What they'll think of next....

[Jezebel]

An apparatus (270) and method is disclosed for preventing a viewer from switching from a channel when an advertisement is being displayed on the channel. The apparatus (270) and method comprises an advertisement controller (270) in a video playback device (150) that (1) prevents a viewer of a direct (non-recorded) broadcast from switching channels when an advertisement is displayed, and (2) prevents a viewer of a recorded program from fast forwarding the recorded program in order to skip past advertisements that were recorded with the program. A viewer may either watch the advertisements or pay a fee in order to be able to change channels or fast forward when the advertisements are being displayed.

Read more:

http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PG01&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=%2220060070095%22.PGNR.&OS=DN/20060070095&RS=DN/20060070095

[blp]

Wow. The ad industry is getting pretty desperate. All these other devices that allow you to get rid of adverts completely are seen as a major threat.

[Maduro_Scotty]

So much for consumers driving business. :rolleyes: :bad: :mad:

[Durga]

I would be really furious if someone (something?) would force me to watch ads!!! I know tv stations have to earn somehow but there is some limit of interfering someone's choices. After all: i have to pay for cable...;(

[Winifred]

I'd be really surprised if anyone actually tried this. TV would quickly bite the dust, and the drive to move programming to computers would speed up.

I, for one, have enjoyed the creativity of the ad industry as it tried to 1) keep your finger off the channel switch with imaginative story lines, and 2) worked on visual "hooks" to overcome the mute button. GEICO insurance cavemen come to mind - do people see those elsewhere in the world?

[Jezebel]

I like the Geico commercials, I love that little gecko :) I appreciate a good commercial, but many are annoying and geared towards subcultures that I am not a part of.

[oceanflower]

I like the Geico commercials, too, especially the ones with the cave men. Other than those, though, I refuse to watch commercials. If I don't walk away from the set to do something during the commercail, I turn to another station. I will not be forced to watch something I don't want to. If an apparatus like the one mentioned came into use, I'd simply stop watching tv. There are plenty of dvds out there, and plenty of books to read as well.