From what I gather there are three types of television stations. First there are the basic stations that have commercials every 10-20 minutes (Like ABC). Second, there are stations that have no commercials while you are in the middle of a program; these are typically channels that play movies (Like Showtime). Lastly there are public television stations that don't air outside commercials but have their own system where you make "Pledges" in return for products (Like PBS). What I propose is a method of having TV without ads interrupting your favorite show/movie.

You could make a TV network where the semi-transparent logo of a company, in this example I am going to use Pepsi, gracing the top-left corner of the TV screen, similar to the way that various networks have their logo on the bottom-right corner of the screen. The company could sell time-slots for various logos. Another method is similar to what news stations and ESPN do to show events, having a (hopefully) small part of the screen, probably the bottom, permanently advertising various products/services. The only problem that I can see with this is that networks might have to cover the entire TV screen with logos if they don't manage their money or if they want too much money.
-- keithbrunkala, Mar 03 2009

Hmm... One thing is that advertisers are looking for a good value when they purchase ad space...you probably would have a hard time getting enough space purchased.
-- Spacecoyote, Mar 03 2009


But they already do that. It really ticks me off when some character shows up in the corner of the screen, during a program, advertising some other program that's coming on next, or the same time tomorrow, etc.
-- colorclocks, Mar 04 2009


That sounds like an irritating solution. The BBC model, used in the UK, of funding television production via taxation (the "TV Licence" - you can go to prison if you don't have one) has its faults but more and more I think it's less bad than the alternatives.
-- hippo, Mar 04 2009


Most modern Televisons already have a commercial free mode. Just press the largest button on the front.
-- vincevincevince, Mar 04 2009


I've had some experience with those. A local TV once tried "break-free" movies, only displaying a sponsor's logo in a corner of the screen. It was really, really deconcentrating and annoying. Same with those animated logos and tiny announcements for upcoming shows like [clocks] described. They may not cover much of the screen, but they'd quickly get on your nerves. No bone,because the idea does sound good in theory, but no bun either.
-- Veho, Mar 04 2009



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