Have Americans got short attention spans or why do they need so many adds in there TV

AMKC · 08-03-2021 11:29PM #1

Programs and shows?

Dr. Bre · 08-03-2021 11:30PM

Australia also . Adds every 2 minutes

Hurrache · 08-03-2021 11:32PM

Money, so networks rake in the money, that's it.

retalivity · 08-03-2021 11:33PM

They could do with subtracting a few alright. Just multiplies problems and causes division

EmmetSpiceland · 08-03-2021 11:33PM

No one enjoys ads.

buried · 08-03-2021 11:39PM

You only noticed this now? Their whole society is founded on the works of Edward Bernays and that lad was slithered out in 1891.

OneEightSeven · 08-03-2021 11:53PM

More ads = more money.

We Europeans like to regulate things for quality control.

AMKC · 08-03-2021 11:59PM

buried wrote: »

You only noticed this now? Their whole society is founded on the works of Edward Bernays and that lad was slithered out in 1891.

No I always knew about it. It's just the amount of them do ever 10 minutes. Am watching the Oprah with Harry and Meghan interview and then another break 5 minutes later crazy.

Harry Palmr · 09-03-2021 12:04AM

I think the ad breaks thing as we now know it developed when sport ("sports") became a big draw on TV - a "play" would last a few minutes at most and then a pause which is time for a 30-60 second break

DubLad69 · 09-03-2021 12:06AM

It's strange alright. I'm watching that Royal Family interview now. And it seems as though it was recorded in a way to allow ad breaks every 7 minutes.

The DayDream · 09-03-2021 12:06AM

Boards have some bitterness towards the yanks bloody hell everything is because of some american stereotype on here.

The ads are annoying but it's not to do with attention spans, it's to do with money.

Ever think about how they don't have to pay a TV license over there to pay the salaries if untalented planks like Tubridy? Most people have pay channels but there are about a dozen free channels that have way, way better programming than the garbage on RTE, including lots of live sport.

I'd rather sit through some ads (or get up and do something else when they're on, or record the shows and fast forward through them), then pay for the 'terms and conditions of living in Ireland.' which ive never paid anyway.

The ads here and in the UK are no treat. Sure there are less but you can't watch sport without a million ads trying to turn you into a responsible gambling addict.

Or else it's, 'Get em up there, girls!' which you would never see over there in a daytime ad.

Atlantic Dawn · 09-03-2021 12:07AM

Typically an hour of TV here will go to an hour and a half over there, not far off unwatchable.

Harry Palmr · 09-03-2021 12:11AM

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

Typically an hour of TV here will go to an hour and a half over there, not far off unwatchable.

On those rare occasions that the BBC buys in an American network comedy they always put two back to back as they only last 20 minutes including credits. Actually it works quite well.

drake70 · 09-03-2021 12:13AM

While the quantity of ad breaks is annoying, why do they feel the need to recap the previous segment after an ad break in documentaries.

Harry Palmr · 09-03-2021 12:15AM

Ah now it's time for Mitchell and Webb (the Americans love this sketch on youtube as it speaks to them)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MFtl2XXnUc

Snotty · 09-03-2021 12:16AM

The DayDream wrote: »

The ads are annoying but it's not to do with attention spans, it's to do with money.

Pretty sure there have been a lot of studies done and it is attention span, its one of the reason the popular American televised sports are so different to European counterpart, 30-45 minutes of continuous action is not what the public want.

AMKC · 09-03-2021 01:27AM

The Harry and Meghan interview thing was actually very good. Learned a lot from it. Certainly not a life I would enjoy. It looks great but no real freedom mo thanks. Stuck in the house for 4 months and only got out twice and this was before Covid by the way. No wonder she had the dark thoughts and contemplated suicide. Would have been so sad but I actually think there was some in the institution that is Westminster that wanted that to happen. Disgusting if that is so. Glad all is good with them now. They are much happier now and it shows.

Strumms · 09-03-2021 02:31AM

Corporate culture is more of a thing to worship over there.

They even have the half time of sports events ‘sponsored’...and periods / halves of games brought to you by xxxxx

Some years ago there was a lobby wanting 3 periods a la ice hockey, in soccer so more advertising could be aimed at people... three thirty minute periods, five / ten and five minute breaks...

Imagine here, you are at dalymount and an announcement... this corner kick is sponsored by Brennan’s Bread, today’s bread today... please just fûck off...

The corporate Nazi wankbags will soon be looking to program every skybox so you can’t change the channel at an add break unless you’ve watched the first two adds... you just know it’s been mentioned at meetings...

murpho999 · 09-03-2021 02:55AM

Dr. Bre wrote: »

Australia also . Adds every 2 minutes

Are you sure you're not watching a science channel with all this addition they're doing?

wandererz · 09-03-2021 03:10AM

So, what do you prefer?

Complaining about RTE or complaining about US TV?

Has the OP Neva Eva watched a US show, documentary etc?

If you think you have, then please do so again, this time using a VPN located in the US.

You will soon learn to love the Ads.!

Tell me how · 09-03-2021 03:10AM

drake70 wrote: »

While the quantity of ad breaks is annoying, why do they feel the need to recap the previous segment after an ad break in documentaries.

Filler I expect.

Last 30 seconds before the ad is a bait to try to ensure you don't leave. 'If they don't work this out, their whole project could be in jeopardy.'
First 30 seconds after the ad, recap the previous segment as you say. All of these portions are filled with already seen footage meaning less footage has to be produced.

Or maybe they have worked out that people channel hop during commercials and that commercials largely overlap and so they try to grasp someone who lands on their channel as they show resumes.

All US media is about eyeballs. Even when you attend shows or sporting events, there is someone vying for your attention all. the. time. The 'natives' seem to be accustomed to it but it is the epitome of commercialization. No wonder streaming services initially stole a march on them. That wheel is turning with the networks first launching their own platforms and now, I understand ads being introduced on them also.

Quantum Erasure · 09-03-2021 03:34AM

Coming up after the break: a recap of what you've just watched

moonage · 09-03-2021 04:29AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_htZmctK0M

Peregrinus · 09-03-2021 04:32AM

AMKC wrote: »

Programs and shows?

Because the only reason they bother with programs and shows at all is so that they have an audience for the ads. The ads are the point of the whole thing.

NeuralNetwork · 09-03-2021 04:43AM

There are plenty of ad free / low advert frequency channels in the USA too, but they’re subscription based.

We just regulate free to air tv more and confine the ads to every 15 minutes and public service tv is subsided or entirely funded from the licence fee.

Also product placement is much more regulated here. If you’ve ever noticed American talk-show hosts name drop products, it’s not cultural, it’s paid for.

fritzelly · 09-03-2021 04:49AM

It's because...

...what was the question?

Tell me how · 09-03-2021 05:18AM

fritzelly wrote: »

It's because...

...what was the question?

Come back after the break to find out...

Princess Consuela Bananahammock · 09-03-2021 05:19AM

Apaprently, they show 14 - 17 mins of ads per hour in the US depensing on network. Source.

In the UK, Ofcom have set the limit at 12.

Dunno if there was a causation link between short attention spans and ads, but I remember reading some time ago there was a proven link between short attention spans and excessive tv generally.

Unless you stream (and who doesn't these days?!)

Wanderer78 · 09-03-2021 06:40AM

AMKC wrote:

Programs and shows?

'Manufacturing consent'!

fergiesfolly · 09-03-2021 07:37AM

Americans have no issue watching hour long shows on Netflix and the like, so the attention span thing is a bit of a condescending stereotype.
Their homemade tv shows are built around having multiple ad breaks but for a non american, it's painful to watch.

09-03-2021 11:23AM

But why would you think that about the audience simply because the TV companies are all commercial profit motivated businesses? The cost of broadcasting across a single country the size of Europe must be astronomical compared to a single country the size of Ireland. Sure someone has to come up with the cameraman's salary every week, don't they? Fart and moan all you want about ads, but the woman who goes in and cleans the jacks is entitled to a paycheck too and it has to come from somewhere.

Have Americans got short attention spans or why do they need so many adds in there TV

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