TV Adverts - More often these days

paulofessex

Have you noticed that on ITV & C4 a program will start then just 10 minutes in the adverts start, and this is not just the 'live' programmes. Didn't adverts used to be approx. every 15 minutes. Now it will even go to a break at 50 minutes past the hour for 3-4 minutes and then before you know the program ends.

I dread to think if you used a stop watch to time the actual viewing time of the program how long it would be on for.

littlerat

Most hour long TV shows are around 42 - 45 minutes including all credits, so that's 15 - 18 minutes of adverts in 4 breaks (including the 1 at the end before the next program), making most advert breaks between about 3 mins 45 and 4 mins 30.

And yep, agreed the times often seem off - at times when watching programs that are a few years old I notice the advert breaks aren't at the "natural" part of the program, they're right at the end of the sentence, sometimes cutting half a word off.

Very annoying!

tbw

I seem to remember that an hour long programme used to have only 3 'breaks' - now its gone to 4!

eslick

it changed last year they are allowed more we dont watch live tv now always sky + it and on some channels there are 5 mins of adverts in each section, spoils the shows.

Red_Cat

I think on Sky1, I recently watched an episode of the Simpsons, with two advert breaks, instead of just one half way through. It is becoming like the Us shows where they have an ad break as soon as the opening titles have finished.

Raggs_2

Ever tried watching ESPN? Occasionally there's something interesting on, but I can only ever stand 15 minutes max. Since that 15 minutes tends to consist of 10 minutes of adverts. The only thing it's bearable with is boxing, since they jump in and out of rounds, so the adverts are slightly shorter.

Always amazed when I see some american programs here, it seems every 5-8 minutes they have a break, thankfully it's a paid service, so they just play the programme straight through.

Sharon87

Well at least OFCOM have set limits, otherwise it'll be like America. I streamed NASCAR live over the internet and the amount of ads was terrible - as well as the ads themselves! It makes me thankful we have less ads.

The amount of ads depends on the type of programmes you watch - if it's a ratings winner, of course it'll have more ads. Broadcasters can spread the ads out so they show more during prime time, than at 1am.

Storck

The Simpsons is scheduled for half an hour but actually only lasts 18 minutes, so that is 12 minutes of adverts. Double that up for two episodes back to back you have an hour on the schedule, 36 minutes of program and 24 minutes of adverts.

The 18 minute figure comes from an interview with the Harry Shearer who does a load of the voices including Mr.Burns.

david39

There are two levels of broadcaster - Public Service Broadcasters and Others.

If you are a PSB (that is BBC, ITV1, C4 and C5) then, for commercial stations, the length of advertising breaks is strictly controlled to a set amount in any one hour. Other channels (including ITV2-4) are not PSBs and so have no controls other than what they think the public will put up with before switching off.

Amongst the bonuses for being a PSB includes having your station amongst the first on the EPG program guides and automatically set as the early-number channels on terrestrial transmitters and Freesat.

ITV cleverly set the timing of their peak programmes to cram more (higher-priced) advertising into their most popular programs - you will notice that Coronation Street never starts at exactly 7.30 but is timed, with the less popular (few ads) programmes before it, so that ITV do not overstep their limits between 7-8 pm.
The Bill runs for exactly 46 minutes in programme time every week.

EssexGirl

Thank heavens for Sky+
Even then, I'm sure they engineer it so on fast foward you get the gist of all of the adverts.

jamespir

i watched the superbowl and they ahd an ad break every 4-minutes shocking

ive also seen some programes have the opening credits and then have a break on sky