We haven't had TV for 30 years, which I seldom mention anymore. But having seen half the Super Bowl on Sunday, I was reminded of something about television folks need to keep in mind.
The commercials are the content. Companies do not pay for you to see a particular show. They pay for the right to put whatever content they want in their commercials. What we call the shows, and think of as what TV is really about, are just the ads the companies put up to attract your eyes to their commercials.
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I remember when I realized that what is for sale through TV is not the products advertised. It's me. Me and all the other people that are watching. The TV stations (and radio too) are selling my eyes and ears, my hours (or minutes) of attention to the advertisers. The "content" is just the bait.
Hasn't stopped me from listening. Some of that bait is quite tasty. It does make me aware of the hook hidden inside, so that I tend to nibble at the bait but then scoot off before the barb sets.
Jonathan and I were talking one day about magazines and I had said I have what seems like a 10 year subscription to parenting magazines for about $2/a year where as when I renew National Review for my husband each year it's somewhere around $58/year. The difference of course, is the amount of advertising. I had mentioned that parenting magazines were full of advertsing. Johnathan pointed out to me that that on top of that they 'name drop' there sponsors in the articals too. I felt pretty foolish in not realizing that before and had just hoped that when they recommended a product it was because they had tested it and it was actually good for my child. Silly me.
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