1 of 1- RadioActive
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Day Of Infamy? Aug. 28th Marks Anniversary Of 1st Ever Radio Spot
The people behind Spence Diamonds and 1-800-Got Junk should be celebrating on Wednesday.
August 28th marks the day the first commercial was ever broadcast on any radio station in the world.
It aired back in 1922 -102 years ago - on New York City's WEAF (later WNBC) - and if you think today's spot breaks seem long, you're fortunate have missed this. It was a pitch for a Big Apple apartment development in Jackson Heights and lasted 10 minutes, a kind of very early informercial.
We all know where it's gone since then, and I spend most of my listening time trying to avoid these intrusions. But radio would never have been a business without them and if you ever made a living in the business, you have to at least tip your hat to his day.
Luckily, most breaks are no longer 10 minutes long.
Unluckily, most feel like they last that long anyway...
- newsguy1
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Re: Day Of Infamy? Aug. 28th Marks Anniversary Of 1st Ever Radio Spot
A single ad might not be 10 minutes long, but some ad breaks that feature ad after ad, 30 seconds or 60 seconds sure mount up.
And as we all well know, when you combine commercials with what I call "empty info" features like station promos, overly long traffic reports that don't really give very useful information etc, you can fill up to 15 minutes or more of non programming.
Then the talk show host has about 7 or 8 minutes to talk about whatever topic, before telling the guest, "sorry we've run out of time."
(While we are on the topic, let me digress about a phrase over used by John Moore that drives me crazy.
"We've run out of racetrack.")
No, the correct expression is "we've run out of runway."
You know, like a plane that has a runway that is only so long.
Racetracks are mostly oval and go round and round. They do not "run out."
Anyway.
Last edited by newsguy1 (August 28, 2024 1:38 pm)
- Doug Thompson
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Re: Day Of Infamy? Aug. 28th Marks Anniversary Of 1st Ever Radio Spot
The commercial breaks were especially long when Howard Stern was on the air in Montreal (very briefly) and Q107 in Toronto. Many exceeeded 15 minutes.
I can no longer tolerate watching network television with their commercial breaks that average 5 minutes. That's because all produced television programs (not live news, sports etc) are usually 18-21 minutes for half hours and 37-42 minutes for hour shows. So, after they play their paid commercials, stations or networks fill with promo after promo (and too many times, the same promos).
Last edited by Doug Thompson (August 28, 2024 3:12 pm)
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- newsguy1
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Re: Day Of Infamy? Aug. 28th Marks Anniversary Of 1st Ever Radio Spot
Much as I like CNN their commercial breaks are tedious -- and they consist of an inordinate number of ads for health products and medicines with those long disclaimers about why you should actually not take this drug because it will likely kill you anyway before the disease does. Also insurance company ads. And don't forget ambulance chasing lawyer ads.... "do you suffer from mesothelioma? If so join out class action lawsuit."
aaarrrgh.
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Re: Day Of Infamy? Aug. 28th Marks Anniversary Of 1st Ever Radio Spot
I know you probably won't record news shows on CNN, but others are fair game. And this is what DVRs were made for. I rarely see any of those irritating spots, because I skip through everything. Also reduces the time it takes to actually watch them.
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Thread Starter- Walter
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Re: Day Of Infamy? Aug. 28th Marks Anniversary Of 1st Ever Radio Spot
Has 'Fiona' been around that long, or does it just feel that way?
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Re: Day Of Infamy? Aug. 28th Marks Anniversary Of 1st Ever Radio Spot
Walter wrote:
Has 'Fiona' been around that long, or does it just feel that way?
I would have thought her visitor's visa would have run out by now. Maybe they'll do a commercial where the authorities come to drag her away. Now THAT one I'd listen to!
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Thread Starter- Walter
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Re: Day Of Infamy? Aug. 28th Marks Anniversary Of 1st Ever Radio Spot
Has 'Fiona' been around that long, or does it just feel that way?
I would have thought her visitor's visa would have run out by now. Maybe they'll do a commercial where the authorities come to drag her away. Now THAT one I'd listen to!
Me too, as long there was force involved, and lots of screaming in a phony Scottish accent.