# I don't watch commercials so I am stealing television **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 30, 2002, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-watch-commercials-so-i-am-stealing-television/111594 "2002-05-30T18:58:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ElwoodCuse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/edb3f5/32.png) [@ElwoodCuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElwoodCuse)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2002, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-watch-commercials-so-i-am-stealing-television/111594/1 "2002-05-30T18:58:15Z")
[www.teevee.org](http://www.teevee.org) A hearty “fuck you” to TBS executive Jamie Kellner for this bit of wisdom: “Your contract with the network when you get the show is you’re going to watch the spots. Otherwise you couldn’t get the show on an ad-supported basis. Any time you skip a commercial or watch the button you’re actually stealing the programming.” Also, “Someone’s going to have to pay for television and it’s going to be you.” He is, of course, referring to devices such as TiVo that let you pause live TV and, if you record the show you are watching and jump in a couple minutes after it starts, skip over commercials. I don’t even OWN one of these things, and only know one person who does (for the record, he says it’s kick-ass though). But his tone and implication piss me off beyond belief. So, is he going to tie you to a chair and make you watch all the commericials? No. What he wants to do, and the article says a federal court has ordered this, is monitor what people do with their digital recorders, and _charge a fee_ to those who don’t watch commercials. Now, I’m not really afraid of that happening since there is no way higher courts would ever uphold something like that. This just pisses me off because it’s yet another example of the entertainment industry just completely not getting technology. So fuck you, Mr. Kellner. If your outdated business model can’t/won’t adapt to changing times, that’s your problem, not mine. Want me to pay for TV? Fine. I’ll pay for the 4 ESPN channels, and whatever network has syndicated reruns of the Simpsons. And there had better not be commercials on ANY of those channels. ---
**Author:** ![Tranquilis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tranquilis/32/3639_2.png) [@Tranquilis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tranquilis)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2002, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-watch-commercials-so-i-am-stealing-television/111594/2 "2002-05-30T19:12:11Z")
To the Suit: BULLSHIT! The advertisers _gamble_ that enough people will see and respond to their advertisments that they’ll get a monetary benefit in increased sales that will justify the outlay for the comercials. The broadcaster _gambles_ that if they place the right amount of advertising in the air, that enough people will see it to provide the advertiser the benefit they desire, and based on the strength of those two gambles, the broadcaster sells air-time to the advertiser. Broadcasters that can lure more viewers can charge more money, but in the end, it’s upt o the broadcaster to provide a lure significantly enticing to overcome our resistance to being interrupted by commercials. It’s a wager, and so far it’s been a profitable one, but there’s no contract, and the Suit needs to get over himself. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2002, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-watch-commercials-so-i-am-stealing-television/111594/3 "2002-05-30T19:19:07Z")
Elwood, I agree but [you’re a bit late](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=113216&highlight=stealing+commercials). ---
**Author:** ![pldennison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@pldennison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pldennison)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2002, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-watch-commercials-so-i-am-stealing-television/111594/4 "2002-05-30T19:23:25Z")
There was [another thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=113216&highlight=Kellner+OR+Tivo) on this in the Pit not too long ago. ---
**Author:** ![ResIpsaLoquitor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b3f665/32.png) [@ResIpsaLoquitor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ResIpsaLoquitor)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2002, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-watch-commercials-so-i-am-stealing-television/111594/5 "2002-05-30T19:24:08Z")
I can see the judicial opinion now… “_Amicus curae_ Straight Dope Message Board would have this court go f\*\*\* itself. This court is not aware of any binding legal authority requiring us to do so…” ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2002, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-watch-commercials-so-i-am-stealing-television/111594/6 "2002-05-30T19:36:10Z")
So if I ride on the bus/subway and don’t look at the ads that are plastered on the insides of the car, am I stealing a free ride as well? ---
**Author:** ![PhiloVance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e19adc/32.png) [@PhiloVance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhiloVance)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2002, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-watch-commercials-so-i-am-stealing-television/111594/7 "2002-05-30T19:43:56Z")
Welllll… Lisa Schmeiser (the author of the piece) had a bit of wis-dum too! > [@](#): > > To one point, Kellner’s right: with ad-supported shows, you have UPN. Without ad-supported shows, you have… premium cable channels like HBO. Yeah, there’s my incentive to support commercial advertisers. Hyuk! Hyuk! Good ol’ HBO don’ have no ads. sheesh!!! ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2002, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-watch-commercials-so-i-am-stealing-television/111594/8 "2002-05-30T19:55:45Z")
I already pay $40/mo for my lousy Cablevision (without gettina any Yankees games) and this jackass is claiming that I might be stealing TV? As if TBS doesn’t get a fortune from cable rights to begin with. Feel free to kiss my keester, buddy boy. ---
**Author:** ![CnoteChris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/278dde/32.png) [@CnoteChris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CnoteChris)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2002, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-watch-commercials-so-i-am-stealing-television/111594/9 "2002-05-30T21:09:29Z")
And I got bitched at for asking about internet ad-blockers and pop-up blockers. Interesting. It’s the same damn thing, isn’t it? Ads support the medium? I’m sensing some hypocrisy in this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2002, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-watch-commercials-so-i-am-stealing-television/111594/10 "2002-05-30T21:16:15Z")
😛 ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Angel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d26b3c/32.png) [@Johnny\_Angel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Angel)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2002, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-watch-commercials-so-i-am-stealing-television/111594/11 "2002-05-31T00:25:02Z")
And you’d better not get up to take a crap, buddy, because if you don’t watch that commercial you’re stealing. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2002, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-watch-commercials-so-i-am-stealing-television/111594/12 "2002-05-31T00:32:48Z")
The networks use Neilsen ratings. Those few thousand people decide what the other millions of viewers will get to watch and what networks will charge advertisers. I’m not a Neilsen family, therefore MY opinions are not being accurately accounted for. So to this dickweed and anyone in the industry who’s accusing me of “stealing” tv shows, a hearty “lick my colon” to you. ---
**Author:** ![clayton\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@clayton\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clayton_e)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2002, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-watch-commercials-so-i-am-stealing-television/111594/13 "2002-05-31T02:47:17Z")
A hearty “fuck you” to the suit. You’ve tried it with movies (some dvds which must play trailers before the move), you’re really fucking up the Audio industry with all your encryption shit and now this?!? to all those large corporate groups trying to force the public to watch exactly what you want them to watch: FUCK YOU. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2002, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-watch-commercials-so-i-am-stealing-television/111594/14 "2002-05-31T03:26:44Z")
you know, i was pondering the other day while wishing i could watch one channel on dishnet and record another, but could not, that if i sent in _1/150th_ of the bill for that month and justified it because i am paying for 150 channels but am only able to actually watch 1 at a time, how that would fly? im guessing not very well. (did i mention i fucking hate dishnet? did i mention that the day ANY reasonable alternative comes along to get basic cable channels comes along, i will tell them to make tea with my sweaty boxer shorts? did i mention i write “fuck dishnet” on the memo line of every check i send them? did i mention how superior cable is to dish?) i was reading in “Rolling Stone” about the flap over copy-protecting CD’s and it had alot of carry-over ideas to this discussion (but i will stop, as this keyboard is shit, and i have been drinking…) * * * Those Goddamn sheep are liars!