Adverts during Lost

November 22nd, 2005 - 12:08 | 11 comments

Channel 4 have been criticised for the number of adverts shown during my current favourite tv show, Lost. I can’t say I’ve noticed many more adverts than normal, but for a few weeks they did try putting an advert break in after the title sequence, which was very annoying. It’s jarring to put ads three minutes into a programme! The only comment I take issue with is:

Ofcom found that Lost contained about 36 minutes of new material in its 65-minute weekly Channel 4 slot.
…
Each Lost episode contains an average of 42 minutes of material, but up to five minutes of that comprises of credits and a reprise of events from the previous episode.

The reprises rarely last more than thirty seconds, and the title sequence is one of the shortest I’ve ever seen! The credits actually appear superimposed onto the episode, and it seems a little unfair to take issue with that.

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11 Responses to “Adverts during Lost”

1 Nod Nov 22nd, 2005 at 3:52 pm

Surely its their airtime anyhow? Ofcom only have power over television standard right? Do they protest the 100% of non new material in all the repeats? In which case why isn’t channel 5 off air IMHO That’s someone using a respected body’s semi-related stats to add credit to a view with no single point of merit.
2 Krypto Nov 22nd, 2005 at 5:39 pm

Ofcom are the regulatory body for all tv in the UK afaik, and have the power to impose fines where they feel broadcasters have breached their obligations. I’m not sure how far this extends to cable channels, mind. I *think* C4 is owned by the government, but privately funded?
3 Foxy Dec 7th, 2005 at 11:38 pm

Ive given up watching LOST on Channel 4 / E4 - I’ve found the constant adverts and sponsorship for Directory Enquiries a total pain. True, its their airtime but they rely me as a viewer in order to push all the goods and services during the break. They ARE flouting the 20 minute rule and despite them saying that its because they are trying to schedule the ads around continuity Id comment to the contrary - its very obvious where the ads are supposed to be inserted and C4 are ignoring them and adding extra slots for their own purposes.

I’d much rather go out, buy the DVDs, watch all the episodes in almost half the time it would take during normal transmission and then lob them on ebay - its my life and I can feel it ebbing away watching it via Channel 4! I feel a complaint to Ofcom coming on in the meantime……
4 LDW May 3rd, 2006 at 1:06 am

What about that wierd advert for the Haslo (?) Foundation shown during Lost just now. I can’t remember the exact name of the foundation but what the hell is that advert for? Is it something to do with Lost itself? Did anyone notice that? Did anyone call the number?
5 Andrew May 3rd, 2006 at 1:10 am

The ad was directly before the show came back, which is a slot *normally* reserved for adverts for other shows, so I’d guess it’s a C4 thing. Wish I could remember the name, though!
6 johnlocke May 3rd, 2006 at 1:16 am

I rang the number!!!
7 LDW May 3rd, 2006 at 12:02 pm

And? who answered? what did they say? what is this foundation all about?
8 Andrew May 3rd, 2006 at 12:08 pm

I’d recommend not looking up the foundation. It’s a part of the show and reveals major spoilers. The adverts are apparently BT trying to be clever. I put up a post about it.
9 desecrationsmile May 11th, 2006 at 4:44 am

I saw that commercial too… It’s the same name as the company who made the orientation video for the pearl station… husbro or something, I caught on when they flashed the credits for that video on the show… (1990 husbro inc. all rights reserved) at the end of the orientation video… I really want to know the website, it’s something like subliminal.com or something. does any one know it?
10 LDW May 11th, 2006 at 11:12 am

I called the freephone number. It sounds like voicemail for a company but it is an elaborate marketing scheme for Lost. I think it’s very cool and clever. The website is hanso.org but I don’t want to see spoilers so I am too scared to look at it…
11 Meridith Clost May 16th, 2006 at 3:59 pm

The website is http://www.sublymonal.com (a play on subliminal?) and the credit after the video
was “The Hanso Foundation. 1980 All rights reserved.”

I have a DVR so I was just watching it this morning. Since I fast forward through commercials,
I’m now wondering what other things I’ve missed during previous episodes!! Lol. I just
happened to see HANSO as I was FFWDing and stopped. Brilliant!!
They don’t spoil anything at the site!!

M

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