I've long thought that television networks best "defense" against commercial skipping DVRs is to make all their programs available on demand immediately after airing with a full commercial load, but without fast forward capability. Customers wouldn't be charged extra per month, like they are with DVRs in most cases, and I think it would really take the wind out of DVR use/penetration, which would be a good thing for television networks.
Not that it would change my behavior, nor probably that of most people reading our site, but for the ~70% of US households who currently don't have a DVR many would likely opt for free universal VOD vs. a monthly fee DVR.
In the report of this initial trial of Cox cable customers and Turner (TNT, TBS, Cartoon Network) programs the results look pretty good from the network's perspective.
However, television networks (perhaps slowed by cable MSOs?) have moved *so* slowly on this that in practice I don't think they're going to have much success vs. the continuing adoption of DVRs.
Cox's "MyPrimetime On Demand" video-on-demand service -- one that has its fast-forwarding function disabled -- has grabbed high scores among consumers, according to the cable operator, including lifting Turner network programs 10% in viewership.Cox's "On Demand" programming is available free to select Cox digital cable customers a day after the shows' first run on linear broadcast.
A full load of commercials was included, and the companies say viewership increased 10% for an average program within three days, viewership that counted toward Nielsen commercial ratings plus three days of DVR playback (C3), the current currency for national TV advertisers.Cox says 80% of its customers are satisfied with the experience. Another positive for TV networks: Cox says 20% of its consumers say if the show was not available with its VOD service, they would not have recorded it via their DVR. Another 27% would not have watched the show at all.
via MediaPost
It’s worth it to me to pay the extra money for DVR just to skip the commercials.
On the one hand, this would be a good move for nets in the short term. On the other hand, long term it will expire faster than the Edsel. Once people get a taste of DVRs, studies have shown that the overwhelming majority cannot conceive of going back. As DVR penetration continues, and as more and more people get used to skipping commercials, use of VOD with full load commercials will sink like a stone. In the interim, however, this could definitely help any network willing to do it, but I can’t see it’s shelf life lasting more than five years or so, tops.
Well, I guess that would make it somewhat more long lasting than the Edsel.
Still, this would be a stop-gap measure at best. Good idea, so long as it is used as a method for allowing nets to come up with something better. Any network who tries this thinking it’s a long term solution will end up pants down in the end.
Biggest problem: many people with DVR service probably won’t even try this even if they forget to record something, because they have become so conditioned to commerical-free TV. So your only real target demo are DVR-less people, which is a continually shrinking audience with a finite expiration date. So they better get cracking.
all commercials front loaded = doing something else while waiting for the real show to begin.
Total crap. I want my DVR left alone!
People will find a way to skip that – they don’t want the junk.