NBC tries to outsmart TiVo

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NBC tries to outsmart TiVo

BoingBoing pointed out that NBC is tweaking start times of their shows to outsmart TiVo again (last fall's mention here).

If you were hoping to TiVo both Survivor and Friends tonight, you'd probably want to check your TiVo asap.

by Matt Haughey May 6, 2004 in News

Comments

I very seriously doubt NBC is going this to 'outsmart TiVo'. DVRs are too small a marketshare to bother with this shit.

They're doing it as a competitive move against other *networks*. Keeping people from channel hopping. Also if they stretch a highly rated show to incorporate another commercial break they get to sell more expensive ad time.

Posted by: MegaZone at May 6, 2004 5:14:10 PM

Yeah, that's what came out last time, that some dim bulb at NBC figured out that if their top-level show was x minutes longer, they could sell x millions more in ad time.

But it effectively tweaks DVRs into skipping programs on other stations. An unintended consequence to be sure, but I'm sure if more people record Friends over CBS' survivor, NBC won't be complaining.

Posted by: Matt Haughey at May 6, 2004 5:31:36 PM

This is like those jerks on Nickelodeon screwing up the Spongebob recordings.

Posted by: WefJ at May 6, 2004 8:01:56 PM

Matt: As long as they insist upon starting shows early or running them late (as they have for ages), then this is actually a boon for TiVo users. I would *much* rather deal with conflicts using accurate guide data than lose the beginnings and endings of shows thanks to data that doesn't reflect reality.

Although I suppose if I didn't have a PVR with a To-Do List, I might view things a little differently.

Posted by: Roger Benningfield at May 7, 2004 4:31:23 AM

In fact, NBC did smart out TiVo last night (as it has on many other occasions). The Friends Finale taped for :59 minutes, but ended abruptly after Rachel walked back in door and she and Ross kissed. Unless you were set to record ER afterwards, you missed the witty exchange in the empty living room, and the final exit down the hallway staircase.

(Note: My wife and I missed the last couple minutes of the show -- we did not set up to tape ER, figuring TiVo would know what it was doing. We were forced to call around to friends to get a description of the ending from someone who had watched it live).

This happens with regularity during awards show season, and most sports events. The Ocsars, Emmys, etc. all go over their scheduled time, and the TiVo cuts off. Another example would be the Superbowl, which dragged on past the pre-scheduled time, and cut off before the game ended (thanks to an exciting, and eminently re-playable last-second field goal) and the celebration began.

Posted by: Brian Reich at May 7, 2004 5:52:01 AM

NBC has been starting many of their shows at :59 minutes past the hour all season, especially on Thursday nights. While I initially assumed this was to jack with PVR users, I've come to realize that the shows that were now an extra minute longer were highly rated shows. This allows NBC to shift commercial blocks from less valuable shows and attachment them to shows that are more valuable. For example, Friends ran an extra 4 minutes last night. With NBC charging $2 million per 30 seconds, they scheduling hyjinx netted them an extra $8 million.

Think of this another way, while it may seem tempting to NBC executives to nudge a show forward to ensure you can't record something on another channel, that strategy is just as likely to prevent you from watching that show. If your 8:00 show has a higher priority than the 8:59 show, you'll never see the later.

Posted by: Bill Curnow at May 7, 2004 6:58:45 AM

Doesn't this time-shifting also shift around the listings in TV Guide and some other print guides? That would visually call more attention to the show than others. For instance in TV Guide, they'd list all shows beginning at 8:59, of which there would be only one, Friends. It'd be interesting to know what they are trying to influence. I'd lean more to them paying attention to the advertising dollar and the print guides than the PVR crowd, myself.

Posted by: alan taylor at May 7, 2004 9:37:08 AM

that's the main reason I wish 2-tuner PVR's/Tivo's were more prevalent (besides the directTV only tivo, and the defunct M$ ultimateTV or whatever)... A 2 tuner setup coupled with accurate guide data (or "extra buffer room" in taping shows) could lessen the pain of this problem.

Obviously this still could fail if you were concurrently taping 2 different shows back to back on different channels (that did the overun/late start thing) AND were taping shows directly after on different channels... in such case, go outside and mow the lawn or take a walk to the park.. you watch too much tv =)

rampy

Posted by: rampy at May 7, 2004 9:37:44 AM

AHHHH...I get it. This used to happen all the time with Sex and the City. VERY interesting. Now, how do I get around it?

Posted by: sean at May 7, 2004 10:23:06 AM

It's a good thing we were watching "delayed" last night, or we might not have seen the the last 4-5 minutes! I'm sorry MegaZone, but I'm sure it is an attempt to mess up DVR's. Channel hopping will still take place not matter what time a show starts and stops. However, PVR's so far, haven't been programmed to deal with this ignorance. It messes up the recording of shows that follow the time slot in question, as well as prior to the slot. All depending on where the slot overlaps.

TiVo and others need to deal with this by checking for overlaps in the upcoming recording schedule, and instead of not recording the show due to an overlap, go ahead and switch after the overlapping show has finished, but either send the PVR a message telling the user of the upcomming conflict, or showing the conflict in the To Be Recorded list in a different color, so that the user can deal with it as they see fit.

So far, the only Network I have seen with this problem is NBC. If it keeps up much longer, I'm going to start boycotting them. Also, it wouldn't hurt to write to the advertisers to let them know that this doesn't make us happy. Just because I TiVo a show, doesn't mean I don't watch the commercials, I just don't watch the ones that annoy me. There are quite a few useful commercials out there. Movie previews, new product info, humorous (who doesn't watch the IBM commercials...), etc...

I'm just surprised that these timeslot adjustments haven't hurt NBC yet. Of course, we still watch. Fortunatly, we havn't had any conflicts with the slots they put up. Last night was the first time that TiVo didn't record all of a show there. I'm assuming that people will see that they missed the last 5 minutes, and watch the rerun of the last show when NBC airs it again later, possibly live to make sure they don't miss it again. So NBC wins there.

After Fraiser ends however, NBC is off my TiVo's channel list completely. There just isn't that much to watch out there anymore anyway, thanks to all the crappy reality shows.

Posted by: Dave at May 7, 2004 10:37:46 AM

www.poopli.com

problem solved

Posted by: Slack at May 9, 2004 5:41:51 AM

I do not think NBC really cares about TIVO enough to pull a stunt like this. It's more likely this was done to outsmart other tv networks.

Posted by: Jason Shindler at May 24, 2004 2:07:23 PM

This has happened to me twice recently on FX. I set my dvr to record Rescue Me and I missed the ending of both episodes. It really hacks me off. I will probably just quit watching the show as a result.

Posted by: dp at Jun 13, 2006 3:15:37 PM

Simple answer: stop watching television. Do something with your life.

Posted by: Kurt at Oct 7, 2007 5:47:47 PM

apparently... NBC does in fact care about DVR users, because my Media Center just informed me that "Chuck" will not be recorded due to restrictions that the content provider has implemented.. F@#K NBC and its crappy line up of shows.. i havent watched tv since the networks started to vomit nothing but reality tv on every channel in the late 90's.. and finally when they start to make some shows that are "semi" entertaining... they pull a stunt like this. The only reason i watch these shows anyway is because (thanks to DVR technology) i could do it ON MY OWN TIME!! .. They can keep "Chuck" and "Heroes" ... i'm gunna go out and grab a beer.. and when i get back, instead of watchin my recorded shows before bed, i'll just surf for some free MILF porn.. cya

Posted by: Kartel at Oct 8, 2007 5:19:10 PM

Posted by: Kartel at Oct 8, 2007 5:19:54 PM

i had the same thing happen to the office last week, and american gladiators tonight. nbc can go f*ck themselves. if they think i'll watch it live, then they've just lost a viewer b/c i have better things to do then sit thru 2hrs for 20minutes of substance.
as for the office, i can wait until the dvd comes out.

Posted by: aaron at May 12, 2008 8:11:42 PM

NBC tries to outsmart TiVo

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