Enough with the infomercials!

[vchimpanzee]

Ironically, I would surely enjoy watching an infomercial for Carol Burnett. Just as I would have enjoyed the one for classic country that aired when "Jeopardy" was supposed to. But had I seen the "Jeopardy" episode? If the other station aired it, I would have been all right. But if not, for reasons that included sports, I would not have known. And I never remember those reruns.

But four nights this week, my TiVo has listed "The Real McCoys" and I got to see the RTV logo and the station ID with the .2, even though only .1 is on my cable system, but they take a break from their religious programming this one time each day. So is it RTV or the station doing this? They need to stop I want to see actual episodes of a TV series that I haven't seen since I was too young to remember what I saw.

 

[vchimpanzee]

They stopped with the fifth night, but both episodes so far this week have been reruns! There's no way they've gone through all the episodes yet since I started watching.

 

[Markxxx]

When did the FCC start allowing infomercials?

 

[Darth_vader]

"Infomercials" or *"paid commercial programming"*?

There actually is a difference, you know.

Infomercials have probably been around as long as people have been using television to sell products. Paid commercial programming (which is what you guys are erroneously calling "infomercials" here), I think, started in the late 1970s-early 1980s, during the beginning of the "televangelism" movement/fad (take your pick.)

 

[willdav713]

"Infomercials" or *"paid commercial programming"*?

There actually is a difference, you know.

Infomercials have probably been around as long as people have been using television to sell products. Paid commercial programming (which is what you guys are erroneously calling "infomercials" here), I think, started in the late 1970s-early 1980s, during the beginning of the "televangelism" movement/fad (take your pick.)

Ah the infomercials:

The Psychic Friends Network (1993)
Memory Master (1985)
Ronco Food Dehydrator (1993)
Real Estate Marathon on FNN (1985)
Ronco Showtime Oven (2002)
Nutriwave (1999)
Not to forget the Time Life Music series!!!

Remember the Nutri-Fry skillet commercial from 1987? I wish I still had the one my Grandma had despite when I had my tonsils removed watching that commercial reminds me of the 4 day sore throat and I could only eat soft french fries. That commercial played a lot in my hospital room TV.

Whatever happened to Nutri-Fry?

TV increased my memory and usually it is the other way around so they said!

 

[EZway2go]

Trying to recall some of the "stars" of infomercials past (OK, paid commercial programs past). We all know Don Lapre died a few years ago, but the one who stands out in my mind is Susan Powter, the "Stop the Insanity" lady with the platinum blonde crewcut.


We enthusiastically signed up for cable television when it first arrived in our area in the '80s because its big selling point was being commercial-free since we were the ones paying for it. But that was back when MTV really was Music Television, AMC really was American Movie Classics, and HLN really gave you headline news every half-hour. Boy, did we get duped somewhere along the way.

 

[FreddyE1977]

There were infomercials in the early days of TV in the 1950's (the infamous Chef of the Future episode
of The Honeymooners alludes to this).

Sometime I want to say in the mid-to-late 1950's the FCC did adopt some regulation that essentially
put them off the air. They began to resurface in the late 1980's to the best of my recollection.

 

[Markxxx]

I did a little research it seems in 1984 the FCC lifted the ban it implemented in the 50s on program length advertising. But it kept a regulation limiting it to one 30 minute program per hour.

And I remember this now as WPWR used to one one infomercial then a sitcom and then another infomercial, then a sitcom, in the overnight hours.

Then I read in 1992 the FCC lifted that ban and allowed any number to run, but they put, in effect, new restrictions on how the programs were aired, to make sure everyone knew it was an advertisement.

 

[rnigma1]

Trying to recall some of the "stars" of infomercials past (OK, paid commercial programs past). We all know Don Lapre died a few years ago, but the one who stands out in my mind is Susan Powter, the "Stop the Insanity" lady with the platinum blonde crewcut.

Don't forget Jay Korditch the "Juiceman"!


I remember seeing half hour infomercials for the Shop Smith woodworking machine, and for Changing Times magazine (now called Kiplinger's) - in the early '70s.

I think the abolition of the NAB Television Code in 1982 may have had something to do with the increase in infomercials.

 

[FreddyE1977]

One of the earliest ones I remember featured a very young Anthony Sullivan
clad in red suspenders, peddling some type of newfangled mop. Was around 1987
I believe.

Also one featuring Dick Butkus peddling a portable grill that would cook your burgers
by burning six sheets of newspaper. Must not have worked worth a darn cause I have
not seen nor heard of such a thing since.

 

[landtuna]

"Infomercials" or *"paid commercial programming"*?

There actually is a difference, you know.

I would not have known because both descriptions sound alike to me.

The term "paid commercial programming" could be applied to virtually any program in which commercials are aired.

The term "infomercial" applies to a program-length commercial.

I submit they are not the same.

 

[Darth_vader]

Well, apparently Wikipedia seems to think otherwise (go figure), but the definition I'd been taught was:

Infomercial: 1-3 minutes in length, typically (think of all those "direct response" commercials for insurance policies and kitchen gadgets you see on the "classic TV" subchannels or Qubo) and airs during the commercial breaks of a regular TV show. The Youtube file I link to in this post is an example of a proper infomercial.

Paid commercial programming: longform commercial that's usually around 30 minutes in length and airs in its own time slot.

@willdav713--
My Grandma still has her original Nutri-fry thingy and uses it to this day, 20-some years later; it still makes really good roasted chicken. Granted, I'd never seen the commercials, myself (https://youtube.com/watch?v=j7vV8VXapB0) but up until a few years ago a store called "Linens & Things" were selling them, or something that looked a lot like them, anyways. Probably just a made-in-China knock-off using the original design.

If I had to take a guess, I'd say it probably got kicked to the sidelines when Ron Popeil started to really aggressively market his products in the early '90s.

 

[Tim from Springfield IL]

And don't forget Homer Simpson's quote: "Oooh, a program-length commercial!" ;D (from the Simpsons Season 2 episode "Homer vs. Lisa and the 8th Commandment"--the "stealing cable" episode).

 

[johnnya2k6]

Trying to recall some of the "stars" of infomercials past (OK, paid commercial programs past). We all know Don Lapre died a few years ago, but the one who stands out in my mind is Susan Powter, the "Stop the Insanity" lady with the platinum blonde crewcut.

Don't forget Jay Korditch the "Juiceman"!

And the late Mike Levey of "Amazing Discoveries" fame!

Ah, Amazing Discoveries...the well-known infomercial series that gained a cult following worldwide; it appeared on an episode of "Friends."

 

[crainbebo]

I don't like most infomercials, but there are some that are very entertaining. Ron Popeil and his Showtime Rotisserie, plus the Lifetime Knife set, Chef Tony (Miracle Blade III), and Mick and Mimi with the Magic Bullet (which is STILL airing, and I first saw it around 2004-2005!)

-crainbebo

 

[azumanga]

Well, apparently Wikipedia seems to think otherwise (go figure), but the definition I'd been taught was:

Infomercial: 1-3 minutes in length, typically (think of all those "direct response" commercials for insurance policies and kitchen gadgets you see on the "classic TV" subchannels or Qubo) and airs during the commercial breaks of a regular TV show. The Youtube file I link to in this post is an example of a proper infomercial.

Paid commercial programming: longform commercial that's usually around 30 minutes in length and airs in its own time slot.

I always thought that "informercial" equalled "paid commercial programming", and anything under 3 minutes was just a regular commercial.

 

[MarcB]

There are a few Infomercial Products I'd actually buy.

Magic Bullet. - It works well. They had one at Illusions the night club I used to work at. Now also sold in stores.

George Foreman Grill - Originally sold on TV in infomercials or commercials, now also sold on QVC and at stores.

Certain Time-Life Music Collections.

Temptations Bakeware. - Originally sold only on QVC, now available in infomercials.


Stuff that doesn't work:

DiDi 7. Remember that? My mom bought it from the Home Shopping Club.

That spray in a can that supposedly can make a leak-free floating boat out of a screen door. (My friends at Illusions bought it and it doesn't work).

Any excercise product.

And others.

 

[willdav713]

Well, apparently Wikipedia seems to think otherwise (go figure), but the definition I'd been taught was:

Infomercial: 1-3 minutes in length, typically (think of all those "direct response" commercials for insurance policies and kitchen gadgets you see on the "classic TV" subchannels or Qubo) and airs during the commercial breaks of a regular TV show. The Youtube file I link to in this post is an example of a proper infomercial.

Paid commercial programming: longform commercial that's usually around 30 minutes in length and airs in its own time slot.

@willdav713--
My Grandma still has her original Nutri-fry thingy and uses it to this day, 20-some years later; it still makes really good roasted chicken. Granted, I'd never seen the commercials, myself (https://youtube.com/watch?v=j7vV8VXapB0) but up until a few years ago a store called "Linens & Things" were selling them, or something that looked a lot like them, anyways. Probably just a made-in-China knock-off using the original design.

If I had to take a guess, I'd say it probably got kicked to the sidelines when Ron Popeil started to really aggressively market his products in the early '90s.

With Wikipedia's logic, Time Magazines Byrds "Turn,Turn, Turn" and Time Life's Mysteries of The Unknown qualify as an infomercial.

Didn't Linen's and Things close up shop everywhere?

Can't find Nutri-Fry at Walmart, Target, Marshall's, Ross, or DD's Discounts or a knock off there of.

None on E-bay either.
But it would be nice to use one again.

 

[anotherguyTN]

Well, apparently Wikipedia seems to think otherwise (go figure), but the definition I'd been taught was:

Infomercial: 1-3 minutes in length, typically (think of all those "direct response" commercials for insurance policies and kitchen gadgets you see on the "classic TV" subchannels or Qubo) and airs during the commercial breaks of a regular TV show. The Youtube file I link to in this post is an example of a proper infomercial.

Paid commercial programming: longform commercial that's usually around 30 minutes in length and airs in its own time slot.

I always thought that "informercial" equalled "paid commercial programming", and anything under 3 minutes was just a regular commercial.

In any case I hate most of them and wish they were off of TV for good.  The same goes for home shopping channels, but at least they're on a separate channel in most cases.

Even if channels had to sign off at night dead air would be better than infomercials. :

 

[firepoint525]

Even if channels had to sign off at night dead air would be better than infomercials. :

I have often said that infomercial advertisers are "bottom feeders," in that they buy up what would likely be unsold, unfilled (whatever) airtime. I am assuming that they are able to buy ad time en masse BECAUSE they buy up (otherwise) unsold airtime. It's cheap because no one else wants it!

And I think anotherguy knows this, but I used to work at one of those "dollar a holler" otherwise "Christian" radio stations that sold unused airtime to infomercial advertisers. Infomercial advertisers swooped down on us like vultures! But on the other hand, who else was going to buy airtime on an AM station at 10:30 on a Saturday morning? But then, they had the unmitigated gall to actually complain because they got no response from their infomercial advertising! They had us fax back an affidavit to them explaining what might have happened. The root of their complaint was that maybe, just maybe, their infomercial didn't air for some reason. But on the sheet to fax back to them, one of the multiple choice responses that we could check off was something like "infomercial aired properly, but there was no (listener) response to it." Ya think? :