Skipping Commerials - a viewpoint

[chuckles2]

I know we would all like tv without them but we also know what pays the bills.

Yes if you have a DVR you can skip commercials, you as the enduser control the situation.

I do not believe that a third party, your tv distributor for example, has the legal right to do this for you.

A kinda of example- years ago, and I mean years, a magazine published basic programs you could type and save on your apple II, or you could purchase the program on disc. A service appeared that that would do the typing for you, cheaper than the discs from the magazine. The courts held that while you could type the programs for yourself a third party could not- that the enduser had to be the agent.

But if legal, if DISH can "cut" the commercials do we really think none premium channels can really convince advertisers to buy ads if they know a great percentage of viewers will never see them?

So, I don't think its legal, and if it is, I'm afraid of the results.

 

[navychop]

Actually, the user has to turn on the feature.

But I agree - the law of unintended consequences may kick in.

 

[andrewj0781]

I don't mind skipping the commercials myself, I just wish you'd only have to hit skip once.

Sent from my HTC Inspire™ 4G using SatelliteGuys

 

[PHXHoward]

Many years ago Windows Media Center had an addin that provided this exact feature. It worked flawlessly to skip all commercials.

 

[Aridon]

I'm happy with my current skipping options. Nice happy medium.

 

[zim2dive]

I do not believe that a third party, your tv distributor for example, has the legal right to do this for you.

Why is a 30-sec skip ok, and this isn't?

They already provide a fast-forward... are you proposing that is illegal? As long as the user is not forced to use this, this is just a more efficient/specialized FFW.

 

[Pepper]

No accusation, just an observation, that this "viewpoint" is posted in a DIRECTV forum, talking about the legalities of a DISH feature which DIRECTV does not have and could potentially lose customers because DISH does have it.

 

[Joe Diamond]

I know we would all like tv without them but we also know what pays the bills.

Yes if you have a DVR you can skip commercials, you as the enduser control the situation.

I do not believe that a third party, your tv distributor for example, has the legal right to do this for you.

A kinda of example- years ago, and I mean years, a magazine published basic programs you could type and save on your apple II, or you could purchase the program on disc. A service appeared that that would do the typing for you, cheaper than the discs from the magazine. The courts held that while you could type the programs for yourself a third party could not- that the enduser had to be the agent.

But if legal, if DISH can "cut" the commercials do we really think none premium channels can really convince advertisers to buy ads if they know a great percentage of viewers will never see them?

So, I don't think its legal, and if it is, I'm afraid of the results.

chuckles.

You correctly point out an ongoing problem. I first noticed it when the first TIVOs were offered through Directv. How would you like to sell advertising on a system that has the capability of deleting or skipping the ads you sell? Then there is the objection to the content of some of the ads. How would you like to sell a system that will bring ads for goods and services to which you have a moral abjection; alcohol, condoms, boat cruises with unmarried partners, gambling? The user will never use the goods and services that are offered and objects to their presentation yet the seller is powerless to remove these commercial ads. Even some shows piss off otherwise loyal customers.

I suppose the ads work or the advertisers would not continue to buy them. I watch to see how many ads will begin an exodus from TVland.

Joe

 

[teachsac]

No accusation, just an observation, that this "viewpoint" is posted in a DIRECTV forum, talking about the legalities of a DISH feature which DIRECTV does not have and could potentially lose customers because DISH does have it.

I think D*'s plan is to see if E* gets away with it, or they lose another lawsuit. If they do get away with it, their plan is to add the feature, also. Networks have already filed suit.

S~

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

I am under the impression that DIRECTV has a solution already available, but are waiting to see how the courts rule on the DISH suit first.

If the ruling is in DISH's favor then I expect DIRECTV to let the Genie out of the Bottle. (Pub members know what I am saying)

 

[mdram]

No accusation, just an observation, that this "viewpoint" is posted in a DIRECTV forum, talking about the legalities of a DISH feature which DIRECTV does not have and could potentially lose customers because DISH does have it.

i cant really see anyone switching for a hopper setup.

 

[navychop]

I think D*'s plan is to see if E* gets away with it, or they lose another lawsuit. If they do get away with it, their plan is to add the feature, also. Networks have already filed suit.

S~

Yep. They're no doubt ready to go, if the going looks good. Is this feature "genie?"

 

[zim2dive]

I am under the impression that DIRECTV has a solution already available, but are waiting to see how the courts rule on the DISH suit first

Dish should get more respect for their willingness to take on the content providers. Yes, the contract/carriage disputes impact Dish's bottom line, but as consumers, such negotiations also impact our bottom line. I wish DTV would have the nerve to release their feature if it is also ready.

 

[The Fat Man]

So Chuckles which are you, a network guy who posted in the wrong forum, or an anti-Dish guy. Remember one thing, these networks are already charging the providers for access on top of then charging for ad time. So I personally couldn't care less about their plight. Don't charge a retransmission fee than we can talk about auto hop. And this is coming from a guy who doesn't pay for the hopper.

 

[gadgtfreek]

I dont care about skipping commercials, my DVR's have worked fine for me for years with FFW'd. What I do care about is not pissing off the companies that can cause me to lose channels. If you can avoid that, do what you want with my DVR functions...

 

[Sean Mota]

I am sure that those that seems to reject the commercial skip will be the first to auto skip if the feature was available. This is such childish thread.

 

[harshness]

I recall similar arguments surrounding DISH's two-TV solutions and PocketDISH.

There's enough essence of sour grapes to make pretty much everyone suspicious about the underlying motivations for this argument.

Nobody cried foul when the World-Wide Web got too big and complicated for dial-up Internet The industry needs a new model and it isn't our responsibility to figure out to keep the old model going until they arrive at a solution.

The fact that the stations are making money off of us (as satellite subscribers) in addition to the ad revenues deserves a little scorn too.

 

[Joe Diamond]

I recall similar arguments surrounding DISH's two-TV solutions and PocketDISH.

There's enough essence of sour grapes to make pretty much everyone suspicious about the underlying motivations for this argument.

Nobody cried foul when the World-Wide Web got too big and complicated for dial-up Internet The industry needs a new model and it isn't our responsibility to figure out to keep the old model going until they arrive at a solution.

The fact that the stations are making money off of us (as satellite subscribers) in addition to the ad revenues deserves a little scorn too.

It has always been about the money,

As I understand the situation the OTA stations initially worried about the little dishes taking away their client base as far as ad penetration.SO they engaged the FCC to slow any sale of OTA signal to little dish customers. THEN they discovered they could count the sat customers who had their feed for ad client purposes. The money flowed back and all was nice again. AND they were paid for customers way outside their normal broadcast cone.

Now they fear TV users have alternative sources for tube entertainment and something approaching alla carte subscriptions is on the horizon. Also users have the capability to blank or jump their loud & irrelevant commercial messages.

EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE THIS BUMPER STICKER:

The industry needs a new model and it isn't our responsibility to figure out to keep the old model going until they arrive at a solution.

Good shot, Harshness!

Joe

 

[Rey]

I am sure that those that seems to reject the commercial skip will be the first to auto skip if the feature was available. This is such childish thread.

i'm sure.
if this feature was available for directv i would use it all the time.

 

[john262]

I'm all for skipping commercials. Sometimes you have to sit through ten or more commercials in a row. And that's after I have already paid D* over $100 a month just to watch those commercials. Somebody is greedy and is making a killing off from selling all of those commercials. Cut the commercials back to a more reasonable number and then I won't skip them.