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Why I Like Commercials
October 31, 2007

Like a growing number of television viewers, I have become a DVR junkie.

When I get home at night and am finally ready to (kind of) relax in front of the set, I do a quick scan of what’s on. Tuesday night, I was happy to find the B&C Hall of Fame dinner about to start on NYC TV in two minutes. Even though I had attended that star-studded TV industry event in person, I wanted to see how it comes off as just a TV event in itself. (It was good. Better than the original, in some ways)

Before the event (run by our sister publication, Broadcasting & Cable) even started, I had hit the record button on my remote control, so it would be stored, in case I wanted to watch it again or found some other use for it.

And when it was done, I hit the DVR button and went back to an episode of CSI:Miami from the night before. I had hit record about five minutes into that show and gone to bed.

So I settled in and watched it straight through. Didn’t fast-forward through the commercials. Maybe I’m lazy.

Or maybe not. I like to work a computer in front of the set. And catch up on my (print) reading as well. The stack of papers and magazines was pretty high.

The only way to catch up is to read and watch. But you can’t read and keep up with CSI.

So that’s why I like commercials: They’re pods of time where you can let your mind concentrate on other things. In the old days, it was time to go to the refrigerator or the bathroom. Those are valid now too. But multitasking – keeping up with the real or perceived demands for one’s time and attention – is the real draw.

Now, I know the sponsors want my undivided attention. And I want television to not just survive, but thrive.

Which means actually watching the commercials. Not regarding commercial time, as my time, which is what I basically do.

Still, in multitak mode, watching ads does in fact happen. Not as often as advertisers would like. But at least I know Dr. Robert Jarvik, the artificial heart guy, believes it’s okay to take a cholesterol-fighting statin (Lipitor) every day. I may not agree with him, but I’ve listened closely to his pitch, several times. My ears do still keep scanning the sound waves for products and services that might be in my areas of interest, at any given moment.

Divided attention is better than no attention.

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Posted by Tom Steinert-Threlkeld on October 31, 2007 | Comments (4)