Commercial times, then and now... (1 Viewer)

[DeathStar1]

I couldn't help but laugh at this...

I'm watching a tape of Lets Make a Deal that was recorded during the Week. Monty says, "We'll be back after this commercial one minute from now..."

Not only do the prizes and prices date the show, but the commercial times do as well. Does ANYONE have a minute commercial break anymore?

 

[Travis Hedger]

With TiVo, my commercial breaks last about 3 seconds as I use my 30 second skip button.

 

[ThomasC]

Huh? I thought TiVo could automatically skip the commercials, instead of having you press a button to skip them. Are you talking about watching it when it's broadcast, or when it's recorded?

Anyways, I don't think I've ever heard anyone say "We'll be back in 30 seconds (or any other measure of time)."

 

[Derek Miner]

Anyways, I don't think I've ever heard anyone say "We'll be back in 30 seconds (or any other measure of time)."

What about good 'ol Chuck Woolery telling us we'll be back to Love Connection "in two and two"? (Which I assume meant two minutes and two seconds)

In case you're curious to compare, an hour drama in 1960 was about 50 minutes in length. In 2000, it was about 44 minutes, and in some cases, less (I've regularly seen Buffy the Vampire Slayer episodes run less than 43 minutes).

 

[ThomasC]

What about good 'ol Chuck Woolery telling us we'll be back to Love Connection "in two and two"?

I didn't watch Love Connection. The show started the year I was born, thus I was 11 when it ended...I was too immature to watch something like that.

 

[Robert Ringwald]

My So Called Life ran about 47 minutes on average.
that was 1994-1995 season
Around 2000 or so, shows appeared about 43-45 on average.

Just last year or so they began to run an average 42 minutes...

in the year 3000 we'll tune in to watch the commercials, followed by 5 minute "show" breaks ever fifteen minutes.

 

[Wayne Bundrick]

What about good 'ol Chuck Woolery telling us we'll be back to Love Connection "in two and two"? (Which I assume meant two minutes and two seconds)

I think it means two national commercials (commercials sold by Love Connection and included as part of the show when they send it to TV stations) followed by two local commercials (sold by the TV stations). With each commercial being 30 seconds, that's two minutes total, which sounds about right for an old show. Four minutes of commercials is ridiculous but of course they seem to happen all the time these days.

 

[John Thomas]

...when did these "subliminal commercials" come into existence? That's what I call these 5, 10 or 15 second commercials that are basically popping the brand name on the screen to make you desire it right then. I know it's been going on for awhile; but I thought that it was mandatory for commercials to be at least 30 seconds.

 

[Scott Leopold]

The "2 & 2" on Love Connection referred to "two minutes, two seconds". Chuck used both terms earlier on in the series, but in later years more often just said "2 & 2", I'm guessing since most regular watchers knew what he meant. I actually thought about that nostalgically the other night (I think about 3 weeks ago) while watching Letterman, right in the middle of an 8 minute commercial break (went to commercial at 12:19, came back right after the clock switched to 12:28).

 

[Joel Mack]

Huh? I thought TiVo could automatically skip the commercials,

Nope. AFAIK, TiVo has never had an automatic commercial-skip (at least mine never has). I think ReplayTV offers something like that, though...

 

[Glenn L]

Tivo does have a hidden 30-second skip feature, you just have to enable it.

 

[Jeff Jacobson]

Don't forget about the commercials they show DURING the program. (Like that really annoying "Joe Millionare" one at the bottom of the screen on Fox shows.)

 

[Derek Miner]

but I thought that it was mandatory for commercials to be at least 30 seconds.

Where I work, we have commercials of :10, :15, and network promotions in :20 lenghts. Very, very common.

 

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

We’ve been watching Rockford Files reruns (from the mid-to-late-late 70s) on WGN lately, and lemme tell ya, the commercial breaks are short! I barely have time to run to the bathroom and back before the show’s back on. Two commercials, and they’re done.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[Chris_Morris]

The "2 & 2" on Love Connection referred to "two minutes, two seconds".

I'm too young to remember the early shows, I always thought he was saying 2 in 2 meaning 2 people in 2 minutes.

Chris

 

[Ken Chan]

ReplayTV has both automatic Commercial Advance and 30-second skip, but no rollback after fast-forward like TiVo.

//Ken