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TV Station "Paid Programming"

sdwulfdawg

sdwulfdawg

I'm trying to wrap my head around the concept of "paid programming" which usually consists of infomercials from such companies as Guthy-Renker, Time-Life.

Do the stations carrying the programming get actually paid for the time the informercials run, or on how many actual units of an item they are selling, or a little of both? I notice that there are so low power stations which show nothing but informercials. Does this programming actually pay for the electrical bill, engineering folks?

Does anyone actually buy this stuff that their are hawking?
 
Someone must be buying it or else they would not continue doing it. You’ll notice if you see the same infomercial on different stations they will have different phone numbers, so they can tell when a call comes in what station the caller was watching.
 
It's bound to be a little of both:
the infomercial producers always pay for the time
and sometimes it's prorated and the station gets a per-unit-sold price [thus the various numbers and URLs).

The money trickled down to Billy Mays and Vince from Shamwow and apparently the other actors are getting paid, so there must be somebody making a profit in the equation.
 
<Raises hand> I have a question.....

What about these LPTVs which are not seen on cable or satellite, only OTA *if* you have a decent antenna (we have one or two in the Miami area) who seem to program over 18 hours a day of infomercials, and little creativity in scheduling, and in one case, using three channels of DTV? Are they profitable in the least, and if so, how come, if few to no people are watching?

That's one thing that really throws me; but then again, I'm not in the biz.

cd
 
cd637299 said:
<Raises hand> I have a question.....

What about these LPTVs which are not seen on cable or satellite, only OTA *if* you have a decent antenna (we have one or two in the Miami area) who seem to program over 18 hours a day of infomercials, and little creativity in scheduling, and in one case, using three channels of DTV? Are they profitable in the least, and if so, how come, if few to no people are watching?
Click to expand...

Based on what I have learned from other LPTV owners, in the bigger markets a subchannel airing infomercials can bring in good cash, like mid-four figures ($2,000 to $6,000) depending on market size. But at the same time, their tower rents are often pretty high in those larger markets. In Seattle, the station's cost are around $3,000 a month in just electricity and tower rent.
 
stationi said:
cd637299 said:
<Raises hand> I have a question.....

What about these LPTVs which are not seen on cable or satellite, only OTA *if* you have a decent antenna (we have one or two in the Miami area) who seem to program over 18 hours a day of infomercials, and little creativity in scheduling, and in one case, using three channels of DTV? Are they profitable in the least, and if so, how come, if few to no people are watching?
Click to expand...

Based on what I have learned from other LPTV owners, in the bigger markets a subchannel airing infomercials can bring in good cash, like mid-four figures ($2,000 to $6,000) depending on market size. But at the same time, their tower rents are often pretty high in those larger markets. In Seattle, the station's cost are around $3,000 a month in just electricity and tower rent.
Click to expand...

How about if they multiplex channels (infomercials on one, RTV on another, health and wellness on a third, etc.)
In the aggregate does that work for them?
 
Was Vince Offer in prison?

From Wikipedia

On February 7, 2009, Offer was arrested in Miami Beach, Florida on a charge of felony battery after an altercation with a 26-year-old prostitute. Offer contended that he struck the prostitute when she "bit his tongue and would not let go." Prosecutors later declined to file formal charges against either individual.
Click to expand...
 
Vince was not in prison but I have not seen him working since then either.
Phil Swift of screen-door bottomed boat fame appears to be their up-and-comer.
 
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