Just a small town TV ad, living in a lonely world
She took the DVR skip button goin’ nowhere
Just a CNN, born & raised on advertising revenue
He took the DVR skip button goin’ nowhere

Apparently TV networks haven’t stopped believing in commercials and CNN in particular is trying its best to ensure they don’t suffer at the hands of your DVR’s “skip” button.

On CNN’s new evening news show “John King, USA,” the show never leaves the screen, even during commercial breaks. Instead, footage of all the paper-shuffling and scrambling around that happens during breaks, runs in a little window at the bottom of the screen.

Apparently viewers are loving this behind the scenes look at CNN. They’re also digging it on ESPN shows such as “Pardon the Interruption”, which has taken to showing brief snippets of anchors getting their hair combed or their make-up re-touched. Personally, I’d still keep fast-forwarding, but that’s a different discussion.

Is it working? Well, it’s working well enough to delight both CNN and ESPN. And, I’m sure advertisers are happy that there’s a reason to keep viewers engaged, but there are some things to consider:

1. Will these new ad formats start costing advertisers more?
2. What happens when the novelty value of “hair combing” wears off?
3. Don’t advertisers want viewers focused on their ads and not behind the scenes footage?

Still, it’s an interesting concept, right?

Don’t stop believin’ TV networks…….

(via)