[Brekkie]

I think with ITVX and All4 many of the acquisitions are on a free to air basis (whilst Netflix or Amazon have the ad-free subscription rights) so that is why they contain ads, even if just promos for other content. I don't use either service enough to justify paying to ditch the ads.


Having just completed the iconic Neighbours episodes on Freevee must say I do like them just basically taking the US/Aussie break structure of up to three breaks within a half hour show, but just playing one or two ads per break. For me that is how you get me watching ads when they're not on long enough to leave the room.

[Kojak]

I think with ITVX and All4 many of the acquisitions are on a free to air basis (whilst Netflix or Amazon have the ad-free subscription rights) so that is why they contain ads, even if just promos for other content.    I don't use either service enough to justify paying to ditch the ads.


Having just completed the iconic Neighbours episodes on Freevee must say I do like them just basically taking the US/Aussie break structure of up to three breaks within a half hour show, but just playing one or two ads per break.  For me that is how you get me watching ads when they're not on long enough to leave the room.

That would make sense. Still very annoying, though. 

I quite like that about Freevee, too. If we must have ads then at least let the breaks be short. Like you, I can live with there being an extra break or two if they're only 30 seconds or a minute long. I think All4 would do well to learn from Freevee.

[Kunst]

www.ofcom.org.uk 

Consultation: Quantity and scheduling of television advertising on public servic…
Ofcom is today seeking views on whether to remove some or all of the stricter ad…
  Source: www.ofcom.org.uk

Option 2 seems to be the preferred one by OFCOM: have the same rules for PSB and non-PSB alike, except removing the frequency rules for PSBs, mostly justified in order for broadcasters not to insert a second break on a 30 mins programme.

It all makes sense, I understand that for some it seems extreme, but the rationale behind keeping the current rules is just not there anymore

[Brekkie]

There is little evidence though in the current climate more ads would raise more revenue with marketing budgets squeezed as companies cut costs. Also think the last thing channels need to be doing now is increasing the ad load given rhe lighter loads on streaming alternatives.

However consultation or not it seems OFCOM has made it's decision, regardless of whether it us in the interest of viewers.


FWIW I've no objection to a small increase - but the prospect of jumping from 40 to 60 minutes of ads in primetime and an average 2 minutes extra per hour of ads across the day isn't something that should be done in one jump.

Personally I'd increase the average to 9 minutes in primetime and keep 7 minutes during the day, but the compromise of 8 minutes across the day with 10 minutes an hour between 6-11pm would be a fair one.


As for extra breaks I know I'm very much in the minority but personally have no issue with 2 breaks in half hour shows but on the condition they are shorter breaks. It's more frequent breaks in longer programmes I think are more disruptive and ideally they'd cut one from anything 90 minutes or longer.

[Kunst]

These are commercial operations first and foremost; too many restrictions can hurt them, given the current climate.

Yes, advertising is not as profitable as it was, but it's still needed.

Plus, OFCOM must've found out that viewers wouldn't be bothered too much, as viewers are accustomed by other channels having the same amount of commercials already, and shows at peak times on PSB already do; having "midway" increases, is a bit silly.

Ultimately, it's a race "to survive"; having a 18:00 slot on weekends void of adverts, plus restrictions on 22:00-18:00 slots and so on, is even sillier in the current era.

Surely one ad break every 30 mins for news programmes wouldn't be too much of a problem

[Neil Jones]

Of course it could be far worse; just look at America, which is at the point of 41 minutes of programme for every hour; adverts are near enough one third of the hour for pre-recorded content, and this isn't just in peak/prime time either, I believe that's across the whole day.

Some entity on Quora suggests the US used to have advert limitations but somebody waved the First Amendment around and had those quashed (I doubt the reliability of Quora which to me seems a modern incarnation of Yahoo Answers, which was itself a virtual looney bin) so how true that is I don't know. The separation seems to have gone out the window as well, so wouldn't be surprised if its not obvious whether what you're watching is programme or advert sometimes.

[Kunst]

In the US it used to be 16 mins per hour, already barely respected in 1982, before being dropped altogether.

www.nytimes.com 

LIMITS ON DURATION AND FREQUENCY OF TV COMMERCIALS ARE DROPPED - The New York Ti…
Skip to contentSectionsSEARCHU.S. Today’s PaperU.S.|LIMITS ON DURATION AND FREQU…
  Source: www.nytimes.com

And 16 minutes per hour already seems a tad excessive, especially since in Europe we used to have less adverts as a whole during that era, well,, before the digital TV era.

But that will hardly happen in the UK, probably in Europe too, although some restrictions have been lifted (no 12 mins cap anymore: but a 20% 12 mins average to be spread among two time slots: 6:00-18:00, 18:00-6:00), but there are still some important limitations, although I think it's getting a bit annoying, I would've preferred the 12 mins limit not be revised...

[Kunst]

That EXCEPT for children's content: 12 mins per hour on weekdays, 10,5 mins max per hour on weekends (god knows why!).

But, unlike Europe, you can have as many breaks as you like during children's programmes, to be spread as you want, while in the EU and beyond (although in Germany, Sweden etc. there are further restrictions) only one for each scheduled 30 mins period.

Same as movies and news in EU which is reasonable

[tmf9]

Currently the UK still has EU rules on advertising within Children's programmes, that prevent centre breaks during any programme of 30 minutes or less. Nickelodeon and others get around this by, in a typical hour, listing one programme in a 31 minute slot (can contain ads) and another in a 29 minute slot (cannot contain ads).

[Kunst]

Currently the UK still has EU rules on advertising within Children's programmes, that prevent  centre breaks during any programme of 30 minutes or less. Nickelodeon and others get around this by, in a typical hour, listing one programme in a 31 minute slot (can contain ads) and another in a 29 minute slot (cannot contain ads).

And they're not going to change 'em, as the UK channels also broadcast in EU member ROI, where the rules still apply.

Any change to that would uselessly complicate things