Commercials used to be either 30 seconds or one minute, sometimes it was just enough time for a quick trip to the bathroom. Now you have enough time to make a sandwich and yes, there was station identification.
I wonder what he’d have said if they’d said, “We interrupt this program for a special news bulletin,” or, “This is a test of the Emergency Broadcast System. This is only a test.” Or even a real emergency broadcast.
Or as the late Gilbert Godfried said in an infamous October 1999 episode of the game show Hollywood Squares where it took several times to get the last square: “YOU FOOL!”
Ah, I remember the 1960s and the lobbying efforts of the then wannabe cable industry. “Since you’re paying for it, there will be no commercials.” Many of those marketers went on to successful careers in politics.
I’ve paid attention to commercials. In one instance I counted 17 commercials between one part of a program and the next. Also I frequently note that a station will come back from commercial break, run 15 or 30 seconds of programming and then go back to another commercial break. The evening news is a prime example of this.
I’ve also noted that some stations are running 62 minute long programs so they can have another 2 minutes of commercials.
That’s one of the reasons I like Jeopardy. Their commercials are predictable. In the break between Double Jeopardy and Final Jeopardy, I can completely clean up after dinner including taking out the trash.
P.S. I read an article about how a marketing company monitored how many people were watching Super Bowl commercials by measuring the city’s water pressure and correlating it with the schedule.
One of the places I worked piped in a cable ‘cast that for a while was using the same commercials at every break. You know they’re way overdoing an ad when you find yourself getting tired of the sound of Nat King Cole’s voice.
Today, a one-hour broadcast slot contains at least twenty minutes of non-program material. It’s not just commercials, but endless repetitions of promos for upcoming shows.
They still doit, they just don’t announce that they are doing it. Just plaster their logos in front oft he credits you’re trying to read, or just say"You are watching WYZ, Yourtown"…..
Every once in a while, for some reason the tv stations had to remind us what channel we were watching. Just in case we forgot. However my family lived in the Canadian Arctic, and there were only two tv channels; CBC North (English) and Radio-Canada (French) so we were rarely confused about which one we were watching.
The fcc mandates all OVER THE AIR stations ie: non cable channels ( and radio stations identity them selves with there call letter 3 times every hour.If you listen to broadcast radio you will hear them.
Templo S.U.D. over 2 years ago
yeah, Linus?
monkeysky over 2 years ago
I’m not old enough to get this one. Could anyone explain?
Is it that station identification wasn’t really what it was, or was it not brief?
ronaldspence over 2 years ago
brief is in the eye of the remote holder Linus!
yoey1957 over 2 years ago
Commercials used to be either 30 seconds or one minute, sometimes it was just enough time for a quick trip to the bathroom. Now you have enough time to make a sandwich and yes, there was station identification.
mccollunsky over 2 years ago
Linus really wants his movie
Its just me over 2 years ago
My solution is to not watch anything that doesn’t have AdBlock.
therese_callahan2002 over 2 years ago
I wonder what he’d have said if they’d said, “We interrupt this program for a special news bulletin,” or, “This is a test of the Emergency Broadcast System. This is only a test.” Or even a real emergency broadcast.
kelloggs2066 over 2 years ago
Back in those days, kids learned when they were being lied to.
William Bednar Premium Member over 2 years ago
This is one of the main reasons I cut the cord with TV. Too many “back in a minute” breaks that last 4-5 minutes of non stop commercials!
Hamady Sack Premium Member over 2 years ago
Joe Wilson is a jerk.
GerryRoss over 2 years ago
Linus nails it. Again.
Darryl Heine over 2 years ago
Or as the late Gilbert Godfried said in an infamous October 1999 episode of the game show Hollywood Squares where it took several times to get the last square: “YOU FOOL!”
jagedlo over 2 years ago
Notice how the background color changes when Linus erupts!
preacherman Premium Member over 2 years ago
So, this is where Joe Wilson got his start. And who knew that he was also called Linus?
rmercer Premium Member over 2 years ago
Glad I bought that disc player… really cuts down on commercials!
dcdete. over 2 years ago
The station’s identification is ULIE? If this is in the USA wouldn’t the station be WLIE?
Decepticomic over 2 years ago
Before ads on youtube.
dflak over 2 years ago
Ah, I remember the 1960s and the lobbying efforts of the then wannabe cable industry. “Since you’re paying for it, there will be no commercials.” Many of those marketers went on to successful careers in politics.
I’ve paid attention to commercials. In one instance I counted 17 commercials between one part of a program and the next. Also I frequently note that a station will come back from commercial break, run 15 or 30 seconds of programming and then go back to another commercial break. The evening news is a prime example of this.
I’ve also noted that some stations are running 62 minute long programs so they can have another 2 minutes of commercials.
That’s one of the reasons I like Jeopardy. Their commercials are predictable. In the break between Double Jeopardy and Final Jeopardy, I can completely clean up after dinner including taking out the trash.
P.S. I read an article about how a marketing company monitored how many people were watching Super Bowl commercials by measuring the city’s water pressure and correlating it with the schedule.
Ellis97 over 2 years ago
I remember the station identifications for PBS Kids, especially the ones for the shows. They were always fun.
gantech over 2 years ago
“But, man, you’re never going to get any truth from us. We’ll tell you anything you want to hear; we lie like hell!”
DHBirr over 2 years ago
One of the places I worked piped in a cable ‘cast that for a while was using the same commercials at every break. You know they’re way overdoing an ad when you find yourself getting tired of the sound of Nat King Cole’s voice.
Mr.doom over 2 years ago
It should mean that we are taking a show break from the commercials.
Jonathan K. and the Elusive Dream Girl over 2 years ago
Today, a one-hour broadcast slot contains at least twenty minutes of non-program material. It’s not just commercials, but endless repetitions of promos for upcoming shows.
raybarb44 over 2 years ago
Definitely said before the Truth in advertising laws came into effect….
christelisbetty over 2 years ago
They still doit, they just don’t announce that they are doing it. Just plaster their logos in front oft he credits you’re trying to read, or just say"You are watching WYZ, Yourtown"…..
fuzz3942 over 2 years ago
….and about 10 commercials.
JoeMartinFan Premium Member over 2 years ago
“…a brief pause for station identification.” I haven’t heard that in a long time!
Mediatech over 2 years ago
Every once in a while, for some reason the tv stations had to remind us what channel we were watching. Just in case we forgot. However my family lived in the Canadian Arctic, and there were only two tv channels; CBC North (English) and Radio-Canada (French) so we were rarely confused about which one we were watching.
Otis Rufus Driftwood over 2 years ago
And it wasn’t even a news report!
William Stoneham Premium Member over 2 years ago
4 to 8 minutes of commercials is NOT a brief pause.
Rtsundeen823 over 2 years ago
The fcc mandates all OVER THE AIR stations ie: non cable channels ( and radio stations identity them selves with there call letter 3 times every hour.If you listen to broadcast radio you will hear them.