Last Four Tweets:

1. Monday, January 25th, 9:49 ET

   Are Networks Tricking DVR’s Into Recording Later Airings?

   I’ve noticed lately that many of the shows I record on my DVR are recording the airing from 2 or 3am the morning after the original broadcast. I couldn’t understand why, if I set my DVR to record all new episodes and I know that the new episode is on at 8pm, would it record the 3am showing?

   Because that’s the airing marked, in the digital on-screen guide, as New. So, as far as my DVR knows, that is the new episode. Over the last several months this has been happening more and more often. It’s always on 2nd tier network like Food Network, Discovery, etc, but never on the big three networks.

   Now, I have no idea why this is happening, but I have a sneaking suspicion that it has something to do with advertisements.

   The only difference between the two recording is this: if I were watching the first broadcast, at 8pm, I would be fast forwarding through ads for GE washing machines, BMWs and those fancy new Samsung LED televisions. If I’m watching the 3am airing, I’m fast forwarding through the Slap Chop, sexy singes party lines and Gallagher’s 2000, some join in Queens for upscale gentlemen.

   The point is, if I’m going to skip through commercials, wouldn’t the networks rather I threaten the advertising strategies of the As-Seen-On-TV guys over the big brand advertisers? And, really, what’s the difference to me anyway? If I’m recording the show, I probably wasn’t going to watch it that night anyway. So why not record it a few hours later?

   You could argue, “Why bother,” because it wouldn’t make a difference anyway. Either way I’m not watching the commercials in the 8pm airing. However, by shifting DVR viewers to a later showing, the network can boast more accurate numbers to their advertisers. Accurate, live, commercial-watching viewers. Don’t worry about those DVR people - they’re skipping through the Slap Chop, not your BMW.

   Then again, maybe the digital guide is just wrong. Maybe the schedule was submitted incorrectly to the cable company.

   Comments
   • Tagged:
   • advertising
   • television
   • dvr
   • networks
   • slap chop
   • bmw
   • gallagher's 2000
   • lcd
   • samsung
   • ge
   • ads

Andrew Baisley

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General thoughts about the industry I work in, my life in New York City, the music I'm listening to and links to websites that I find interesting.

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