Local ads on foreign channels

THE EDITOR: Picture this: Seinfeld takes a break from humouring us...commercials come on. I love good commercials so I sit and look on at new movie trailers and at products that are available right here in our stores.

Then suddenly, adrenaline rushes through my entire body, as confusion replaces serenity — a poorly coloured, low production piece comes on the screen at several decibels higher than the norm, pushing my little TV speaker to the limits. I scramble and grab for the remote, frantically searching for the mute button...oh, to at least find the channel up/down to escape the horror! The mute is found, my heart slows its pace...shock slowly subsides to disgust. I realise the source of fear — a local commercial that advertises me to sign up for cable, when I am already a subscriber.

Hmmmmm. The logic escapes me unless repeat business is the focus, but wait a minute! I pay for cable and I choose to see the programmes and commercials that originates from stations from Channel six (CCN) to Channel 61 (Fox News). I have a remote if I choose to look at local programming, which I seldom do. I have this right of choice since I still pay the fee that has been rising consistently. How is this thrust of local advertising benefiting me on the foreign stations at which I choose to look? If it’s not going to subsidise the cost of cable to me, then remove the local ads from the foreign feeds and put it on local TV — that’s your new market — go for it! For now, I will continue to choose “mute” or those elusive but magical channel changer buttons. Do you now realise how effective your advertising dollar is being spent?

RAVI ROOPCHANDSINGH
Arima