squaretorus's Journal: TV ADS

Another of the regular stories in /. is the old 'TV to have targetted ads' generic.

Starting with the obvious - that everyone hates ads - my position in this debate is straightforward - its THEIR channel, its MY TV. They can do what they like with their channel, and I can do what I like with my TV.

  1 > I can simply not watch their channel.
  2 > I can NOT use a TV or a SetTopBox that allows the broadcaster to watch me watching.
  3 > I can use a TiVo-ish device to strip out anything they send into my TV that I dont want to watch.

I should be free to do anything I please with a signal that I receive in my home. If the company pipes it in via cable, or satellite, once it enters my property I should have absolute freedom to do what I please.

Same goes for them in their studios. They have to combat my 3 big anti-ad measures.

  1 > Put on shows that are so good I can't bear not to see them.
  2 > Only broadcast to controlling boxes. Don't use new ad targeting technologies.
  3 > Ban TiVo, insert ads in ever smaller, ever more difficult to avoid ways - IN the shows even.

OR they could just make a well balanced channel with some sponsorship and ads and get on with it.

They already have ads in shows...

[salimma]

.. they are called product placements :p. Your arguments are valid though, to some extent - if once the broadcast reach your house it's up to you to do anything with it, you can just record it and flog it off.. oh wait, that's what KaZaA does :p

Regards,