BEATING A DEAD HORSE

Hi ………

The reality of the situation is that almost all television stations depend solely on income derived from commercials. I can accept that fact. I also understand that the costs involved in producing most professionally orchestrated commercials border on astronomical, (just look at the expense of having a 30 second spot during the Super Bowl, or other major event.)

My angst, however, is aroused by both the frequency and the timing of commercials. The old adage, “redundancy is worth repeating” seems to ring true when it comes to the pitching of the same product, two or even three times within a 10 minute period. The implied message from the sponsor is that you didn’t really hear what we had to say the first time, was too occupied to pay attention, or just too dumb to grasp what is being hawked! Auto dealerships, pharmaceutical companies, diet plans, and window replacement firms appear to have a monopoly on duplicating chatter.

There are other things I dislike about television ads. Did you ever notice how the volume increases during the commercials? How about some of the disgusting local (and presumptively funny), homemade variety of commercials? (There is one with a bulldog that talks to his customers---cute? no, stupid, yes.) Another annoying issue, in my opinion, sponsors actually tempts you into viewing the main program by holding off the barrage of ads for the first 15 or 20 minutes. By the time the first commercial appears they gotcha! Subsequent commercial spots then are forthcoming about every 6 minutes. This alone is bad enough, but with each passing segment of the program, the number and length of ads increases.

With the Writers Union strike now ended, we can hopefully view new shows, (at least until another possible threatened walkout by a different union sometime this month). Do we have to tolerate the Beating a Dead Horse ---in your face, here we go again, concoction of irritating, redundant, and long-winded babble? I guess we have little choice. To be honest with you, I intentionally avoid purchasing the product if I am subjected to Madison Avenues’ benign version of telemarketing brainwashing!

              - The Clutterman

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