Free TV? Yeah, Exactly Where?

So in an article today, there is a discussion of ways to get people to stop skipping commercials. However, there is just one GREAT quote that just makes you go, "Huh?" Here it is by Ed Swindler, executive vice president for NBC Universal ad sales.

"No one on the creative side or the business side wants to make commercials intrusive, but we do need to commercialize efficiently so viewers can afford to get free television."

What is this free television he is talking about? Sure, I mean, NBC and CBS and ABC can be picked up by an antenna, but actually, that "picked up" must have air quotes. Have you ever watched TV that way? Unless you are in a huge city and spend good money on an antenna, good luck getting free TV.

So, given that, let's take those three out. Why the heck should anyone watching MTV or TNT or any other cable network have to watch commercials? Aren't the people paying for the TV service with their CABLE BILL? Now some could argue that the cable bill is part of the package, buy cable and see less commercials, but that doesn't make much sense. Watch a game on ESPN and see pretty much the same amount of commercials as on ABC. Strike one. Ok, what about, actually, what other arguments can be made?

Now, there are premium channels, HBO, Cinemax, but those have a larger fee and no non-programming commercials. (I need to specify that HBO promotes "The Sopranos" on its network so we won't discuss NBC promoting "Saturday Night Live" during its daytime programming.)

So here is my suggestion. Stop this idiotic use of bundle packaging where consumers get to pick from like 5 cable packages. Allow people to do A la Carte (however that is spelled) and then have two prices per channel if companies want, a higher price for no-commercials (On Demand style) and a lower price for the commercial broadcasts (like traditional cable now). Let the market have a say.

I do know this. A company putting in too much product placement will hurt themselves. Some companies can get away with it, most notably Coca-Cola or Budweiser when someone needs a drink. Most won't be offended by seeing a "label" or "brand name" in a show. But having billboards all over a TV show or other blatant marketing ploys, shows will start to annoy viewers. And, annoyed viewers don't watch the show and don't buy the product.

The article does a good job at showing why people hate ads now. Sometimes, it is because of bathroom or food breaks (at least I know it is for me during sporting events on TV), but I am a channel flipper no matter what. I have trouble staying on one channel. I also get angry at certain ads that make me change the channel. (I can sit and flip off the TV during an entire ad.)

Here are my top 5 most hated ads or brands.

1. Esurance.com (These commercials should be shown at Club Gitmo.)
2. Any public service paid for by taxpayers - current most hated is the "click it or ticket spots" where the government is trying to illegally detain citizens in order to make sure people have a stupid seat belt on.
3. Any commercial from a group advocating against a product while trying to be funny. (Yep, those Truth bastards, this is them.)
4. Feminine hygiene products - don't need to see them when I am not watching Lifetime. (Should also throw in male hygiene too cause I hate those ads as well, with the exception of whatever that one body spray stuff is with the lady talking. That one I like even though I can't remember the product, RGB or RGX, something like that.)
5. Any commercial talking about genital herpes and its treatment - I don't care.

Runner-ups include other drug company ads, AARP crap, and any commercial that just is pure stupidity. (An example of this would be that stupid gum that keeps your mouth clean with the Steve-o guy getting a face of sand. Doesn't make sense!)

If companies really want people to buy their products, then they need to not treat customers like crap. And finding new ways to intrude commercials are just going to piss people off.

By the way, because I shop at Meijer, in store ABC network crap DOES NOT make me want to watch ABC shows. Why they can't figure it out, I don't know. If I could walk through the store flipping the TV off to make myself feel better, I would. That just ain't something you can do in a grocery store though. Too bad. I usually feel better when I flip the TV off at home. Then again, if I could just change the channel in the store, I could feel better too, at least until the next retarded ad came on.