Below is a letter I sent to many legislators, and TV news media. To date, no one has responded. Am I the only one that the new TV advertising is disturbed?

The time has come for the FCC to quit concentrating so much on licensing, monopolies, and business concerns, and start looking out for the consumers. The head of the FCC is an appointed position, and we must elect the political official who will appoint a person who has the consumer’s interest in mind. If the FCC cannot get the job done, then we must make these demands on the legislators we elect. If these viewer infringements are not the responsibility of the FCC then there must be legislation to insure responsible viewers rights concerning television broadcasts.

The day of the television being a communication device for the public has become a bygone conclusion. Today, media entertainment moguls believe only in making as much money as possible, no matter what it takes. Most of the public now pays directly for what it views, and often pays extra for what is called premium channels, movie channels, or pay per view. Most TV channels are supported by commercial advertising. This advertising has gotten completely out of control. They used to play a 2-hour movie, and interrupt is every 12 minutes for a commercial. They would shorten the movie to accomplish this. Now they schedule a 3-hour time slot for a 1 ½ to 2-hour movie so they can sell a full hour or more of commercial advertising. You can now watch an entire movie on TNT network with commercial advertising continuous through out the entire programming.

Movie channels, like Starz, which you pay extra money for, interrupts every movie with advertising. Channels advertise commercial free viewing, and then insert graphic displays on the screen when they know they have your undivided attention. Stations like TNT have total disregard for copyright laws, and add their own graphic animations right into the movie being broadcast. After airing a 5 to 10 minute commercial, the broadcasters wait for about 5 seconds into their programming, ‘till they know they have your full attention, and concentration, and then assault you with adding advertising incorporated right in the program.

This action actually creates anxieties, and mental health problems in many viewers. They invade your home, and you mind, and thoughts with their own thoughts, or what they want you to think about. They actually take away from all viewers the control of their own minds. What takes place is much worse, and has more adverse affects than subliminal messaging. The government is actually allowing the media moguls, if not promoting it, the opportunity for mind control, and they realize you are paying them to do this. It is time to establish legal, regulated viewers rights.

The influences of these graphics on the viewers are so great that no advertiser will allow them to be inserted during their commercial ads. They know that the graphics take total control of the subconscious mind of all viewers. All broadcast stations must be made to realize that the advertisers are not the only ones supporting their stations. The advertisers get fully what they expect for their dollar. It’s time that the consumers get what they expect for their dollar as well. I am surprised Hollywood doesn’t demand a percentage of the advertising dollar for making them part of the finished movie production. It is apparent that all copyright laws have been infringed upon. Most people are paying for this entertainment, or the opportunity to get a temporary escape from the day’s reality watching a movie. They don’t expect anxieties or to have their mental faculties to be hijacked with these really invasive ads. The viewer no longer has any escape from this control while watching Television.

The only option one has today is to not watch television. If you do wish to watch television you should have at least a minimum amount of protection from this type of assault. These graphics have become a disease infecting every aspect of television viewing. It’s bad enough to interrupt programming with commercial advertising, but to continue this advertising assault throughout the program should be considered criminal. If the public can’t get what they are paying for, and the moviemakers can’t get royalties from these ads, then maybe the government can get their fair share from fines imposed by this practice.

Another issue that needs addressed is the practice of charging for programming that is never delivered. The city natural gas company realizes that there is a time in the season that their revenues will be reduced. The same for the electric companies during winter, when air conditioning isn’t being used. There are many companies that experience certain time of the year when their earnings are lessened. This condition also exists with the satellite industry, but the consumers are not given the price break they deserve. Twice a year, once during the spring, and once during the fall, the viewers lose the broadcasting signal. This outage affects all users for about three hours each day for about a week. I think the consumers should only be charged half price during this period of outages. I believe the company will still make money, but the consumers will not be gouged for programming they do not receive. This outage might not affect cable companies because they grab their signals off multiple satellites, and may have the means to switch satellites to keep from loosing the signal.

Below is how I think these issues should be addressed.

First: the practice of a constant display of the stations logo on the screen must stop.
Second: the insertion of graphics, still, or animated, during the actual programming must stop.
Third: there should be consideration given to airing over satellite, or cable all commercial supported channels given free of charge to their subscribers, only charging for commercial free channels. Why should they get paid twice for the same programming?
Fourth: no programming should exceed 30% of its’ time slot for any type of advertising.
Fifth: anything that is not directly related to the program being shown will be considered advertising. That includes network logos.
Sixth: during the Summer, and Winter solstice, when the program is interrupted by the Sun, customers should not be charged more than half the normal programming fees for that period.

It is time to get back the viewing the consumers expect, and not what the broadcasters want you to have. If this requires legislation, and imposing fines, so be it. Please consider enacting legislation to shield the viewers from these constant assaults.