PVRs and the gay cutting edge
While there were jokey stories a few months ago ("Tivo thinks I'm gay!") about TiVo's recommendation system suggesting shows an owner didn't know they liked, it turns out that Forrester Research has found gay consumers are among the earliest technology adopters. They are "two times more likely to own PVRs like TiVo" and use the internet for shopping and research. Who knows, maybe someday we'll see technology advertised directly to this market, instead of TiVo's subtle homophobic commercials of the past (I'd link to their ad called "Educational TV" but I can't find a free copy of it online).
I just wanted to say that you have the most organized, professional TP weblog I've seen over the bunch :o)
Posted by: Girl Next Door | July 16, 2003 at 10:21 PM
Here's a link to the TiVo commercial, on commercialcloset.org, which catalogs commercials and media representations of GLBT people.
Posted by: nate | July 17, 2003 at 07:49 AM
When I first got my tivo, I recorded an episode of Oprah (I don't normally watch her, but she had someone on I wanted to see) Well, next thing I noticed my tivo thought I was african-american. It started recording all kinds of BET and hip hop shows on MTV. After a few days of thumbs down (and removing BET from the list of channels I recieve) I was free of the Hip-Hop. But it was pretty funny...
Posted by: Rapunzel | July 18, 2003 at 11:14 PM
Rapunzel, when I first setup my last tivo, I taped a few spanish-language soccer games, because that was the only way to see some MLS games. Even a year later stuff in spanish was constantly being suggested to me (soap operas, childrens shows, etc).
Posted by: Matt Haughey | July 18, 2003 at 11:36 PM
The actual Forrester report mentioned in the article can be read online with a free registration.
Posted by: Anil Dash | July 21, 2003 at 02:20 PM
Interesting blog, does this site get lots of activity or is it usually slow around here?
Posted by: gay | September 22, 2004 at 12:47 AM