The average child watches thousands of television commercials every year. Ads geared to kids don’t just encourage purchases of mass-produced plastic toys and mass-produced junk food: they also enforce rigid gender stereotypes about who should be playing with which kind of toy. Girls want sparkly pink ponies that bake cupcakes and need to be fed bottles, and boys want loud, fast remote-controlled tanks that shoot lasers and green slime. But happens when you pair the audio to a “boy” ad with the video to a “girl” ad? [More]
tv
Netflix Pays $100M To Make A TV Show Of Its Own
By 3.16.11
In a risky yet inevitable move into original programming, Netflix is shoving a massive stack of chips onto the table, betting it can hang with the likes of HBO and Showtime. The video streaming and DVD rental giant is committing an estimated $100 million to buy and develop two 13-episode seasons of House of Cards, a drama produced and directed by David Fincher, starring Kevin Spacey. [More]
Consumerist On Bloomberg: Revenge Of The TSA
By 3.9.11
Catch Ben Popken on “Taking Stock with Pimm Fox” tonight on Bloomberg TV. He’ll be talking about the TSA asking for a cut of bag check fees, as well as the recent decision to uphold a $311,000 verdict against a debt collector. Tune in to Bloomberg TV, or watch online at Bloomberg.com/tv, at 5:45 p.m. ET and again at 9:45 p.m. See you there! [More]
Broadband Internet Keeps Cable Companies Dominant Despite TV Losses
By 3.9.11
Cable companies are hemorrhaging subscribers, but the businesses are still sitting pretty thanks to the trump card of broadband internet access. [More]
FCC To Reconsider Rules For Negotiations Between Broadcasters And Cable Companies
By 3.3.11
In recent years, the disputes between cable companies and broadcasters have gotten especially ugly as boardroom squabbles have spilled over onto the airwaves and online. And in the end, it’s always the subscribers who get hurt with blackouts and eventual price hikes. That’s why the FCC voted today to reinvestigate the rules and its role in these negotiations. [More]
Consumerist On Bloomberg: The Frontlines Of The Borders Liquidation
By 3.2.11
Catch Ben Popken on Bloomberg TV tonight at 5:45 pm. He’ll be talking about retail liquidations, including the one that’s going on at certain Borders’ stores, and whether they’re a good deal for consumers. (Yeah, right!) There will also be a Worst Company In America update. Tune in to Bloomberg TV, or watch online at Bloomberg.com/tv, at 5:45 p.m. ET. See you there! [More]
DirecTV Raises "Locked In" Rate
By 2.25.11
Brance writes in that he signed up with DirecTV who was advertising a rate that was “locked in” for 12 months. 3 months later, he noticed that his bill had gone up $10. When he called DirecTV to complain, the supervisor told him it didn’t matter, they still reserve the right to raise rates when they want. “In the world I grew up in, “locked in” means it will not change,” writes Brance. Well now we live in a world where every promise comes with an asterisk. [More]
More People Stream Netflix, Fewer Subscribe To Premium Channels
By 1.31.11
There are only so many monthly fees people are willing to pay to watch movies at home, and Netflix’s options seem to be dominating those of premium channels. [More]
Men Pay More Attention To "Sexier" News Anchors, But Remember Less
By 1.25.11
TV networks try to boost ratings by hiring comely female anchors and dressing them and shooting them in ways to accentuate their visual assets, but a study finds it actually reduces the amount of information recalled by male viewers. The “sexier” the female anchors, the more attention men pay, but the less they remember of what the news was about. [More]
Marriott Bans Pay-Per-View Porn From New Hotels
By 1.21.11
Business travelers looking for an expense-account friendly way to unwind after a hard day on the road may want to skip new Marriott hotels if their tastes turn to “sophisticated” entertainment. The chain has announced that the in-room entertainment systems in those hotels won’t offer adult video-on-demand options. [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]
Roku Having Trouble Streaming 30 Rock (Updated)
By 12.31.10
UPDATE: A Roku spokesman says the company has fixed the 30 Rock streaming issue. [More]
Weather Knocks Out My DirecTV, Rep Tells Us We'll Suffer Long Wait, Get Little Credit (Updated)
By 12.27.10
UPDATE: DirecTV has says it will get Steve’s service going again soon and give him six months of credit. [More]
Procter & Gamble Washes Hands Of Soap Operas To Focus On Social Media
By 12.14.10
After pioneering soap operas as ad vehicles for its cleaning products, Procter & Gamble — which cranks out Gain detergent, Head & Shoulders shampoo and Old Spice deodorant, among other products — has stopped producing long-running daytime serials to focus on social media. P&G-produced Guiding Light went dim last year, and As the World Turns stopped turning in September. [More]
NBC Tells Staff To Submit Paperwork For Comcast Transition, Even Though Merger Isn't Approved
By 12.13.10
A tipster says that NBC is having employees submit new paperwork for a new personnel management software program that will take over after the Comcast merger, even though that merger hasn’t been approved by the FCC yet. Hmm. Here’s the note: [More]
Netflix Will Stream Disney Shows 15 Days After They Air
By 12.9.10
Donning a pair of metaphorical mouse ears, Neflix cut a streaming video deal with Disney that advances the service’s quest to give viewers reasons to can satellite and cable TV. [More]
DirecTV Offers Renewal Discount, Won't Honor It (Updated)
By 12.7.10
Lane says he re-upped with DirecTV with the understanding that he’d receive $10 off his bill for the next year. After appearing on his first bill, the discount vanished, never to be seen again. Now he’s wondering whether or not it’s worth grilling customer service until he can get his discount reinstated. [More]
Report: Netflix Offering Big Cash For Access To In-Season TV Shows
By 12.2.10
While Netflix has made a huge move in the last two years to expand its library of streaming movies and TV shows, the company has only been able to make a few deals that give users access to recently broadcast episodes. But a report in the New York Post claims Netflix is offering networks top-dollar for access to fresher content. [More]
