Download PDF

Dish Network Unveils Ad-Skipping Feature On Its DVRs

1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (No Ratings Yet)
Loading...
Post Views 0

Advertisers and Network TV Honchos : read this and get out your tub of ice cream.

Dish Network is introducing Auto Hop, a feature which allows viewers who are watching a show on its DVRs to completely skip advertisements. That’s right, now viewers don’t even have to fast-forward through the commercials, they can avoid them altogether.

Adweek says that the average cost of a 30-second commercial is $111,500, so the ad industry is not going to be happy, and neither are the TV channels who depend on them for their revenue.

In a press release that Dish Network released on Thursday, it says in the very beginning “DISH satellite subscribers will now get the feature viewers have been waiting for since the beginning of television — the choice to automatically skip over commercials.” One way to win over viewers but certain to infuriate the networks and advertisers.

The feature works on primetime TV programming that airs on ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC when viewed the day after airing. The ad-skipping feature however does not work on live broadcasts.

Dish Network, which has 14 million customers has already dropped AMC Networks last week over what it claims is declining viewership for AMC among its subscribers. Although AMC claims it is the result of DISH being spiteful because of a $2.5 billion breach of contract suit over the now defunct VOOM HD service.

Dish Network Unveils Ad-Skipping Feature On Its DVRs by
Authored by: Harrison Barnes