With growing public and regulatory interest in how not-exactly-healthy foods are advertised and marketed toward children, the Walt Disney Company is announcing today that any foodstuffs advertised during kid-focused TV programming on its many channels will have to meet the company’s nutritional standards. [More]
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The Legal Battle Begins Over Dish's Ad-Skipping DVR
By 5.25.12
As was predicted when Dish Network announced its Hopper DVR would allow users to skip commercials on recorded prime-time network TV shows, the so-called “holy grail for TV viewers” has ended up in court, with both sides racing to sue each other. [More]
Catch Consumerist On 20/20 Tonight And Meet A Real Life Infomercial Junkie
By 5.13.11
Tonight’s episodes of 20/20 (10 p.m. ET) features self-proclaimed infomercial junkie, Marisa Woolsey, and her obsession with all things “as seen on TV.” She has the “Ninja Blender, the Magic Bullet, the George Foreman Grill and the Han Steam Sanitizing Mop. Under every sink in her home, you’ll find ShamWow towels.” [More]
Comcast Customers Now Have On-Demand Access To Prime-Time Shows From All Networks (Except The CW)
By 4.29.11
In an effort to actually provide its hordes of unhappy customers with something useful for their cable dollar, Comcast has announced that it has made deals to bring almost every prime-time network show to its on-demand lineup. [More]
Could An NFL Lockout Force Networks To Run Even More Ads?
By 1.12.11
Now that the NFL’s postseason is in full swing (even though my beloved Eagles were so quickly eliminated), it’s time for many to start wondering if owners and players will be able to resolve their problems before the start of the next season. If not, the biggest losers could end up being the networks and, by extension, TV viewers — whether they watch football or not. [More]
Time Warner Cable Reaches Deal With Disney, Customers To Get ESPN 3 Access
By 9.3.10
On the last day of the NFL pre-season, football fans are rejoicing — or at least the ones who subscribe to Time Warner Cable. The company has finally reached an agreement with Walt Disney Co. that will keep Disney-owned channels like ESPN from being blacked out during the first week of the the NCAA and NFL seasons. And TWC customers will now have access to ESPN’s online video portal ESPN3. [More]
Time Warner Cable & Disney To Kiss And Make Up Before Football Season Starts
By 8.30.10
With only days to go before the NCAA and NFL football seasons kick off, many Time Warner Cable customers have been worried that their cable provider wouldn’t be able to hash out an agreement with Walt Disney Co. and that they’d be without ESPN when they needed it most. But it looks like that crisis will be averted and the companies will work out their differences soon. [More]
ABC Doubling The Commercials On iPad App, Online Streams
By 6.16.10
If you watch ABC’s shows online or with an iPad, your limited commercial interruptions are about to get a little less limited. So far, most of ABC’s streaming shows contain 5 to 6 ads of 30 seconds each, but mocoNews says one of ABC’s executives just confirmed that the network is going to double that ad load, perhaps leading the way for other networks to do the same. [More]
Lost Finale Had 107 Commercials: More Than 45 Minutes Worth
By 5.25.10
So, Lost ended, as you may have heard, and you also may have heard your friends complaining about the number of commercials that were in the finale. EW says there were 107 of them in 2.5 hours — or more than 45 minutes worth. [More]
ABC Issues Fix For App, Lets iPad 3G Owners Watch On The Go
By 5.4.10
Early adopters of the iPad 3G were miffed that they couldn’t stream ABC shows over the network for which they’re shelling out a monthly fee. ABC informed iPadders they could only use a Wi-Fi connection to catch up on Lost. Engadget reports that ABC has issued a fix for its ABC Player app, and now all is well in the land of iPadia. [More]
Fox No Longer Has Anything Against This Woman's Boobs
By 4.23.10
Remember yesterday, when we wrote about some major TV networks balking over whether or not to air a sexy Lane Bryant lingerie ad? Well, it looks like Fox — the arbiter of good taste in prime time — has decided to not be so prim and proper, and will actually air the commercial. [More]
What Do Fox & ABC Have Against This Woman's Boobs?
By 4.22.10
For some reason, the ad sales peeps at ABC and Fox don’t think this TV ad for some sort of new lingerie from Lane Bryant is appropriate for airing in prime time. [More]
Cablevision Produces New Bitchy Video Loop Aimed At ABC
By 3.4.10
New York City area cable provider and ISP Cablevision is in a contract renewal fight with yet another content provider. This time, it’s ABC’s flagship broadcast station WABC that wants more money, and Cablevision has raised the stakes in the passive-aggressive public service announcement wars. They’ve redirected customers’ cable boxes to a special channel where a looped announcement plays, and have started a YouTube channel to get the word out to any non-customers who might happen to care. [More]
"Lost" Sweepstakes Prize Disappears Into Electromagnetic Anomaly (Or Maybe Just FedEx)
By 2.3.10
Last night was the much-anticipated season premiere of “Lost,” and ABC built up excitement with a sweepstakes where 815 fans would receive a USB drive with exclusive video clips from the premiere. Sounds pretty awesome. Reader and Lost fan Nicholas writes that he won the sweepstakes, but his prize never showed up. The marketing firm running the contest and FedEx blame each other, and Nicholas is left without his cool prize. [More]
Buy American? Sure, If You Can Afford It
By 5.27.09
Is it possible today to buy U.S.-made goods in mainstream, reasonably-priced stores? The answer, ABC’s John Donvan learned while reporting a “Nightline” story to be broadcast tonight, is a rather emphatic “no” when it comes to clothing, and otherwise “maybe.”
Extreme Makeover Home Edition Leaves Homeowners In Perdition
By 8.4.08
Some of the winners of ABC’s Extreme Makeover Home Edition (EMHE) got a boobie prize. The Free Money Finance blog has found a few examples of EMHE recipients now in foreclosure, because after the workmen, camera crews, and glitz left, they were left with more house than they can afford. In one case, the town is hosting dinner raffles to help keep the family afloat. Here’s an extreme makeover for you: how about giving the people a house that fits their budget? I guess that doesn’t sell as many Twinkies.
ABC 20/20 Looking for Ripped-Off Consumers
By 7.16.08
Have you been ripped off recently by a store, hotel, airline, repair service or other retailer? ABC 20/20 would like to help you get satisfaction. If you feel you were cheated, please let us know BRIEFLY what happened to you and what you’ve done so far to get a refund. If selected, you’ll be asked to come our Manhattan studio where you’ll tell your story on camera and we’ll try to help you get your money back. Please send your name, city, email address, and daytime phone and note that you saw this post on consumerist.com
