CE-Oh no he didn't! Part XI - ABC exec takes on DVRs

We know that as a network executive, ABC's President of Advertising Sales Mike Shaw has a vested interest in the survival of the traditional 30-second commercial, but his recent assertion that consumers don't really care about the ad-skipping functionality of their DVRs strikes us as being way off the mark. Following ABC's latest rate-setting powwow with advertisers, or upfront, Shaw opined that he wasn't sure "the driving reason to get a DVR in the first place is just to skip commercials," and that the appeal of such devices "really is just a matter of convenience -- so you don't miss your favorite show." He even went so far as to say that he "would love it if the MSO's...would disable the fast-forward [button]" on their next generation of set-top boxes, suggesting that "people can understand in order to have convenience and on-demand, that you can't skip commercials." Once again, we follow the logic here -- commercials do help keep programs we enjoy on the air -- but instead of embittering folks by forcing them to sit through ads, maybe Shaw should encourage his advertising partners to follow KFC's lead and create spots that people actually want to watch. Remember, Mike, that'll you'll catch more flies with delicious honey than the sour vinegar you're currently trying to force down our throats.

[DT @ Jul 7th 2006 12:34PM]

Does he think that the "off" button should be disabled as well? After all, people have to understand in order to have convenience and on-demand, that you can't skip commercials.

I think anyone who makes anti-DVR statements and works for the TV industry (is there anyone else making anti-DVR statments?) should have their homes audited to see if they own one. Because I'm pretty sure that these bigwigs do. They don't have to watch commercials; that's for us plebs.

[Craig @ Jul 7th 2006 12:36PM]

This corporate douchebag is a moron!

nuff said bout that.

[Anthony @ Jul 7th 2006 12:40PM]

He also went on to say that he believes that the ability to change channels- away from ABC- was not a feature needed & recommended that those buttons be removed or disabled as well...

I recently saw an ad that said "enhanced for DVR" (Sprite, 7up?) & I must've watched it 10 times in slo-mo looking for the enhancement. Couldn't find it. Maybe I'm slow. I was bottle-fed.

[SuperChuck @ Jul 7th 2006 12:42PM]

It's a little unclear what he's trying to say...

My primary objective in owning a DVR is convenience.

Skipping commericals is a nice extra, but it's not the reason I own a DVR.

However, given the choice between one that does skip commercials and one that doesn't, I'd take the one that does skip commericals.

[Dave @ Jul 7th 2006 12:42PM]

Mr. Shaw,
Let me go on record stating that the primary reason that I use my Replay unit is to skip over the commercials.

Dave

[Jeff @ Jul 7th 2006 12:46PM]

Anthony, you watched a commercial 10 times? When you only "had" to watch it once? And you don't understand how it was enhanced? It was enhanced for the advertiser! Thanks to your PVR, their commercial was viewed far more times than it should've been. However, the plan did backfire slightly since you can't recall what the commercial was for. That's pretty funny.

This aside, I think Mike Shaw is right on the mark. I didn't get my TiVo to skip commercials, and I don't know anyone who did. I bought it to shift time schedules. I love that what I want to watch is always on whenever I want to watch it.

Now, yes, I also skip commercials because I can - and I find myself hitting the FF button even during live television out of habit - but the fact remains that this functionality is NOT while I bought a TiVo, nor was it EVER the reason why I used to record stuff using my VCR and trusty VHS tapes.

That all said, I'm hoping that even though Craig has said nuff about this, he could possibly humor me with an explination about why this guy is a douchebag and/or a moron.

[Jeff @ Jul 7th 2006 12:49PM]

Dave...

Seriously?

You hate commercials THAT much? Do you never watch live television either? I mean, I'm just curious.

I actually know a guy who intentionally starts watching his favorite show (which is an hour long) fifteen minutes late so that he has an extra buffer with which to skip commercials. My extremely less tech-savvy grandmother has been hitting "Mute" for years whenever commercials come on. I fail to see what either of these methods offers over the other.

Honestly. I don't get it.

[Todd @ Jul 7th 2006 1:01PM]

Mr. Shaw isn't sure "the driving reason to get a DVR in the first place is just to skip commercials" ???

http://m-w.com/dictionary/DELUSIONAL

[Ben18 @ Jul 7th 2006 1:05PM]

I do not yet own a DVR, although I am certainly in the market, my VHS is...not up to par. The one benefit of recording on a VHS is that...I can fast forward through commercials!!! Wow, what a shocker. It's great when per say I miss an episode of 24, hell, I'm not waiting for the DVD to catch up, I'll watch it the next night on tape. I really need a DVR, but I am beggining to grow tired of these corporate execs solely concerned with profit. I somehow find it hard to believe companies are advertising on TV less because of DVR's. That, or ABC probably charged ludicrous amounts for commercials during the NBA playoffs, and the Rose Bowl, and the Super Bowl.

[Fragnetic @ Jul 7th 2006 1:05PM]

The ability to fast forward through the commercials is a HUGE plus if you ask me. Here is a perfect example that I use all the time.

Football game starts at 1pm (usually lasts 3 hours)
either record or pause at the start
wait about 45 minutes
begin watching
skip through all the commericals at fastest speed, only disrupting game by about 15 seconds each break.
shoot for catching up to the real time action in the 4th quarter along with all the other real-time viewers.

This way, 1) I watch the entire game with less "downtime" in the action 2) I get back 45 minutes to do other things 3) I get the results with everyone else in the world. How can you beat that?

[Homer J @ Jul 7th 2006 1:07PM]

I'll give it to him that skipping commercials is not the only reason to have a DVR. I like the convenience of not having to deal with tape,and remote/dynamic scheduling is incredible.

But disable my FF button? Only if you rip my remote from my cold-dead-hand. If you want me to watch commericials make them fun. Maybe the bench-mark for commercials should be not how fast you forward through them but rather how many time you rewind them b/c they are so darn funny.

Several that come to mind include - Nextel: where some geeky office workers are "grooving" to music by TLC; FedEx Asia commercial with the guy walking through a factory screaming at everyone until he learns that the package went out FedEx and everything is OK; Aflac: 1st one where the spot begins with someone flying over bike handle bars - how can you not love missery-gratis.

So instead of trying to shove crap down out throats, try something entertaining, and maybe someone will even write about a great commercial in the comment section of a blog post.

[Miguel @ Jul 7th 2006 1:07PM]

I also bought a Replay TV (over Tivo) because of the commercial skipping function. I wanted to be able to time shift, but equally important was the commercial skipping feature (Replay TV skips it automatically). Like the person Jeff knows, I also will start a show 15 after it starts (if I'm watching it "live"). I still get done at the same time as everyone else in my time zone, but I saved 15 minutes of my life not having to sit in front of the tube watching commercials.

When watching something like 24, skipping all the commercial breaks makes the show much more enjoyable (waiting 4 minutes to see what happens next can seem like forever). Commercials can also really destroy the mood of certain dramas. You're at the climax of a tragic story, and then it goes to commercial with some dufus singing an asinine song. Wrecks the whole mood of the show. My wife and I would never go back to watching shows live with commercials now that we've tasted the convenience of Replay TV.

[Dave P @ Jul 7th 2006 1:15PM]

Let me agree with Jeff. My DVR is not a commercial-skipping-machine, it's a timeshifting machine. That said, I DO usually skip commercials, but when I'm watching with someone, I sometimes like the little break to be able to discuss what we've seen, or just discuss something else for a couple of minutes.

Oh, and there is a code phrase or something embedded in one or two frames of one of those weird Sprite commercials. I just haven't been intrigued enough to check out what it does yet.

[daschupa @ Jul 7th 2006 1:21PM]

Y'know at first I was pissed then upon reflecting at the reality of the situation, commercials are a necessary evil, I mean when are people going to talk to their children or go get more food or talking to their children about getting more food. The advent of this "ad skipping" technology could wreck the world...except ya know, in places where they don’t watch television.

I'm not going to be one of those "there are better things to get in a fuss about" people, but seriously, this is just sad.

[Magus @ Jul 7th 2006 1:24PM]

Commercials are one of the ways the shows make money to keep them running. however it happens to be the #1 way for networks.
Shows can always revert to 80s tv like live add placement.(ie take a 5 sec in mid show break to avder oveltine or "A refreshing coke") We already see enough of it as is even on paid channels.
Skipping commercials is a lifestyle for a lot of people with children. Commercials are a lot more direct and making anything seem like an all out cure to every ailment you have. Some people have enough common cence not to buy into it. Younger audience is a lot more gullable generally.

For me dvr is a lifestyle ajustment. I no longer have need to watch tv when a show is on. Skipping commercials is a nice benefit. However so is the ablility to skip everything but the commercials for supperbowl and the like. If commercials were more interesting there would be more serious viewers drawn into the add and not just watching it.

[chris @ Jul 7th 2006 1:31PM]

The easy solution is stop watching TV. Read a book, go outside. Screw these bastards. I only watch a podcast once in awhile and maybe a DVD thats it. I am not paying $60+ a month for commercials. Screw them all. I have better things to do with my life then waste away in front of the tube.

[Improbus @ Jul 7th 2006 1:36PM]

Bittorrent IS my DVR.

[Org @ Jul 7th 2006 1:40PM]

How about we trade... They can disable the FF Button if we no longer have to pay for Satellite and/or Cable. Until that happens I say the ABC President of Ad Sales can eat it.

[David @ Jul 7th 2006 1:46PM]

In the future, Google will deliver ads to -your- tv that you will wish to watch because they'll be highly tailored to your household.

[bob @ Jul 7th 2006 1:57PM]

I generally don't want to watch any commercials/adverts during TV programs whether they are well-made or not. I prefer to record everything using my DVR and skip the ads.

I don't mind some advertising per se, e.g.: print ads in a magazine, billboards, websites with contextual ads, watching funny viral ads on YouTube.

I would prefer it if all TV would be by subscription or pay-per-view and was commercial-free. Or licence fee funded. (Unrealistic I know)

Ads pay for the making of the programs but they push up the price of products you buy in the shops.

In the UK at least the BBC channels are ad-free : )

[Whatever he said @ Jul 7th 2006 2:17PM]

We commonly watch 2 shows at once -- flipping between tuners as soon as a commercial starts, then catching up where we left off on the other tuner - and even my technically iliterate wife does it.

There's no market for a techincally retarded DVR, if anything it would end up being a freebe, maybe you'll get it with your Happy Meal or a new pair of Nikes. If the ABC exec gets his way it would only tune to ABC -- and then in an iPod format so you could watch commercials anywhere!

[Jak Crow @ Jul 7th 2006 2:22PM]

Oh yes. ABC is all for the "convenience" of the DVR, which is why they try and rig their schedules for 1 hour, 1 minute to throw off single tuner DVRs. Shaw is an hypocritical ass.

[russdogg @ Jul 7th 2006 2:30PM]

I always start 24 late so i can fastforward commercials; it makes the show a lot more intense. The commercials seriously kill the action. Of course thats exactly why they do it... get you hooked and you are more likely to stick around after the commercials are over.

[James @ Jul 7th 2006 2:36PM]

I don't think most of you get it. No matter what you do, advertisers will find a way to reach you. Mass avoidance of television ads will only result in more creative, probably more intrusive attempts to grab your attention. Advertising is just necessary, period, and unless you want those ads sneaking their way into, say, the actual program that you care about watching and diluting the entertainment, you might want to put up with them the way they are now. Is it really that big of a deal?

Plain and simple, ads will get to you somehow, and if you take away the safe bet from advertisers they will employ much riskier (and more questionable) methods - bluetooth proximity-sensing, cellphone-spamming ads anyone?

To the person asking for funnier ads - humor does not make an ad successful or relevant. While you may want to be entertained by every bit of media you consume, the fact is there are hundreds of people for every one of you that just want to know which drain cleaner is most effective.

Personally, I prefer my humor to be agenda-free.

[Whatever he said @ Jul 7th 2006 2:37PM]

Easy now -- Shaw has a job and is expected to produce results. If you are going to slam the folks who really make the world go around, go hug a tree.

If you really think you are entitled to free television, I want to know by what right? Network Television is free, even if you have decided to pay for cable or satellite.

I don't like his idea, and I won't buy a product like it. But I would rather hang out with him than folks who think he is scum because he works for a living.

[brian @ Jul 7th 2006 3:07PM]

Free TV? No, I pay $100/mo for mine, I think I deserve the freedom of a fast forward button with that. So the networks are also air channels, fine.. he (aka ABC dimwit) can choose to disable my FF button for his channel, and in trade, I can choose to disable (not watch) his channel. Lets see which channels live or die by that choice ;) I don't watch any of the crap ABC tries to force feed anyway.

[GhostDoggy @ Jul 7th 2006 3:09PM]

Proof: That even idiots can get good paying jobs in the networks. Its one thing to be ignorant, but this is more of a case of cluelessness.

And since 'most' do not care about the ad-skipping technology should then not be focused on attacking a minority constituent of his viewers.

[Vladislav Yeliseyev @ Jul 7th 2006 3:18PM]

Hey, Mike, feel threatened? You should, progress in technology slowly killing newspapers and it looks like your turn.
My advise-look for job in computer industry, you can relax there for a while, as you did all that time on TV. Or and thank you for intelligent, educational content on your s....y channel.
Vlad
Vlad

[Adam @ Jul 7th 2006 3:56PM]

I didn't buy my TiVo exclusively for skipping commercials, but it's a really, really, really nice feature that I refuse to ever give back. I do watch tons of commercials, but I decide which ones to watch. Maybe more commercials worth watching might be a better option.

Take away my ability to skip commercials and I'll exclusively start watching shows I download from BT.

As for the "free TV" debate, I'd love it if all channels were pay and I could just decide which ones I wanted. If I only want ESPN, ABC (for example), Comedy Central and CW then I pay $5 times 4 channels per month.

[Rod @ Jul 7th 2006 4:13PM]

ABC should learn from their own show "Lost" where fake commercials (e.g. The Hanso Foundation) are interspersed with the real ones so you try to pay attention to the commercials as well. It probably won't work for all shows though. They may have to use "The Truman Show" trick and rely on product placement. Or just show ads along the side or bottom like they do during soccer matches or on Ripe TV.

[Jeff @ Jul 7th 2006 6:35PM]

Speaking of "fake" commercials, Nick @ Nite does something similar and fantastic. They mix in (or at least, they used to - I haven't seen on in awhile) really old classic commercials. Like, stuff that would've been run the same year the show you're watching originally ran. This way, you wanna pay attention so that you'll catch those.

As for the "advertising will find a way" point, that's an excellent one. I'm glad James brought it up. Look at how many ads are scrolling right through the bottom of the screen now! Right on top your program! That's just horrible. And to all those who use Bittorent as your DVR (I use it as my HD-DVR) (my SD-DVR is a TiVo) - you can't dodge those ads! No one can. Sh;t, some of them even have sound!! AND take up a third your screen. TNT, I'm looking at you!

Commercials are not evil. They are not the worst thing in world. Your life will not end if your FF button gets disabled. Your MUTE button will still work. Your refridgerator door will still open, your toilet still flush, and your ex will keep calling. The world will keep turning.

Nevertheless, I have the perfect solution for the age-old problem of commercials. Everyone will win. The networks, the viewers, the DVR companies - everyone. TiVo should make ads forwardable. Owners should be able to set up buddy lists (and choose between "accept from anyone" / "accept from buddies" / "accept from no one" options) of other subscribers. Then, if they see a commercial which is particularly funny, informative, or relative to a friend's needs, they can flag it and send it. Now, when you fire up your TiVo, there will be the single most targeted ads possible waiting for you.

The networks win because the more popular a show is, the more people will watch it on their DVR's and the more people might possibly forward the ads. The vendors win because, duh, their ads are being delivered with previously unheard of precision. And, TiVo wins because the afore mentioned parties finally get off their backs about ruining the entire television business model when all they ever really wanted to was make sure I could watch House on Sunday afternoon. Heck, impliment this plan, and TiVo could do more than make 'em shut up; they should charge vendors for the amazing service being provided! And then, charge 'em extra for the data involving which ads got forwarded, which didn't, and which programs were watched by the most "forwarders".

But, yet again, no one ever asks me. =)

[Jeff @ Jul 7th 2006 6:48PM]

I should've specified why it is that the networks still win with my plan. It's because the whole ratings system still means something. They can still charge more for ads which air during the popular shows, and that's obviously important. Heck, now they can even charge even more still for the ones which are frequently DVR'd. In fact - get this! - they might even stop this 8:59-10:01 b.s. because now they're actually afraid of alienating tomorrow the very same people they so love to hate today.

Remarkable how much would change, isn't it?

[Andrew @ Jul 7th 2006 8:10PM]

I bought my PVR so I could time-shift howeveer I only normal shift by about 20 minutes. I moved to Canada a couple of years ago from the UK where I was used to three ad breaks per hour max. Over here I can't stand the 20 minutes per hour of ads, turns me off tv completely. Now I record the show but start watching it 20 minutes after it's started so I can skip the adverts. I'd use another method to watch the shows otherwise. How many Ford, Olive Garden and Molson adverts can one man sit through?

Adverts will kill my tv viewing; it can only reduce how much I watch.

[wiz420 @ Jul 7th 2006 9:57PM]

Great idea jeff.

[crlake @ Jul 8th 2006 12:00AM]

Yes, the guy is a douchebag. Which is why I don't watch "Regular TV" any more.

[stickdoctor @ Jul 8th 2006 11:28AM]

I can't believe that not a single person came up with what is to me the central point here: Why the hell should a MEDIA producer have any say or influence over HARDWARE design or features by unrelated manufacturers?!!

Very slippery slope here, and looks like we have already started down it due to the fact that everyone here seems to have accepted the basic premise that ABC can influence hardware design/features. This to me is such a fundamental issue. Corporations care about NOTHING but short-term profits these days, and will gladly trample the best interests of consumers without a moment's hesistation.

[Jim Phelps @ Jul 8th 2006 11:53AM]

I am amazed at the RIAA / MPAA and TV / Big Media Execs. Somehow they got it in their brains (I'm being generous here) that by making their products suck more, they will make more money. I have a ReplayTV which allows me to jump over all of the ads. My wife and I cannot stand to watch broadcast TV with the constant interuption for advertisements. If we did not have a ReplayTV, we would not watch TV at all. Period.

If these people continue to make their products suck more, we will find alternatives for our entertainment. I buy music from Magnatune because they don't suck. We read books outloud to each other or listen to audio books because they don't suck.

The big media execs need a serious whacking with a Clue-By-Four.

[Z @ Jul 8th 2006 3:38PM]

Dear Mike Shaw:

Everybody hates commercials.

Everybody will skip over commercials every chance they get.

Everybody who has a DVR loves their DVR.

Everybody will be disgusted with you and every other corporate idiot (motivated by greed and fear) who help to create an industry that doesn't allow us to skip over commercials when we choose.

If you don't uderstand this, if your instincts don't allow you to understand this, you're living somewhere outside the solar system, in which case, welcome to planet Earth.


Sincerely,

Everybody

[John B @ Jul 8th 2006 3:42PM]

I bought my DVR specifically for skipping commercials. I like to watch a lot of tv, but I am short on free time. By skipping commercials I can watch three 1 hour long shows in the time it would take me to watch two 1 hour long shows with commercials.

[interlard @ Jul 9th 2006 7:44PM]

People didn't need to skip over commercials back when when the breaks lasted 2 minutes and occurred every 15 minutes. Now that we have 5 minute commercial breaks every 5 minutes we got the skip button.

TV stations actually lobbied to change the law so they could assault us with this crap. Now we've struck back. If you want to keep up the arms race, just try. Take the skip button of YOUR DVRs and we'll all buy whichever box still has them. They'll make a fortune and you'll lose your job.

[Z @ Jul 9th 2006 9:36PM]

@ interlard

Well said and true as ever.

Everytime, and I mean EVERYTIME commercials come on with live TV, I hit the mute button. It's probably the most used button on my remote.

So if they want to take the skip button away, I hope they aren't too stupid to remember that we also have mute and fast forward buttons too.

I'm not going to watch or listen to commercials no matter what you want, Shaw-boy.

How you like dem apples?

[Gargamale @ Jul 13th 2006 11:41AM]

I use my DVR extensively. Other than watching the commercials in FFW to see when they end and I need to press play again, I haven't seen a commercial since I got my DVR. This is the whole point of a DVR for me: to get rid of the brain-melting commercials trying to sell me shit I don't need. I make my purchases based on research (usually via the web) not because a band I liked licenses a song for a product or some random actor does something funny in the name of the product's company. Commercials are invasive; I watch television to see the content not find out what the new cereal flavors are. Prior to the advent of the DVR I always muted commercials; I suppose that is the next button to be removed...