Remote-Free TV Is (Probably) Over

[charmingslayer]

Fox's "remote free TV" effort this year--which drastically cuts advertising time in two new prime-time shows, "Fringe" and "Dollhouse"--is not likely to continue next season.


According to a production executive close to the network, Fox will probably be ending the practice. "Financially, it wasn't viable," says the executive. "It was a noble experiment; viewers enjoyed it." A Fox spokeswoman had no comment.

Under the "remote free TV" banner, which Fox announced during last year's upfront event in New York City, "Fringe" and "Dollhouse" have witnessed a 50% cut in national TV advertising inventory--from 10 minutes per hour to five minutes. The effort was undertaken to keep viewers on Fox rather than switching to other channels.

Media agency executives had complained for decades about growing non-program clutter--national and local advertising as well as on-air promos for TV shows. Agencies and marketers roundly applauded Fox's move last year.

Last fall, Fox released results showing that advertisers that have participated in Fox's efforts for "Fringe" did see higher recall for their ads. Before each commercial break, Fox alerted viewers that upcoming commercial breaks had been shortened. Typically, Fox has been running just two 30-second commercials per commercial break.

But despite positive results from advertisers that participated in the effort, Fox got bogged down in dealing with a smaller pool of TV marketers that will pay a premium to be in a prime-time show with fewer commercials. Plus, Fox incurred some additional costs in producing extra content for the two-hour drama--about five minutes or so.

The cost per thousand viewers (CPMs) are some 25% to 30% higher for two shows compared with shows of similar appeal, according to one media executive. Initially, Fox was asking for a 50% premium.

Some of the advertisers on "Fringe" included Sony Pictures, Warner Brothers, Universal Pictures, American Express, Apple Computer, Verizon Wireless and Wal-Mart. Reports suggested that Fox was inking deals at $300,000 and more for a 30-second commercial in "Fringe."

Kevin Reilly, president of Fox Entertainment, told MediaPost during the Television Critics Association Winter tour in January: "Not all advertisers can pay that kind of premium. That's the conundrum of advertisers. They don't want clutter [but they don't want to pay higher prices]."

Still, Reilly noted then that "playing with the inventory load is something we are going to do more [for programs]." He didn't elaborate on details.

Next season, Fox may also look to continue to slow down channel-changing and/or DVR fast-forwarding of commercials.

Recently, Fox ran an on-air promo for "Lie To Me," in which actor Tim Roth looked straight into the camera with little or no movement. The show's title also appeared on screen. It meant if viewers were fast-forwarding through a commercial break, they would get a fuller marketing effect for the show.

Source

This sucks lol I love having a 50 min show.

 

[DrusillaDarling]

fail
EPIC FAIL

that pisses me off, having 50 min shows is so much cooler


*goes of to cry

 

[Blondie Bear]

I enjoy having longer shows, but I hated having to RUN to the bathroom in the middle of Fringe. Oh, well. 🙁

 

[AndrewCrossett]

They'd better wait until after the current season of Dollhouse is over before they make this change. Those episodes were all shot at 50 minutes, and if they try to jam in the regular number of commercials now that means several minutes would have to be cut from each episode.

 

[Crazy Flakes]

DAMNIT! I was LOVING the 50-minute episodes!

 

[Fake Shemp]

i record and flick thru all adverts, and even if i have to be there when ads are on i put it on Mute.... i cant stand them (tho im fine with them being there just dont wanna hear them) and i watch shows with the ads edited out anywhos😉

 

[Summerlilly]

DVD seasons are the BEST. 😉

 

[UnKle]

It'll suck having 42 minute episodes again. I was really digging the 60 second commercial breaks, even if it meant I had to wait til Battlestar Galactica to go potty.

And my DVR busted. I mean, it still works, but now there's this high-pitched brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr where the sound should be. I'm an A/V tech and computer nerd, I should be able to figure this out, but I've been too tired/lazy to worry about it. So I just mute the commercials. It seems like the volume of the commercials is increased by about 50% anyway, so if I don't mute them, I get a headache and my internal grandma hits the off button. Can't have that. 😛

So, yeah... 42 minutes. I guess it's okay. Gotta admit, though, that extra 5-7 minutes means worlds of difference in storytelling. Imagine if every episode of Buffy, Angel, or Firefly had been 50 minutes? Wow. I've always thought Joss should make an awesome show for HBO or something. Then he could have 59 minute shows and make mini-serieses... series... why can't I figure out the plural for that word all of a sudden?... and that wouldn't suck.

 

[Silum]

It seems like the volume of the commercials is increased by about 50% anyway, so if I don't mute them, I get a headache and my internal grandma hits the off button. Can't have that. 😛

Holy crap do i agree with you on that one. It gets absolutely rediculous on some channels and some ad's, it makes me change the channel if im only casually watching something so maybe the network should think about that before letting advertisers get away with it. Its only an american TV problem too, Ive never seen it anywhere else.

Wow. I've always thought Joss should make an awesome show for HBO or something. Then he could have 59 minute shows and make mini-serieses... series... why can't I figure out the plural for that word all of a sudden?... and that wouldn't suck.

Theres a good thread on this somewhere. Ive been suggest HBO as a network for a while (not because its longer, the shows are still only around 51mins) but because the freedom HBO would give to a show like Joss'. Both in content and directors freedom.

 

[AndrewCrossett]

HBO would limit the audience size because it's a premium channel. If Joss wanted to have a show with lots of swearing and full-frontal nudity that would be the place to go, but I don't think he really rolls that way (even though he loves the sex scenes, I think he prefers to keep them PG-13.)

The best options would be Sci-Fi Channel or TNT. He'd have to rein in the budget a bit (e.g., not film in Los Angeles), but he could make the show he wants, and his built-in audience would be more than enough to keep the show on for 5+ seasons.

 

[Randy Giles]

Damn, that sucks...I've enjoyed the 50 minute episodes, but I can understand why FOX would need to stop the practice. However, I do think they should be given props for trying.

 

[Enuf3]

I can understand how it's a problem.. But damn, that really bites. Though it does give me more time to run to the fridge to get a water bottle or take a piss or something. Usually I can be seen running around the house like an idiot during a commercial break.