Prime-time television and the 30-second commercial were supposed to be in trouble when viewers got the tools to zip past the traditional ads, reports
The Washington Post. By using digital video
recorders to shift TV's time schedule and watch recorded programs at their convenience, viewers could skip the ads with the click of the remote. But now, with the spread of DVRs, the technology is
having a different effect. Most viewers have not rearranged their TV schedules--and people are watching more. DVRs may end up preserving mass-audience network television by offering viewers "more
choices and giving advertisers novel solutions to reach potential customers." TiVo was first out of the box with DVRs, but with the cable and satellite companies on board, industry researchers say 12
million to 15 million homes are likely to have a DVR by the end of the year. By 2010, that number could rise to 65 million. So TiVo and advertisers are working together to revolutionize the
decades-old model of supporting network TV. Customer commercial-viewing data will be available to networks and advertisers and soon "viewers will be introduced to prime-time commercials made expressly
for DVR users." Ads that include extra content will only be seen when viewers go frame-by-frame through the commercials, creating a deterrent against using the fast-forward button.
advertisement
advertisement
Read the whole story at The Washington Post via Los Angeles Times »