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NBC - did you see the message (3 shows same tune)

TRUST 22 said Nov 20, 2006, 11:14 PM:

Ok … here is the deal… and I am a little scared that I saw this, just because it means I been watching a lot of TV … BUUUT Fu….k it I been traveling for 6 month and my TV hours went down to almost zero so I have to catch up ;)

Anyway

Everything begun on Thursday when I was watching the office… in the middle of the episode they had a big shredder with a staple sign and they were explaining how to use the machine.

Then first commercial after that segment… THE STAPLES MACHINE THAT SHREDS PAPER CD AND MORE…. mmmm that was a little too much

Anyway then same night same network 30 rock the whole episode was about how GE was making the network have product placement and how f-k up it was and how much the didn’t like it… so to get back at the network they wanted to have a VP or something do a sketch

MMMM SOMETHING IS HAPPENIGN today Monday only 3 days later I was watching Studio 60 (pause ONE OF THE BEST SHOWS ON TV… I used to work in a live show and man is bringing me back toooons of memories)

The whole show was how they had to have product placement instead of firing people … they had to sacrifice “creative” or people job … mmmm

Just finding super interested that NBC is giving us explanation and telling us why they are doing product placement … AMAZING HOW TECHNOLOGY (TIVO, DVR, etc) is changing TV … it happen with music and now is happening with TV (Films you are next)

The best part is that TV begun with product placement … is just interesting to see how things happen and we are going back to the future :)

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Re: NBC - did you see the message (3 shows same tune)

Stu said Nov 24, 2006, 11:43 AM:

A common misunderstanding is that television networks somehow make a profit from their audience. This has never been the case.

Advertisers are the clients of the networks. The networks job is to deliver as many eyes to the advertisers as possible. The networks profits are completely dependent on this. From the point of view of the networks their programing is attractive glitter to attract people to their advertising.

As TV audiences have eroded due to competing media such as DVDs, cable/satellite and Internet, it has become more difficult to justify the cost of producing major series. The commercial dollar will not support 40+ million dollar season's of Lost.

Product placement is a compromise to offset the costs of production.

Frankly, I have no problem with product placement. I don't think product placement alters commercial TV content in anyway. The history of the TV content has always been friendly to consumer culture and the ideology it evokes.

Those who want respite from this ideology go to alternative programing such as PBS. And these days have plenty of alternatives living on the Internet, DVD's. And for a more refreshing approach local live events, lectures, music, theater, and the like offer sympathetic alternative content.

s.

Re: NBC - did you see the message (3 shows same tune)

TRUST 22 said Nov 24, 2006, 12:40 PM:

Absolutley… I just tought it was intresting that they were “asking” permission or felt the need to explain that in the future you will see more of it.

Re: NBC - did you see the message (3 shows same tune)

Stu said Nov 26, 2006, 12:02 PM:

Because 30 Rock and Studio 60, are behind the scenes looks at TV production it is normal that they would comment on the current state of the industry.

These changes in advertising useage is putting a lot of pressure on the writers. It directly effects story telling. Commercial artists like those who create TV for networks always are going to be faced with comprimises between the purely artistic and the need to attract large numbers to the party.

For a show like the Office, I think having advertising like “Staples” is not only appropriate but lends a sense of reality to the space.
s.