Chairman of NBC no fan of auto hop

[mike123abc]

They use different commercials, for which they are most likely paid.

That is true, but the ads that were in the original airing of the program would not bee seen. I was pointing out that if Apple buys an ad slot Hulu would not show the ad, and now neither would the hopper. It is hard for the network to say it is not fair to Apple when they do the same thing.

 

[GaryPen]

That is true, but the ads that were in the original airing of the program would not bee seen. I was pointing out that if Apple buys an ad slot Hulu would not show the ad, and now neither would the hopper. It is hard for the network to say it is not fair to Apple when they do the same thing.

Apple would not be paying for their ad to run on the VOD on Hulu. So, it is not unfair to them.

When an advertiser pays a network to show an ad on a specific show, they are paying based on viewer ratings for the specific broadcast, not for subsequent distribution. If they want an ad on the Hulu VOD, they need to pay separately for that, just as if it was a DVD or a rerun or a syndicated airing.

 

[Teehar]

which automatically deletes commercials from recorded prime-time programming from the four big broadcast networks.

Obviously Charlie needs to enlighten Ted as to how the feature actually works.

 

[dangue]

Autohop requires a DVR and time shifting to the next day. How many DVR users do people know that don't skip commercials when watching recorded content?

There's a reason why nielson ratings have DVR viewership broken out separately, the advertisers don't expect (or pay for) the same value.

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[mike123abc]

Apple would not be paying for their ad to run on the VOD on Hulu. So, it is not unfair to them.

When an advertiser pays a network to show an ad on a specific show, they are paying based on viewer ratings for the specific broadcast, not for subsequent distribution. If they want an ad on the Hulu VOD, they need to pay separately for that, just as if it was a DVD or a rerun or a syndicated airing.

My point is that advertisers pay for ratings. Ratings (as far as calculating GRPs) are currently live + same day DVR. Now technically same day cuts off after 1am, but for the most part Dish is not cutting off what the advertisers pay for. The networks may be upset that the hopper competes with Hulu or their own web site since it is automatic recording of all the shows. The networks cannot sell new ads to Dish customers using PTAT instead of Hulu.

 

[Mochuf]

I'm sure he wouldn't mind that at all. In fact, he'd probably prefer not having to pay to produce programming.

Which, quite frankly wouldn't be too big a loss. I swear, how can a major network like NBC broadcast so much crap when a sister network (USA) has really good original programming? But I'm not the typical Dish customer. I prefer the "cable" channels original scripted programming over the vast majority of the Big 4 networks shows.

 

[jerryez]

Is the networks showing their new programs during sweep months and reruns the rest of the year fair, since they set their rates during sweep months , they are cheating advertisers paying the higher rates for reruns that nobody watches.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

I am guess the way it works (and the reason why the Commercial Skip does not work until 1am) is that someone is watching the feed when they happen live and is tagging each commercial break, and return to the show. A file (like an XML file) is then created for that show so the DVR knows when to skip forward and for how long. This is done for each show. At 1AM those XML files for each show is then downloaded to the set top box for the previous days recordings.

 

[DustoMan]

I think it also needs to be pointed out to these people that it doesn't actually remove the commercials, only skips over them. If this NBC exec was told otherwise then he is misinformed. The LA Times article makes references to deleting and "blacking out" commercials and this is just plain false. And besides, like others have said, they can still have their precious Live+Same Night ad viewing that that really care about anyway.

 

[The Fat Man]

All that I have to say is that these networks force local stations to impose retransmission fees on these companies, claiming that ad spots don't generate enough money. Then moan when companies eliminate the ads. With that said, companies won't pay for ad time if they are certain people won't see the ads. Also, On Demand disables the fast forwarding feature and forces people to watch the ads. So that can be a problem for NBC as well.

 

[Lt Disher]

I am guess the way it works (and the reason why the Commercial Skip does not work until 1am) is that someone is watching the feed when they happen live and is tagging each commercial break, and return to the show. A file (like an XML file) is then created for that show so the DVR knows when to skip forward and for how long. This is done for each show. At 1AM those XML files for each show is then downloaded to the set top box for the previous days recordings.

Interesting. I would have thought that the commercial skip was somehow programmed by tags in the video stream or by other clues that the software could pick out. Did you get this indication of a manual process from some of your chats with engineers during the Team Summit?

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Interesting. I would have thought that the commercial skip was somehow programmed by tags in the video stream or by other clues that the software could pick out. Did you get this indication of a manual process from some of your chats with engineers during the Team Summit?

No just my guess. I asked how it worked but they would not tell me.

If it could detect things then there would be no reason to wait until 1am to make it work.

Thats could also be the reason why it does not work on things like live sporting events as different areas might be seeing different games.

 

[cosmo_kramer]

No just my guess. I asked how it worked but they would not tell me.

If it could detect things then there would be no reason to wait until 1am to make it work.

Thats could also be the reason why it does not work on things like live sporting events as different areas might be seeing different games.

If it is indeed a manual process, that might explain some of the posts here about AutoHop hopping over large parts of a show. Could be something along the lines of a locally inserted commercial that runs a second or more longer than it should that screws up the coded commercial start/stop times...

 

[mike123abc]

I am guess the way it works (and the reason why the Commercial Skip does not work until 1am) is that someone is watching the feed when they happen live and is tagging each commercial break, and return to the show. A file (like an XML file) is then created for that show so the DVR knows when to skip forward and for how long. This is done for each show. At 1AM those XML files for each show is then downloaded to the set top box for the previous days recordings.

The problem with this method is that stations can insert a slight delay. If you have multiple channels of the same network, you can notice if you flip between them a second or two can appear. A lot longer if they had a local delay of course. I wonder what will happen then? I cannot imagine that they have people really watching this in real time. But, I could see a system where known commercials were flagged via a signature, then someone looks through what is left over and flags new commercials. A computer could then make all the local feed adjustments.

Around here the locals will take the commercial breaks to cover severe weather during prime time. That way you get constant updates but do not lose programming. It will be interesting to see how all this is handled. It will tell a lot on how they do it based on what people report here with success or failure.

 

[digiblur]

Or it could be crowd sourced by everyone skipping the commercials. The skips are then averaged out.

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[osu1991]

Around here the locals will take the commercial breaks to cover severe weather during prime time. That way you get constant updates but do not lose programming.

You think you could send those guys to Tulsa and OKC to teach our #%&# weathermen that they don't need to preempt primetime and tell us to watch it the next day on the web, so they can show a picture of the night sky or a colorful radar image going on and on about what should be done if severe weather approaches.

 

[dare2be]

If it is indeed a manual process, that might explain some of the posts here about AutoHop hopping over large parts of a show. Could be something along the lines of a locally inserted commercial that runs a second or more longer than it should that screws up the coded commercial start/stop times...

Actually, mess ups like that point more toward an automated software process that missed a tag, or the tag wasn't in the stream to begin with.

 

[cosmo_kramer]

Actually, mess ups like that point more toward an automated software process that missed a tag, or the tag wasn't in the stream to begin with.

Agreed, but that's why I started with "If it is indeed a manual process...", referring to Scott's theory of someone in Boulder watching and pushing buttons....

 

[dare2be]

Agreed, but that's why I started with "If it is indeed a manual process...", referring to Scott's theory of someone in Boulder watching and pushing buttons....

Your statement would make more sense to me if it started "If it is indeed a manual process, that wouldn't explain..."

 

[DetFan]

I think it also needs to be pointed out to these people that it doesn't actually remove the commercials, only skips over them. If this NBC exec was told otherwise then he is misinformed. The LA Times article makes references to deleting and "blacking out" commercials and this is just plain false. And besides, like others have said, they can still have their precious Live+Same Night ad viewing that that really care about anyway.

Hmmm false and the LA times? Imagine that?

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