Audio Video News

You know you do it. I do it too. We all do it. We all use our DVRs to skip commercials. For many users, that's the main reason they purchased a DVR in the first place. Unfortunately, this trend is effecting the advertiser's bottom line. They pay for ads, but no one is watching.

In an effort to make bring more eyeballs to the ads, NBC and DISH Network are teaming up to provide something called "interactive trigger capabilities" to NBC Universal's networks and TV stations. This technology will let DISH subscribers get more information, special offers or coupons from advertisers with the click of the remote.

If an advertiser buys into this service, an icon will appear onscreen during their ad. Viewers can click on it to open a new page with the added information.  Afterwards, they're returned to the original program right where it left off. In an Orwellian twist, DISH and NBC will be able to tell advertisers how many people clicked through on the triggered ads. This feature is only available to DISH subscribers with DVRs.

Hopefully for advertisers, adding interactive on-screen triggers will make folks less likely to fast-forward through their ads. I don't know if it's that enticing, though. I create the sound design for many commercials, and I still skip 'em.-Leslie Shapiro

Via DISH Network