A Media Conspiracy, COMMERCIALS!

Presently, I like to watch History Channel, Discovery, The Science Channel and other channels that offer what is supposed to be INTELLIGENT, scientifically oriented programming. I also like popular programming like "American Idol" and "CSI".....

I have noticed, in the last three years, that the inclusion of commercial content has doubled, and in fact, lately I am noticing that the commercial time now EXCEEDS the programming content in total time. Enough is Enough.

The other day, I clocked 25 minutes of content and 35 minutes of commercials in a show that obviously lasted an hour. I am speechless.

Not only that, but the content of the commercials is maddening.

We have endless commercials about PENIS health! Your Penis is not long enough, take this crap.. and Your Penis cannot stay errect long enought, take this crap... and they put beautiful women on as the spokespersons for this absolute garbage.

Then there are the medical commercials. Here is something that can fix what ails you, and then the list of things that may happen to you if you take it goes on longer thant the sales pitch of the commercial... You could get dizzy, have incontinance trouble, think about suicide, have a siezure, heart attack, brain death... but try it anyway?........... Holy crap ... I could have a siezure just being exposed to these commercials!

The commercials themselves , automobiles, insurance, banks, etc.. are becoming so intent at trying to invade my mind with useless values and meaningless reasons to purchase such garbage, especially in today's environment and economy, it is truly disturbing.

I smell a conspiracy to generally screw my mind up so I cannot concentrate on what is really important, like my survival, our economy, our country and the way this world is imploding.

If my fist could go through the screen and actually make contact with the idiot on the other side, I would gladly pay the damage to replace the TV just for the satisfaction.

Am I alone here, or have we all just had enough with the programming networks that produce media and seem to think we can handle this onslaught of commerical brainwashing?

I have been totally reduced to buying a TIVO unit, and taping what I watch. i have to speed through all the commercial breaks so I can keep in context with what is being shown. Further , they know that I probably do this because after every commercial break, they spend 1 minute catching me up on the story so far, in case I freakin missed something.. ARGGGH...

I never watch realtime. I miss relevant events because I cannot watch the freaking NEWS without being bombarded with this ever increasing, senseless attack on my common senses. I now rely on the internet to keep in touch with world events, and even that has become a problem on some sites that are popping up all sorts of crap while I surf to find out what is going on.

Ok, I am calm now, until the next time... Feel free to give the broadcasting media the message I am trying to give.... We can take a few commercials, we know who is paying for the content, but enough is enough. Something has to change before we just go and buy what we want to watch and turn the cable unit off for good.

Explanation: S&F!

Personal Disclosure: Its the sneaky behind our backs, incremental bracket creep of commercialization without any negotiation that makes me

Unannounced product placement during the shows makes me just as

P.S. Its not about the ads as I quite like some and will tune into them just for them and I'll do that willingly over and over. But to try force something on my cognitive landscape is offensive in the extreme!

I miss the ATS 404 ads! But at least that shows ATS sponsors that I am viewing their wares! Go the ATS sponsors!

You should see my local newspaper. They really pack the ads in there. Some are even hidden you really have to look to find them.


Anyways, media runs on telling us things. Thats how everyone makes their money, knowing we know about them. Sadly, its seeped into politics and now nobody knows whats real.

Get a DVR and record it or put it on pause , do something around the house for 20 minutes , then start your show and skip all the commercials. I hardly ever watch live tv anymore. The DVR thing will save you time and you dont have to watch all those useless commercials.

Originally posted by charlyv
I have noticed, in the last three years, that the inclusion of commercial content has doubled, and in fact, lately I am noticing that the commercial time now EXCEEDS the programming content in total time. Enough is Enough.

Agreed. This is one of the prime reasons (aside from lousy content pretty much across the board) I watch little to no TV.

The other day, I clocked 25 minutes of content and 35 minutes of commercials in a show that obviously lasted an hour. I am speechless.

I noticed this too. I feel like every show is becoming like the State of the Union speech. If the pres walked in there and said "Please hold your applause until the end" he'd be out of there in 15 min tops.

We have endless commercials about PENIS health! Your Penis is not long enough, take this crap.. and Your Penis cannot stay errect long enought, take this crap... and they put beautiful women on as the spokespersons for this absolute garbage.

How dare you. If there is anything that can make my penis better, harder, longer, give it the ability to speak, or do handy card tricks, I want to know about it.

Seriously though, if you didn't laugh at that, don't feel bad. My wife doesn't think I'm funny either.

Yeah, everything on TV is nothing more than a platform for the ads. The day they changed from making a profit and paying the bills, to making massive amounts of money with as little input as possible, paved the way to what kind of TV we have now.

Anything that will surprise or titillate and audience, normally for the worse.

It's trash, and to compound the problem, we steal so many ideas from other countries TV and don't make them nearly as good.

Ever seen the Office? Watch the British version. You'll thank me.

Commercials are nothing more than brainwashing to keep you in your mind, as opposed to letting you be AWARE with CONSCIOUSNESS.

Agreed, OP.

Commercials and crappy programming are the big reasons I watch very little television.

Want to get even? Read a book.

Ah, yea, it always seems as if advertisers make commercials more nonsensical and just insane now, instead of making their messages more subtle.

Of course it's essentially just the same thing, just louder and trippier. Maybe they're trying to cater to the uncountable Americans on drugs (rx or illegal) watching TV and nodding off.

The internet is great because it's crazy but it makes sense at least some of the time. I just personally cannot stand commercials in the present day, but then again, that is why I just don't watch TV. And I wouldn't want to just command people not to watch it, I can't help but shake my head at the brain cells people are losing (not that we are losing them by just living in America anyway).

"We care about you and your family, have some drugs."

The flood of inane sales pitches is overwhelming! I cannot hear my favorite shows due to all the forced programing. And the constant product placement has worn thin years ago. And another change in this commercial landscape, the ads with voice overs are no longer unrecognizable voices. They all have familiar voices now, actors who have been cast over and over in roles that are authority figures (parents, cops, presidents, lawyers), telling you how important it is to save money for your kid's future in bank X, or how the employees at Depot Y will have every answer for you, or how product Z will help you keep your kids safe and clean. Listen to these adverts now. The comforting voice you think you know, you do. Ad agencies are cashing in on that almost subconscious association and recall, manipulating you and hopefully your wallet too. I find it all too weird, too focused, and too disturbing that ad agencies focus not on the product (which I understand entirely) but how to con me into believing their claims.

reply to post by charlyv


I have long lost the taste for TV in general. I won't lie because there are still a few shows I watch with DVR. Just so I can fast forward past the BS. What makes it worse is trying to watch a recorded show past 10p and having to zoom past the girls gone wild or adult 1 800 ads. I have a 5 yo daughter for cheese sake.

The purpose of all the advertised drugs and enhancements is to place the thoughts of "we are not good enough". If you tell a lie so many times it will eventually became the truth. Thank you for the thread because it lets me know I am not the only one!

I smell a conspiracy to generally screw my mind up so I cannot concentrate on what is really important, like my survival, our economy, our country and the way this world is imploding.

I really think you are onto something. Espically with sexural adverts. Because ages ago I read about research in new Scientist that indicated mens IQ, went temporaily down, whenever they looked at pornographic images.
So I wonder if the same is true about sex in adverts? After all some suggestions can sometimes be even more arousing than images, so with that in mind, does the mere mention, have an IQ numbing effect? One that perhaps sell a product-message?

I agree with what you've said.

However, a lot of it has to do with the time of day/night, and the program you are watching. See: Target Audience.

My source? My job. I work for (currently not able to be named due to contract) a marketing firm.

Just something more to think about. =D Great post, starred and flagged.

I stopped watching tv months ago, man. The only things I watch now are Family guy and the office, the rest of the time I leave my tv unplugged. Sometimes I play wii or xbox, but most of the time I just unplug the "propaganda box", as I like to call it.

[edit on 12-2-2010 by RadarMan]

thats why the best way is for you to record the thing and watch when you want or to watch online, or download whatever u want

Thanks to all who posted so far. I am certainly not alone in this and the comments so far are all noteworthy and support the point.

Perhaps some bright, enterprising engineer will figure out a way to differentiate between a commercial and the show you are watching, and then a little box will just switch on the Stones, or some Zep, whatever you like... perhaps with slides of relaxing natures scenes... and return you to the program when all the commercial crap is over.... I would buy one.

Thanks, and keep up the great comments!

(edited for spelling, where found)

[edit on 13-2-2010 by charlyv]

***by the time you have reached this point in the thread, you should have noticed that:

the posters above whom have made the claim that they have "stopped watching television", have both continued on in their post listing the shows which are exceptions.

all high and mighty with the "TV is evil brainwashing".......with the exception of Family Guy. right?

television is so insidious that even the people that claim to not watch it are watching it!!!! we are trapped!!!

Oh yes I'm absolutely addicted to TV. I can't wait for the day that the powers that be beam subliminal messages through my HDTV and I turn into a zombie. It will have been worth it.

Our society is basically entertainment saturated so it's quite natural to be bored when there isn't some sort of background noise.