Last week while I was having a off day bowling, I asked the management to change the overhead monitor from scorekeeping to television so that I wouldn't be distracted by a string of unconverted splits while working on my technique. Every now and then I looked up at the screen, waiting to see the local news. Instead, I saw a string of commercials that absolutely appalled me.
So, this week, while at home at the same time of day, I turned on the TV and recorded the content on the local NBC affiliate starting at 10:15 A.M. Here's what a viewer would see...
advertisement for Walmart
advertisement for cat food
advertisement for a pregnancy test
advertisement for crackers
advertisement for Lubriderm
advertisement for TV program Dateline
from 10:16 until 10:20 the "Today Show"
advertisement for a diabetes meter
advertisement for Peptol Bismol
advertisement for Beneful dog food
advertisement for Pillsbury rolls
advertisement for a vitamin C preparation
advertisement for Dannon Yogurt
advertisement for a TV dinner
advertisement for Glad trash bags
advertisement for Expedia
advertisement for the Today Show
advertisement for Kohl's
advertisement for Kellogg's cereal
advertisement for fish sticks
advertisement for Charmin toilet tissue
advertisement for a body wash
advertisement for a hair coloring preparation
advertisement for Ritz crackers
advertisement for a celebrity TV show
advertisement for Biggest Loser TV show
advertisement for the Dateline TV show
advertisement for Cheerios
advertisement for the local TV station
advertisement for the NBC affiliate website
from 10:27 until 10:29 the local news
advertisement for Humana health care
at 10:30 the resumption of the Today Show...
I turned it off at that point, because I had the data I needed for this rant, and I couldn't stand it any more, even with the "mute" button. What was even more appalling was that the first four minutes of "content" from the Today Show consisted of a promotion of a Broadway show (which essentially is just further advertising), and when the program resumed at 10:30 the "content" was a "fashion show" (naming specific brands).
I suppose I should have expected this, but not having actually watched daytime television - except while waiting for a car repair/dental appt etc - I never previously appreciated how egregiously bad it really is. Who watches this kind of garbage? (If the answer is your mother, please don't take personal offense - I'm just ranting).
I'd better stop before I do offend someone...
(image credit here)
p.s. - a word of thanks to the staff at Ten Pin Alley (best bowling alley in Madison, imho) for switching the TV channel from NBC to the Discovery Channel to help me preserve my sanity.
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ReplyDeleteHahaha, the answer IS my mother, but I tease her about it all the time. She mostly watches the court shows, Maury, and Steve Wilkos, though, so it's a different kind of show. She laughs at them, or doesn't even pay attention half the time. The commercials, and the amount of them, is ridiculous, though.
ReplyDeleteYes, my mother. It's disturbing to me, but she seems completely mesmerized, if not downright addicted.
ReplyDeleteWhen I go to tidy her house I take my mp3 player with my best isolator earplugs. It's the only way I can function.
During the elections I saw Hilary climb the same flight of stairs about 20 times in half an hour. It's eerie.
I've seen a bit of HULU lately, fewer commercials, but they are VERY strange.
Love your blog!
My wife and I made the decision not to watch television ages over ten years ago. We either rent videos, or download actual television shows off the internet. I understand that commercials are a necessary evil, unless you want to start paying for your individual shows, but some networks take it to far. I like the hulu.com and scifi.com formats, where you only see four to six commercials during the entire episode online. Of course, on the flip side, they're the same commercial each time. Have you seen the new KY Jelly commercial? Hilarious...
ReplyDeleteMy wife and I also stopped watching TV about 4 years ago. Now when we are over at someone's house, we get shocked at the content of the shows they put on during prime time --and what people allow their children to watch. Funny thing is, they don't even notice.
ReplyDelete