most of them are now 30 seconds long so they can cram more of them into each commercial break. what’s really annoying is when they run the same ads every break – and sometimes more than once on a break. good thing i watch most shows after recording them and just zip through the ads.
I agree Linus, commer ials suck. Avoid them at all cost by watching and listening to recorded programs. Just my opinion, I don’t need people constantly yelling at me to buy, buy, buy-spend, spend, spend.
I’ve learned to hit the mute button on my remote the millisecond that a show is going on break. It’s an art to do it right, and I can even do it when I’m napping and 1/4 listening to the show.
I like a few commercials…..the one with the dog worrying about it’s bone (the ins. co with the umbrella) and the afflac duck. Any commercial that makes me laugh but I usually never remember the brand being sponsered. I just block that part out I guess.
Still waiting for the day when I’ll hear on TV…“We interrupt this annoying commercial to bring you the already planned program.” That will never happen.
Try going to Youtube & watching some of the commercials from the 50’s – 60’s and they are quite enjoyable, but the commercials today are just so annoying all I want to do is throw the remote at the TV Screen. It’s a good thing I have a PVR as I never watch anything live and fast forward through the commercials.
Sad thing is that as network TV viewership drops, the networks’ solution seems to be to add more and more commercial time to the hour. Thereby driving us away. I still have a wonderful Sony VCR that records the program, then goes back, marks the commercials, and skips them automatically during playback. Interestingly Sony stopped selling that feature after a year or two, long before the DVR came out. (’Course, VCR playback looks a little fuzzy on my HDTV… sigh.)
The lawyers and gold-mongers are hitting us with two 15 second commercials in each ad block here in San Antonio; one at the start and one at the end. Can’t get to the mute button fast enought block the 1st, but the silent-second marks the show’s about to start again.
That’s why I’d rather watch DVDs. But they’re before Linus’s time. At least when Linus was small, commercials were Speedy Alka-Seltzer, and Mrs.Olsen and Folger’s coffee, plus the cereal prizes and toys.
Commercials have gotten shorter – the standard length now is 30 seconds rather than a minute – but the length of commercial breaks has gotten longer. Currently you get just over 45 minutes of show in an hour down from 50 minutes or more when this strip was done. And that doesn’t even count product placements in shows.
It gets even worse. Video-streaming sites like YouTube used to let you watch without ads, but now they run them in front of YouTube videos. They even put them in video podcasts on iTunes!
pouncingtiger over 13 years ago
Most commercials are like that these days.
gimmickgenius over 13 years ago
It only gets worse, Linus.
BigChiefDesoto over 13 years ago
That shows the age of this comic strip! From back when they really were ONLY two minutes long!!
yyyguy over 13 years ago
most of them are now 30 seconds long so they can cram more of them into each commercial break. what’s really annoying is when they run the same ads every break – and sometimes more than once on a break. good thing i watch most shows after recording them and just zip through the ads.
tripwire45 over 13 years ago
It’s one of the reasons I don’t watch TV anymore.
pthought over 13 years ago
I agree Linus, commer ials suck. Avoid them at all cost by watching and listening to recorded programs. Just my opinion, I don’t need people constantly yelling at me to buy, buy, buy-spend, spend, spend.
NE1956 over 13 years ago
I’ve learned to hit the mute button on my remote the millisecond that a show is going on break. It’s an art to do it right, and I can even do it when I’m napping and 1/4 listening to the show.
Doctor11 over 13 years ago
A lot of commercials tend to be either just over the top or outright annoying, and they’re either just plain too long or too short, too.
GROG Premium Member over 13 years ago
The commercial breaks feel like 10 minutes long these days.
jimgamer over 13 years ago
But some kids like tv commercials !!!!!
Darryl Heine over 13 years ago
What about 30 minute TV informercials?
Kathe over 13 years ago
I like a few commercials…..the one with the dog worrying about it’s bone (the ins. co with the umbrella) and the afflac duck. Any commercial that makes me laugh but I usually never remember the brand being sponsered. I just block that part out I guess.
spirit2002 over 13 years ago
Still waiting for the day when I’ll hear on TV…“We interrupt this annoying commercial to bring you the already planned program.” That will never happen.
georgelanigan over 13 years ago
Try going to Youtube & watching some of the commercials from the 50’s – 60’s and they are quite enjoyable, but the commercials today are just so annoying all I want to do is throw the remote at the TV Screen. It’s a good thing I have a PVR as I never watch anything live and fast forward through the commercials.
Number Three over 13 years ago
I know what you mean…
LOL xxx
john.barber over 13 years ago
Sad thing is that as network TV viewership drops, the networks’ solution seems to be to add more and more commercial time to the hour. Thereby driving us away. I still have a wonderful Sony VCR that records the program, then goes back, marks the commercials, and skips them automatically during playback. Interestingly Sony stopped selling that feature after a year or two, long before the DVR came out. (’Course, VCR playback looks a little fuzzy on my HDTV… sigh.)
GESWho over 13 years ago
What about the 30 Minute “Infomercials” that seem about 2 weeks too long…?
littlejeff over 13 years ago
The lawyers and gold-mongers are hitting us with two 15 second commercials in each ad block here in San Antonio; one at the start and one at the end. Can’t get to the mute button fast enought block the 1st, but the silent-second marks the show’s about to start again.
REDROCKER51 over 13 years ago
IF THEY DIDN’T HAVE COMMERCIALS, NO ONE WILL BE ABLE TO COMPLAIN…AND THAT’S JUST NOT RIGHT…LOL
iced tea over 13 years ago
That’s why I’d rather watch DVDs. But they’re before Linus’s time. At least when Linus was small, commercials were Speedy Alka-Seltzer, and Mrs.Olsen and Folger’s coffee, plus the cereal prizes and toys.
bmckee over 13 years ago
Commercials have gotten shorter – the standard length now is 30 seconds rather than a minute – but the length of commercial breaks has gotten longer. Currently you get just over 45 minutes of show in an hour down from 50 minutes or more when this strip was done. And that doesn’t even count product placements in shows.
jestrfyl over 13 years ago
Must be election season.
boldyuma over 13 years ago
I miss Hal Riney’s commercials(Bartle & James wine
coolers, Henry Weinhard beer)…Thoughtful humor with
him speaking in his gentle voice..
bjolley over 13 years ago
Have you ever taken a bathroom break during a commercial only fo find out that you missed an important part of the program when you returned?
DerkinsVanPelt218 over 13 years ago
It gets even worse. Video-streaming sites like YouTube used to let you watch without ads, but now they run them in front of YouTube videos. They even put them in video podcasts on iTunes!
roblox605 over 13 years ago
comerccals can be very long sometimes,Linus.
rgcviper over 13 years ago
Especially all those medicine ads that seem to list more possible side effects than benefits …
ghretighoti over 13 years ago
About the loud car commercials: I just mute them and vow to myself that I will never buy a car from that dealership.
ccisv1 over 13 years ago
Back in those days commercial time was much cheaper to purchase.
hihigirl about 13 years ago
scared of 3-minute commercials, Linus?