Court TV so totally blows

[mardigras]

They used to flex their commercial breaks around what was going on in the courtroom. Now they go to break at times that are etched in stone, a mandatory repeat of the day's news headlines at the top of the hour, etc. regardless of what's happening live. Just now while the defense was getting a policeman to admit purgery in the Mississippi KKK murder trial, the music starts and they go to break. As usual in such instances by the time they came back the witness was off the stand.

What if the regular news channels had adopted this model and right in the middle of GWB announcing plans to attack Iraq they suddenly went to a commercial promoting their latest show?

[Matt 26z]

They go to commercial at exciting points because they know everyone is watching.

[StuBradley]

But Nancy Gray is so open minded.

[digga]

id rather they cut to something during a gwb speech. it would save us all the unbearable task of trying to decipher what the hell he is talking about.

[Barefootsies]

Originally Posted by mardigras

They used to flex their commercial breaks around what was going on in the courtroom. Now they go to break at times that are etched in stone, a mandatory repeat of the day's news headlines at the top of the hour, etc. regardless of what's happening live. Just now while the defense was getting a policeman to admit purgery in the Mississippi KKK murder trial, the music starts and they go to break. As usual in such instances by the time they came back the witness was off the stand.

What if the regular news channels had adopted this model and right in the middle of GWB announcing plans to attack Iraq they suddenly went to a commercial promoting their latest show?

There are certain laws some channels have/do follow. In regards to breaks, station ID's (bottom/top of hour), etc. Some of these same things apply for commercial radio.

As for the rest, I'll leave it to corporate greed, and the MTV 15/15.. that's 15 minutes of commercial, for 15 minutes of programming.

[mardigras]

Originally Posted by Barefootsies

There are certain laws some channels have/do follow. In regards to breaks, station ID's (bottom/top of hour), etc. Some of these same things apply for commercial radio.

As for the rest, I'll leave it to corporate greed, and the MTV 15/15.. that's 15 minutes of commercial, for 15 minutes of programming.

I was in broadcasting for a decade. The only hourly legal requirement a station has is to broadcast the callsign hourly and everywhere I worked that translated into sometime between 4 minutes before and 4 minutes after the top of the hour. That gives the station flexibility (so they don't have to break away for ID while covering a touchdown during a local game)

Broadcast rules don't apply to cable channels anyway. This was the decision of someone who calls the financial shots for Court TV. They guarantee an advertiser that their commercial will be seen at 4:20PM and it will be shown at 4:20PM.

Then again, Court TV went from being a news channel to being an entertainment channel several years ago. When it hits 3PM (PT) regardless of what is going on in court they always dump it for for old cop shows.

[Barefootsies]

Originally Posted by mardigras

I was in broadcasting for a decade. The only hourly legal requirement a station has is to broadcast the callsign hourly and everywhere I worked that translated into sometime between 4 minutes before and 4 minutes after the top of the hour. That gives the station flexibility (so they don't have to break away for ID while covering a touchdown during a local game)

Broadcast rules don't apply to cable channels anyway. This was the decision of someone who calls the financial shots for Court TV. They guarantee an advertiser that their commercial will be seen at 4:20PM and it will be shown at 4:20PM.

Then again, Court TV went from being a news channel to being an entertainment channel several years ago. When it hits 3PM (PT) regardless of what is going on in court they always dump it for for old cop shows.

I know some of the rules for public (i.e. networks versus cable) were a bit off, so thank you for the clarifications.

As for the rest, very true. How many times over the year have you changed the channel from one annoying ass commercial, just to see it on three more channel hops.

[mardigras]

Originally Posted by Barefootsies

I know some of the rules for public (i.e. networks versus cable) were a bit off, so thank you for the clarifications.

As for the rest, very true. How many times over the year have you changed the channel from one annoying ass commercial, just to see it on three more channel hops.

When I'm watching coverage of a live trial I would be cool with them playing 20 minutes of commercials in a row if the court is in recess.

I sent them feedback that they should stop covering trials live and just hack and pack them up into advertiser approved hour long chunks at their convenience. Haven't heard back from them

Wouldn't even bitch if it wasn't such a newsworthy case. All other news organizations break their formats when there is news going on.

[Theodor S. Geisel]

Originally Posted by mardigras

When I'm watching coverage of a live trial I would be cool with them playing 20 minutes of commercials in a row if the court is in recess.

I sent them feedback that they should stop covering trials live and just hack and pack them up into advertiser approved hour long chunks at their convenience. Haven't heard back from them

Wouldn't even bitch if it wasn't such a newsworthy case. All other news organizations break their formats when there is news going on.

Court TV isn't really a "news" channel. "News" channels have "news" programs that feature unbiased reporters. The top reporters for Court TV are not unbiased. Of the top reporters/anchors, the ones that are biased are: Nancy Grace, Kimberly Guilfoyle Newson, Diane Dimond, Catherine Crier, and... wait, all of them. :P

Don't get me wrong, I thought Nancy was hilarious for ridiculing Jacko, but she doesn't belong on CNNHN.