Conference ljsrv1::tv_chatter

    I hate 'em, too. Once upon a time they showed up briefly, every now and
    then; that was OK, as it wasn't too distracting, and I could see the
    rationale of the station's wanting anyone who taped a segment to be
    reminded where it came from. Fine. But now the logos seem (a) larger,
    (b) on all the time, and (c) sometimes they're even... animated! [No
    kidding; the other evening I was watching "Advise and Consent," and in
    one key scene, Charles Laughton's entire face was obscured by the
    station's logo, which *whirled around* for a second or two.]
    
    I haven't written any letters yet, but am strongly considering firing
    off a barrage to all the relevant stations. I can see that they'd like
    to make their identity known, and to provide some protection against
    taping-without-credit, but when the logo's presence detracts from the
    quality of the program, I would prefer to spend money to rent an
    unadulterated tape than to watch that station's offerings for free.
    
    Alternatives: they could go back to the on-again, off-again mode,
    displaying the logo briefly every once in a while; it might still be a
    little distracting, but it's not as bad as having it on all the time.
    In addition, the see-through types of logos aren't as bad as the opaque
    ones. If they must do it at all, it'd be nice if the stations seemed to
    at least try to remember that people are watching their stuff...
    
    -b

    I have written to the Disney Channel about theirs.
    Cinemax is the only movie channel that I have found that has not (yet?)
    begun doing this.  So I will still subscribe to it instead of the
    others.
    
    Another thing that I find even more annoying if possible is the
    continual broadcast of the 1-800-..... number that Disney runs across
    the screen the whole time that the preview weeks are running.  If they
    want to do that, they ought to do previews on a different channel and
    let those of us who have the channel already watch in peace.
    
    I also hate stations that cut off to local babbling during the credits,
    telling us what is coming up next, especially when they shrink the
    credits to a little corner box and fill the screen with the babbler.

re: .0

>    screen. The next step? What will happen when someone decides to run
>    product advertisements in a "small, unobtrusive" area of your screen
>    DURING the broadcast of your favorite show?

Ahh. . . I hear ya, Trooper Ed. It'll be as bad as all these damned applications
that take the liberty of commandeering part of the real estate on my character
cell terminal screen without my say-so. Next thing we know, it'll be WTN
(Windows Television Network) only they've got all the mouse buttons!

(But seriously, as a very recent cable subscriber, I can't say that the
 signatures turn me off that much.)

-Jack

    Yes, MA_BAKER, I *hate* the babble-over-shrunken-credits!  I'm usually
    interested in the cast of characters, at the very least, and many times
    I want to see the tech credits too.  When they shrink 'em, they're very
    hard to read as broadcast; and if you're taping, even on the fast (SP)
    mode, the image deteriorates just enough for the crawl to be illegible.
    
    A special section of hell for the program managers who inflict this
    practice upon us?  How about a special eye test at the DMV for them...
    you guessed it, a shrunken, babbled-over crawl test, played on a '73
    13" Zenith B&W.... ]:-}
    
    The logos haven't bugged me inordinately; the clear ones don't bother
    me at all.  I think most of the channels I watch put the logos on
    merely intermittently (at the quarter hours, for 20 seconds or so, to
    comply with station ID rules I presume).  No big deal.  And I figure
    Disney's 800 number banner is the price I pay for taping free movies!
    
    Leslie

    I also find these logos very irritating. First I stopped watching CBS
    news, then stopped watching NBC news, and finally gave up on ABC.
    
    ABC is like a kid with a new toy. They logo (to create a new verb)
    their morning program, 2020, Nightline, Prime Time Live, This Week
    with David Brinkly, etc.
    
    Can you imagine listing to a radio program while someone is constantly
    whispering "ABC,   ABC,    ABC... "?
    
    I have spent a lot of money on excellent quality video equipment
    because I enjoy a technically good picture to view.  The logo is
    unnecessary clutter that detracts from that enjoyment.
    
    I have considered writing to the networks, but in recent days have
    thought that writing to the sponsors might be more effective.
    ...or would that give the sponsors the same idea.
    
    To answer the original question... Yes, I do find these things to
    be a bit much?
    
    Leon

    Writing to the sponsors is also something I've considered, with a copy
    to the offending network/show.
    
    Unfortunately, the sponsors themselves are picking up on it and
    broadcasting a logo during the commercial.
    
    A local Boston station has been showing clips of the flooded mid-west.
    Some of the clips were produced by the Boaton station, others were
    obtained elsewhere. This results in the logo appearing and disappearing
    with each cut, creating a flashing effect.
    
    I suspect it'll only get worse.
    
    Edd

    
    
    Oh my!!!!  Troooper Edd, yer alive!!!!!!  I'd given up on you...
    
    But at any rate, just last nite I was thinking how annoying it is to
    see the logo on the corner of the screen (FOX).  It is distracting and
    eventho they are "clear", they still distort the picture slightly. 
    VH-1 has been doing this for a long time, and I always thought that was
    a pain in the butt, too.  
    
    
    -raq
    
    

    And I have been noticing the flickering Burger King logo in the lower
    left corner of their commercials lately too :^(  Bleak and I don't even
    like BK Burgers.......
    
    Most of the time I can mentally 'block out' th elogo but not until I've
    already noticed it and how annoying it is :^}
    
    Joyce 

    As we can plainly see, logos are getting more and more prevalent.
    One Boston station displayed theirs during Clinton's last address.
    The logo was HUGE!! And it apparently violates the premise that "we
    want the viewers to know the origin of the feed" premise. It appears
    there is one feed from the oval office that's fed to everyone. (Can
    someone confirm? Certainly all the Boston stations didn't have a
    cam on site...)
    
    I'm sure the stations would want to hear your comments.
    
    Edd

    One time you probably won't see the logos is during a commercial. The
    sponsors won't stand for it.
    
    Steve B.

    ...except that the sponsors are using their own logos.
    
    I can picture my TV screen looking like a NASCAR competitor before
    too long...
    
    Edd

    What's all this about the commercials with their own logos?  I've
    noticed exactly one commercial that does this - Burger King.  Since the
    campaign features "BK TeeVee," a takeoff on an MTV-like channel, the
    logo seems appropriate.  (Actually, is it a BK logo or a BK TeeVee
    logo?)
    
    I agree that the logos on the lower-right portion of the screen are a
    bit distracting, but I have other things to worry about.
    
    Mike
    
    

  Logo's have been appearing on the screens in Europe for about 4 years
  now I think. While all stations are becoming more and more alike it's
  hard to tell who you tuned into they think and therefore they started
  to show their channel logo (See... Hillstreet Blues is brought to you
  by ....). At first they were large, then they became smaller (say about
  1-1.5"). And now some have started to show them sometimes during films
  (notably the best remembered scenes) rather than always.

  Indeed for commercials, they're gone.

  They are a bit of a pain. But so is advertising on skiers, soccer players,
  and anything else that moves. Society seems totally sold out to
  commercial enterpreneurs. Anything for a buck.

  Theo