“If I watch one more TV commercial, I swear I will break the TV!” We are sure that we all have gone through this at some point in our lives while watching our favorite show on cable. Is something wrong going on here? Why are we shown only 50% of the TV show and the rest is all commercials? Let us get to the answer.
Cable companies are just a delivery service. They do not earn a single penny from advertising by showing commercials on TV. In fact, all the ads you watch on TV are owned by the show’s broadcaster, who funded or purchased the programs you watch on TV. They sell the advertisement spots to overcome their investment and earn a profit while offering us their show for free.
Let us answer a few more frequently asked questions related to cable TV commercials.
The History Of Commercials
According to an advertisement report, the commercials that were 14 minutes and 10 seconds long showed per hour on TV on broadcast networks in 2013 rose up from 13 minutes and 20 seconds in 2009. However, the length of these commercials on cable TV is even longer, summing up to 15 minutes and 35 seconds each hour. In 2009, these commercials on cable TV used to be 14 minutes and 28 seconds long.
Did Cable TV Always Show Commercials?
Back in the 1940s, cable TV was introduced as a free service, bringing home the regular on-air broadcast channels with a constant clear picture. Commercials had nothing to do with the distribution of the broadcast signals through cable, as they were related to the original package. However, the cable companies promised TV without commercials in 1975, but it could not last long as this exploitation came without the government’s regulation.
Why Are There So Many Commercials On Cable TV?
Media companies are adding more and more commercials to cable TV, as the show sponsors are becoming more sensitive to the price increases. Therefore, the reason why more and more people are canceling their cable subscriptions is not because of commercials but because of increased prices to show ads by the media companies.
Why Do You See The Same Commercials Over And Over?
As we know, cable TV itself does not have any ads, but the show’s broadcaster owns them. However, cable TV companies are required to pass all programming intact, including commercials. Within their DMAs (Designated Market Areas), broadcast stations have the legal right to be carried on cable systems. So, when you see a commercial repeating during a TV show, it is because its programming is done that way by the broadcaster’s end and not because of the cable company.
Watch this short video to learn why cable TV is getting pricey day by day:
Is There Anything You Can Do?
Unfortunately, if you want to stick to watching your favorite programs on cable TV, there is nothing much you can do about stopping commercials. However, switching to paid streaming services like Netflix, Hotstar, etc., is a great way to get rid of ads, as all these streamer services do not have advertisements in their premium versions.
