# Commercial "Hiccups"?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercial-hiccups/493369>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [April 17, 2009, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercial-hiccups/493369 "2009-04-17T01:45:41Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\
**Post date:** [April 17, 2009, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercial-hiccups/493369/1 "2009-04-17T01:45:41Z")

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I was watching the Discovery Channel a few nights ago, and it struck me that this happens a **lot** on “those” types of channels (A&E, HIS, MIL DISC etc.)

Here’s what I mean:

One commercial’s over, but before the other one can get started, a nanosecond of _another commercial_ “sneaks” in.

Right? Did I explain that correctly?

Well, is that a _glitch_ or is it done on purpose to give the client a “nanosecond” more air-time?

You see that guy who sells the “free computer lesson”'s face, and get to hear him say, “He…” and then that’s it.

If it’s a glitch and the client paid for that commercial to air _correctly_ then is he/she apologized to and given a freebie?

And if it _is_ a glitch, then why the hell don’t they fix it?

I don’t like commercials anyway, but having worked in radio and having screwed up more than once and playing a Christmas Sale cart on the 27th and gotten chewed out for it by the sales manager, that shit just kinda jumps out at me. 😃

So what say my kids?

On purpose and part of the contract, or a screw up and who gives a shit?

Thanks

Quasi

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**Author:** ![tanstaafl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba8739/32.png) [@tanstaafl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tanstaafl)\
**Post date:** [April 17, 2009, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercial-hiccups/493369/2 "2009-04-17T01:50:47Z")

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Basically a glitch. Your local cable provider (or broadcast channel for that matter) is allowed a certain number of minutes for which they are allowed to sell commercials. They do and insert their local commercials into the feed.

But, there is always the possibility that they won’t sell all of their time. So, the main network or cable channel _also_ airs a commercial during that time. That way, if there is a local commercial available you see it, otherwise you see a “default” commercial.

If the timing isn’t exact then you see a bit of the default commercial either before or after the local commercial. So it’s just a timing glitch.

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**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\
**Post date:** [April 17, 2009, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercial-hiccups/493369/3 "2009-04-17T02:39:41Z")

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**tans**

So I guess everyone’s okay with that? Clients AND broadcasters?

I guess I’m just in that “oh-oh mind-set”, but if **I** am, then how many **others** do you think are thinking the same thing? (SHUP, Y’all! 😉

I mean, it **does** look kinda like “Oh-Oh. looks like John -buy my product?- Sherman didn’t pay his bill, so let’s yank him out right quick!”

Or, as I said in the OP, maybe a nano-second is considered “any ad is a **good** ad”.🙂

Especially if you’re that Trudeau character, right? 😉

Thanks for the answer.

Q