So much time, so little quality

Many viewers "tune out" TV advertising because there's so damn much of it. In the late 1960s, an "hour" TV show ran 54 minutes; today, only 42 minutes of that hour is entertainment content. (Probably less, because that time also includes the show intro, and the credits -- if one ever gets to see them.) Believe it or not, in the 1970s, one of cable TV's selling points was "no commercials!" Save for channels that were also broadcast (WTBS, WGN), most cable channels ran commercial-free. Today -- the majority of cable channels not only run ads, but also -- since they're not subject to the same FCC rules as broadcast TV -- they run MORE per hour. Well, at least that gives one plenty of time to go to the bathroom, let the dogs out, etc. What's particularly irritating is the "squeeze frame" ploy, in which the show credits or previews are zoomed into one corner, so the station can fit 15 more seconds of "sell" into its day.

With so many ads smashed into one hour, even if one DOES watch them, they all blend together. There was a time when TV stations would take care to not place competing products in the same "cluster" (commercial segments); for example, they wouldn't run a Chevy and a Honda spot in the same cluster. (For one thing, the advertisers would complain if that happened, and demand a "make good" replacement spot.) Sometime in the last 20 years, TV stations WOULD place competing ads the same cluster, but at least place another product between them (ex.: Chevy, Kleenex, Honda). Now -- especially in highly-rated shows, spots for car companies run one right after the other -- sometimes several in the same cluster. How can one tell them apart?

A glimmer of hope: During its "Fringe" and "Dollhouse" programs, Fox Network has begun not only scheduling shorter clusters, but they also tell you how long they'll last (60 or 90 seconds). Not only does this give the viewer more program, but it also likely keeps the viewer there, watching -- maybe younger viewers can make the kitchen run in 60 seconds, but I can't! Props to Fox for this move -- maybe it will catch on??