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?

[Albert Rossi]

My solution has been just to stop watching television
Two remarks. If you've read Contact, you'll remember that Hadden was famous for a similar invention: one which switches channels when it detects a TV evangelist. I think your second question worthy of Doug Hofstadter.

[David Guyatt]

I would argue Al, that your solution is not a solution.

But I do understand and sympathize why you've chosen to abstain from all the TVBS. It also has a growing attraction for me.

I haven't read Contact, but I've watched the film a few times (thanks for that Sky TV). John Hurt played the Hadden role enormously well - at least to one who only knows the visual character, not the actual fictional one. If you see what I mean. But then he's class anyway. Needless to say I don't remember that particular invention forming part of the visual plot. Surprising, I know, but...

[Phil Dragoo]

David

You will want your sound engineer to design software to detect the higher decibel level of the commercial and have it trigger a search function similar to that on a radio.

Albert

Into the forest, up on the mesa, an adobe bunker on the Savage Reservation.

Not to the point of a Nosenko event.

As though washing those doors of perception were a one-time chore.

~ ~ ~

Holmes abhorred stagnation, craved mental exhultation. For him the occasional seven-percent solution when he could get over here and read.

Can we encourage a hypnotized populace to break contact.

Will it take an electromagnetic pulse.

Occasional testing to send subjects before a panel consisting of an exorcist, a deprogrammer, and Zen master.

"More tea, Grasshopper?"

[Albert Rossi]

David

Of course you would not remember it from the film. The film is entirely different from the book. It almost doesn't even seem to be Sagan, though I know he was supposedly consulted.

David/Phil
My intention with the word "solution" was mostly facetious. I know it's not really a solution. And I did not mean to imply that my "solution" allows me to be cleansed of all the other programming I have been subjected to, once and for all. Nor does it signal a retreat from the world. But why need I listen over and over again to the same MSM lies? I seek other sources where I can. Further, it is my feeling that the mind-numbing garbage on TV is not only in the commercials. But I can't say I've followed what's on the air for a long time. I could see the argument, on the other hand, that only by actively paying attention and combatting the media are we going to reach most people. I would like to believe that ...

I can pinpoint in my memory (though the exact date escapes me) the moment when I decided to turn off the tube altogether. It was during the News Hour, when the usual roll call of pundits like Gurgin (sp?) were mouthing off about W's Afghanistan invasion. The then editor of Newsweek, Meacham (sp?), then started to bloviate about how Bush's foreign policy was like JFK's. That's it, I said.

[Magda Hassan]

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.

[David Guyatt]

David

Of course you would not remember it from the film. The film is entirely different from the book. It almost doesn't even seem to be Sagan, though I know he was supposedly consulted.

David/Phil
My intention with the word "solution" was mostly facetious. I know it's not really a solution. And I did not mean to imply that my "solution" allows me to be cleansed of all the other programming I have been subjected to, once and for all. Nor does it signal a retreat from the world. But why need I listen over and over again to the same MSM lies? I seek other sources where I can. Further, it is my feeling that the mind-numbing garbage on TV is not only in the commercials. But I can't say I've followed what's on the air for a long time. I could see the argument, on the other hand, that only by actively paying attention and combatting the media are we going to reach most people. I would like to believe that ...

I can pinpoint in my memory (though the exact date escapes me) the moment when I decided to turn off the tube altogether. It was during the News Hour, when the usual roll call of pundits like Gurgin (sp?) were mouthing off about W's Afghanistan invasion. The then editor of Newsweek, Meacham (sp?), then started to bloviate about how Bush's foreign policy was like JFK's. That's it, I said.

Al,

I quite understand why you have avoid television; we're more or less on the same page here.

My thinking is that if one could develop a TV that automatically switched when adverts were about to be aired (simple enough technologically as Phil demonstrates - it could be a small plug-in box I imagine, cheap too), this would be a quite significant step towards forcing change upon our entire media structure.

For example, if such technology became available, my guess is that a very large number of people would avail themselves of it. Advertising is highly disruptive and annoying. In the best outcome of this scenario, TV stations would begin folding almost overnight, other than public service ones.

But the reality would be that the government would outlaw, or technologically restrict, such a device. Game over.

Maybe.

[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.