Boing Boing: TV networks fiddle schedules to break PVRs

Monday, January 17, 2005

TV networks fiddle schedules to break PVRs

Major networks are changing the way they schedule TV shows, adding an extra minute or two at the end of their programs so that TiVos and other PVRs miss important sections, and so they can charge extra for advertising:

The padding also discourages viewers from clicking their remotes, under the theory they'll be less likely to switch channels if they've already missed the start of a competing program.
ABC is unapologetic. "It's not my job to make it easy for people to leave our network," says ABC scheduling chief Jeff Bader. "Our whole goal is to get people to stay with us from 8 to 11."

Link (via JWZ)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 04:09:02 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

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