[user104658]

Originally Posted by DemolitionRed

Good points.

The only reason we don't have five minutes of viewing and ten minutes of adverts repeatedly on every other channel is because all those channels are restrained by the BBC. If the BBC ever has to resort to advertising, our TV is going to become the same as American TV and having spent a lot of time in the U.S and knowing how un-watchable TV over there is because the adverts make it impossible; I would vote to keep the TV licence.

I have to assume that's either an exaggeration or only applies to things like reality TV, though? I haven't watched TV in the states but I do ... erm ... "procure" a LOT of (ad-less) US TV, and shows that have an hour long slot when aired have run times of around 43 minutes without ads... so that's 17 minutes of ads per hour of viewing, and that includes the ad slot at the end of the show. I don't know if there are maybe more, shorter slots in the US that break it up more? But hour-long televised UK shows typically have the same viewing time per aired hour (about 45 mins).

Having seen some US ads though, I feel like they tend to be a lot more "IN YOUR FACE!!" which probably makes it seem like even more.

Personally I can't stand ads during a scripted show at all. Breaks immersion, breaks the narrative, urgh. Netflix-style subscription services all the way! Even if they managed to completely eliminate downloads for shows that aren't available legitimately, I'd go back to what I used to do in ye olde days - just wait it out and buy the box-sets.