pokesph
It Is Almost Fast
join:2001-06-25
Sacramento, CA
clubs:
 ·Comcast
| Comcast overwriting network ads?
So why is Comcast overlaying their own ads over the various cable network's ads? This, locally anyway, is becoming very annoying.
Anyone else (especially network advertisers) also a bit mad about this practice?
I know that if I paid good money on a national network for ad space and it was stepped on by the local cable co, I would be pissed as hell and looking for my money back.
Your thoughts, comments?
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panth1
The Coyote
join:2000-12-11
Boca Raton, FL | The channels give cable and satellite operators various slots to insert their own local commercials.
The advertisers who buy these slots from the channels know that they may not be seen everywhere and probably pay a lower fee. |
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CableTool
Poorly Representing MYSELF.
Premium
join:2004-11-12
| reply to pokesph
said by pokesph  :So why is Comcast overlaying their own ads over the various cable network's ads? This, locally anyway, is becoming very annoying. Anyone else (especially network advertisers) also a bit mad about this practice? I know that if I paid good money on a national network for ad space and it was stepped on by the local cable co, I would be pissed as hell and looking for my money back. Your thoughts, comments? You have no idea how ad insertion works. No one is getting screwed.
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CableTechs.org/"Horrible People with Integrity" |
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andyross
join:2003-05-04
Schaumburg, IL
| reply to pokesph
This is another reason why the current way 'triple' HD's are sent to headends may not last long. They cannot insert local commercials. You can see it if you watch the SD for an obvious insert (typically a local company or a Comcast ad), then switch to the HD version. |
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pokesph
It Is Almost Fast
join:2001-06-25
Sacramento, CA
clubs:
·Comcast
edit:
May 2nd, @05:46PM
| reply to CableTool
said by CableTool :You have no idea how ad insertion works. No one is getting screwed. Poor ole smiling Bob is..
In fact, I know 'HOW' it works.. it's just I don't like it nor do I think it's right. Really tho, most of the time its some dumb comcast ad.. like we don't already have comcast, so like why are they wasting time/energy preaching to the quire. |
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bicker
join:2007-05-10
Burlington, MA
| CableTool is correct that don't know, as indicated by your messages that implied that Comcast was doing something wrong, and that the national advertisers were getting something less than what they were promised, two things that were patently untrue. |
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maxpower
join:2006-10-09
Providence, RI | reply to pokesph
Who watches commercials anyway? |
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MacLeech
Do you REALLY know what a node is?
Premium,MVM
join:2001-07-14
SoCal
| reply to andyross
said by andyross :This is another reason why the current way 'triple' HD's are sent to headends may not last long. They cannot insert local commercials. What is the "current way" the triple HDs are sent to headends and why does it prevent local commercial insertion? |
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scooby
Premium
join:2001-05-01
Schaumburg, IL | reply to maxpower
said by maxpower :Who watches commercials anyway? +1 |
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andyross
join:2003-05-04
Schaumburg, IL
| reply to MacLeech
For the triple HD's, a master site in Colorado takes the 3, processes them heavily to cram them together, then sends them back up to a satellite. Local headends downloads the feed, modulates it to a local frequency for distribution, and assigns channel numbers to each subchannel.
As far as I know, since they just pass on the feed, they can't break into an individual channel to put in local ads. For most regular channels, each is received individually and put together locally, so they can override as needed.
You can double-check by comparing the HD and SD feeds. On SciFi, it seems as if it's often a Progressive or some other insurance ad that's often overriden. Here in Chicago, they are typically ads for Luna Carpets, or Comcast ads with the Slowsky's. |
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Roche1972
join:2008-02-22
| reply to pokesph
When I used to have Comcast, I noticed the ad insertions too. Now I have Verizon FiOS TV and instead of seeing the same local ads and Comcast ads I used to see on Comcast, I now see other local ads and ads for Verizon products and services. So I have gone from the Slowsky ads to the "Can you hear me now" guy ads. So I guess all cable and telco companies do this on most national cable channels except premium channels. I'm not sure if satellite companies like DirecTV and Dish Network do the same thing to plug their services on national cable channels but they probably do as well. It's all about money and promoting their own businesses as well as showing ads for local businesses which is more money in the pockets of the cable and telco companies. I believe that capitalism is good. |
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atlanta boy
@comcast.net
| said by Roche1972 :It's all about money and promoting their own businesses as well as showing ads for local businesses which is more money in the pockets of the cable and telco companies. I believe that capitalism is good. Yes capitalism is good. It brings the most prosperity to the most people. Just ask the growing middle class people in China and India, which finally broke out of their prolonged malaise under socialism/central government planning.
As far as telecos and cable companies getting more money in their pockets from their local ads, more power to them. It helps to keep the annual price increases from going even higher. |
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PaulieORF
join:2001-04-15
Southington, CT | reply to pokesph
I moved to an area serviced by Cox, and we have local ad insertion on HD channels that are simulcasts of SD channels, like ESPN HD, NESN HD, CSN HD, CNN HD, TNT HD, and so on. |
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mod_wastrel
join:2008-03-28 | reply to maxpower
Local Comcast commercials are hard to miss: they're 2 or 3 times LOUDER than the commercials before and after them (in my area anyway). |
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moonpuppy
join:2000-08-21
Glen Burnie, MD
 ·Verizon Online DSL
| said by mod_wastrel :Local Comcast commercials are hard to miss: they're 2 or 3 times LOUDER than the commercials before and after them (in my area anyway). They aren't "louder" but are mixed to hit the high levels more often.
It's not so much they insert their own ads but it's the same ad done 2 or 3 times in a row. Doesn't Comcast have anything original?  |
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bicker
join:2007-05-10
Burlington, MA | What would be the benefit, in monetary terms? What evidence do you have that your preference would improve the bottom line? |
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myosh
join:2001-05-03
Cupertino, CA
·Pacific Bell - SBC
edit:
May 7th, @03:38PM
| reply to pokesph
My problem with the insertion of local ads by Comcast occurs when I'm watching the Weather Channel. Ads are inserted during local forcasts, national forcasts, severe weather alerts and pre-recorded programs (like Storm Stories). I find it really disturbing when ads are inserted during severe weather alerts and I hope people's lives aren't endangered because Comcast decides it needs to insert one of their silly ads. For example:
"Welcome to Weather Center. We have severe weather today near Topeka, Kansas. In fact multiple torna... (stupid Comcast music) Get TV, Phone and Internet for only $99/month by signing up for our triple play package! It's Comcastic! ...but in L.A., it's going to be a warm, sunny 81 today." I realize that someone's timing is off whether it's the Weather Channel or Comcast but because the Weather Channel provides an important service like covering severe weather as it's happening, maybe Comcast shouldn't be inserting their own ads on this channel. |
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celeritypc
For Lucky Best Wash, Use Mr. Sparkle
Premium
join:2004-05-15
Caldwell, NJ | Keep in mind that the programmer, not Comcast determines when the local ads are run. The programmer sends out a tone to signal the equipment on the cable operator's end to run. Sometimes, the offset is wrong or the programmer otherwise screws up. |
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CableTool
Poorly Representing MYSELF.
Premium
join:2004-11-12 | lets not confuse the issue....  |
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bicker
join:2007-05-10
Burlington, MA
edit:
May 7th, @06:24PM
| reply to myosh
said by myosh :I hope people's lives aren't endangered because Comcast decides it needs to insert one of their silly ads. Comcast doesn't "decide" to insert advertising during such alert. Rather, the insertion of advertising onto the Weather Channel is done on a schedule, provided by Weather Channel, in accordance with its carriage agreement with Comcast (and all other service providers for that matter).
said by myosh :I realize that someone's timing is off whether it's the Weather Channel or Comcast but because the Weather Channel provides an important service like covering severe weather as it's happening, maybe Comcast shouldn't be inserting their own ads on this channel. How much extra is everyone in your town willing to pay each month to provide for that? Both the cable company and the Weather Channel are businesses, not charities. The cable company already provides EBS support. That is all they should be expected to do to support such issues. The fact that a for profit commercial channel like the Weather Channel chooses to become an additional source for such information is up to the Weather Channel, and so the ramifications of their providing advertising insertion as a standard part of their doing business is therefore their responsibility. The service providers do their part; the Weather Channel needs to do its part -- OR NOT, if they don't consider what you're worried about to be important (which is probably the case). |
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