A Conundrum - Answers Please?

[David Guyatt]

A Conundrum - Answers Please


I want to invent a television that automatically switches channel to something else during commercial breaks. It doesn't have to be something special, maybe a music video.


Someone needs to invent this. Commercial breaks are far too often and far too long. It is mind destroying being subjected to this commercialism.


But there is a problem.


Supposing a person can design build and prepare such a beast for production - and let's face it, it can't be hard to do - how can it be promoted successfully without using the very structures it is designed to avoid?

Some thing as wonderful as that would be known far and wide around the world through word of mouth. The best form of advertising. There are plenty who would pay never to be forced to see or hear another advert droning on....When pay tv first came here one of the big selling points was no advertising. I signed up immediately. When they brought in advertising I cancelled my contract and I haven't used it since. Bad enough the advertising on free to air. Certainly not going to pay for the bloody thing. But if such a tv is invented please let me know and I will buy one. I cannot imagine it is too difficult technically to create such a thing.

One of my son's has just cancelled his Sky subscription and now only has free TV channels available. I'm afraid I'm too much of a sports fan to do without it myself - although I am getting mighty frustrated with match fixing, F1 etc, becoming TV led, so that the outcome of a sports match, F1 season etc., is predicated on what is most financially beneficial for Sky and other broadcasters.

And now we have the prospect of new smart TV's being fitted with a surveillance suite that can be used to watch you as you watch it. Not a pleasant thought.

What a wonderful world, eh.