• CNNMoney.com, Friday, March 16, 2007 11:15 AM

Apple might well kill the 30-second TV commercial. The new Apple TV device that ships sometime this week will allow easy transmission of TV shows purchased on iTunes -- sans commercials. While some experts aren't convinced that Apple TV will be as big a hit as iPod, this could change how people watch television.

"There's no question that one of the problems with the traditional 30-second TV ad is digital video recorders," says Tim Wilson, a general partner with Partech International, a venture-capital firm. "The whole market is under threat from TiVo-like functions. And it's going to get easier to avoid commercials with Apple TV."

Thing is, ads long considered a nuisance by many viewers are no longer required viewing: "The role of advertising is shifting. It's about giving consumers control of what they want. Apple TV and other devices are clearly doing that," says Mike DiFranza, CEO of Captivate Network, a company owned by Gannett.

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