
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Alan Pergament: Commercials, small type, emergency alerts and other things that annoy me
- newsguy1
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Re: TV Critic Hits The "What Bugs Me About TV" (& Radio) Nail On The Head
And I think we've talked before about the weird or weak writing of radio ads. There are a few I still haven't figured out even after hearing them numerous times.
But I just figured one out by listening carefully, and it makes no sense.
It's the one for Bel Air Direct insurance, where a young boy is trying to sneak out in the middle of the night.
The announcer off the top says, "sneaking out should be easy."
Then you hear a male voice say, "Is that you, kiddo?"
A young boy's voice answers,something like, "No dad you're dreaming, go back to sleep" to which the dad replies, nice try, go back to your room."
First, the boy's voice sounds like he's maybe 12 years old.
What is a 12 year old doing sneaking out of the house in the dead of night, also having to sneak past his father.
Most fathers I would think would leap out of bed, o off the couch and yell, "where the F***& do you think you're going at 3 a.m.?"
Also, what on earth does this scenario have to do with insurance?
Apparently it's got to do with Bel Air Direct being easy to use. WTF??
Any way that's my Larry David style rant.
- mace
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Re: TV Critic Hits The "What Bugs Me About TV" (& Radio) Nail On The Head
When I record programs, I no longer worry about the endings being cut off. With Rogers Ignite, 62 minutes are recorded, one minute before and one minute after. One thing Alan touched on, that thankfully we don't have to deal with in Canada is the constant battle over retransmission fees. It seems the networks/local stations and the cable companies don't seriously start contract renewal negotiations until a week or so before the old contract ends. Naturally, neither side can come to an agreement, the blame game and fingerpointing begins. End result, the viewer can no longer watch his favourite shows or major sporting events until a deal is finally reached. The network and cable companies are happy. Once again the viewer loses. Yes his channel is back, but his wallet has less $$$ in it. As for not being able to see the end credits of tv shows. If you know the name of the episode or which episode number and season it aired, locate it on IMDB. Everything you ever wanted to know is there including all cast and production crew details.
- Radiowiz
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Re: TV Critic Hits The "What Bugs Me About TV" (& Radio) Nail On The Head
RadioActive wrote:
"I try to avoid listening to commercials when I listen to local radio by switching channels as soon as an ad starts. Unfortunately, it seems that every local radio station goes to commercial at the same time. It must be a conspiracy."
Don't forget that in the States a company can own up to 60% of a market, making it a lot easier for a company to set all the stations they own in a market to air ads at the exact same time.
In Canada, it's just 4 stations max that might have that freedom to air ads at the exact same time.
Sort of like if Boom and Today here in Toronto were to air ads at the exact same time, or if CHUM, Virgin, CFRB and TSN 1050 were to go to ads at the exact same time.
Most importantly, there is no CRTC or FCC regulation dictating when ads can and can not air.
Last edited by Radiowiz (August 2, 2024 11:55 am)
RadioWiz & RadioQuiz are NOT the same person.
RadioWiz & THE Wiz are NOT the same person.
- RadioActive
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Re: TV Critic Hits The "What Bugs Me About TV" (& Radio) Nail On The Head
I'm not even sure co-ownership is part of the designed "clock." I think it might be more of ratings and TSL being measured in quarter hours, which would explain why stations like AM640 and CFRB, as an example, always seem to be airing spot clusters at the exact same time, give or take a minute. In general, both break away at :15, :30 and :45, as well as sometimes having adjacencies after the news.
It's why when I go between one or the other looking for content, they're almost aways in commerical breaks - and usually, they're as long as five minutes each, which generally does not encourage tuneback listening.
Like Mr. Pergament, I find it very frustrating, which is why I'm glad Funny 820 is still around - at least for the time being! They generally have something on to fill the gap between Spence Diamonds come-ons or that idiot kid trying to sneak out on his father and the show I wanted to hear.
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Thread Starter- turkeytop
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Re: TV Critic Hits The "What Bugs Me About TV" (& Radio) Nail On The Head
The fast talking disclaimers at the end of drug ads.
Maycausevomiting,diarhea,twelvehourerection,headache,B.O.toothdecaydiziness,incontinence,ask your Doctor.
After all is said and done, more is usually said than done.