Discovery of a new way of filling air time
Curious goings-on over at the Discovery Network at the weekend.
On Saturday Dr Mumbo tuned into Discovery +2 for Man vs Wild during an ad break. After a while, it began to dawn that – even for Australian television – it was a long ad break. By the time he started counting, he saw the same promo for the Chasing Classic Cars show at least four times and promos for the Discovery Network’s Ultimate Fish and Shark Week at least eight times.
After a brief interlude of perhaps two minutes of Bear grylls’ adventures in the Moab desert, Discovery went back to another ad break, where exactly the same pattern of repeated promos – including the Shark Week promo playing repeatedly – continued.
Dr Mumbo can only conclude that the programmers had had enough of Grylls drinking his own urine and decided viewers would prefer the ads.
I saw it too. Really weird. I’d love it if sOme ody from Discovery could let us know what was going on?
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Discovery is part of “Pay TV” is it not?
So why do we have to pay twice?
No wait a minute this is the real world -Sorry!
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Clearly a computer glitch. They don’t have real live humans doing the switching any more.
And don’t start me on commercials on pay tv. I pay $90 a month for the joy of having just as many commercial as on real commercial tv. If I didn’t live in a state where the rugby codes are not covered on the commercial channels, I simply wouldn’t bother.
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So when are commercial TV providers going to begin running programming blocks that simply contain ads? Or even a program free channel that simply shows advertisements 24/7?
The ABC has already led the way with the Gruen series, and there have been prior ‘world’s funniest/best ads’ specials. I believe viewers are demanding an end to poor quality programming and seeking the higher production values of the advertising industry.
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TV4Me isn’t *completely* programme-free, Craig, but it comes pretty damn close. http://blogs.crikey.com.au/whi.....-is-tv4me/
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Thank you for your comments. Discovery Channel was made aware of the problem – which was due to some technical issues – and have taken the necessary steps to correct it. We are pleased to inform our viewers that the issues have since been resolved, and we apologise for any inconvenience caused.
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Thanks for explaining, Discovery Channel. (May I call you Disco for short or do you prefer to keep it formal?)
And now that I understand it was “technical issues”, that gives me a much more complete picture. Prior to that, I’d assumed it had been caused because somebody had given Gremlins water after midnight. But I’m glad we cleared it up so comprehensively.
Cheers,
Tim – Mumbrella
I am glad that Discovery Channel clarified that this error was due to a technical problem.
Hopefully their ad breaks will no longer be broken up by inexplicable crosses to programs such as Man vs Wild.
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Tim and Craig such smartassery doesn’t become you, please show some grace. If Discovery Channel told you it was caused by the omnifluxal anti-deresistoid would you sleep better tonight?
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Hi Archie,
I speak as a punter who was genuinely curious what went wrong. The reply didn’t tell me that. I’m afraid smartarsery tends to be my default setting when patronised…
Cheers,
Tim – Mumbrella
So one of the computer programs running the ads shit itself – what more do you need to know?
Should Discovery copy/paste the affected code so you can examine it?
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Damn, and I come to this site specifically for the smartassery…
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Rogue-computer sphincter inspection at 10 paces Anon…
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A whole block of commercials?
I believe the term for that is “Woolworths Carols in the Domain”
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