And Now More Words From Our Sponsors--TV ‘Clutter’ Rises

Television viewers saw less action and longer commercial breaks during 1999 than ever before, according to a report by the American Assn. of Advertising Agencies and the Assn. of National Advertisers Inc.

Broadcast and cable programming filled by commercials, public service announcements and network promotions rose to the highest level ever across the programming day, according to the annual report that tracks what advertisers refer to as “television clutter.” The study, based upon network programming during the weeks of May 17 and Nov. 8, was released today during an AAAA meeting in Orlando.

The report drew strong opposition from ABC, described as the network running the highest number of non-programming minutes during prime-time shows. “To base a study on two weeks out of the year is ridiculous,” said Alex Wallau, ABC’s president of network administration and operations. “It’s simply wrong because there are tremendous fluctuations from week to week. It’s absurd for them, on that basis, to say that clutter soared to the highest level ever.”

Any real or perceived increase in non-programming minutes raises a red flag among advertisers who worry that their messages--which make commercial television possible--are at greater risk of getting lost in the clutter.

“If the television industry doesn’t recognize soon that they are killing the golden goose, they will lose the battle for the attention of consumers,” said John Mandel, chief negotiating officer with the MediaCom division of New York-based Grey Advertising.

Although national advertisers continue to embrace network television because of the relatively broad audience it can deliver, Wallau acknowledged that, “at the end of the day, non-programming time is clutter, and we strive to provide our advertisers with the best environment possible.”

Advertisers and their creative teams view the annual clutter report as proof that network programming policies are diluting the impact of their commercials--and jeopardizing the future of network television.

“What’s going on is ridiculous and it’s only going to get worse,” said Chuck Bachrach, an executive vice president at Santa Monica-based Rubin Postaer & Associates, which produces American Honda Motor Co. spots. “Commercialization has gone sky-high. The networks don’t seem to care about the advertisers.”

The number of prime-time commercial minutes industrywide--not counting public service announcements and promotions--rose by nine seconds per hour last year to an average of 11 minutes and 57 seconds, according to the report.

ABC jammed nearly 17 minutes of commercials, public service announcements and promotions into an average prime-time hour, according to the report. The report notes that ABC, which led the commercial break parade for the second year in a row, also continued to run more prime-time public service spots than the other networks.

Wallau maintained that the study’s methodology was faulty because “they always place the emphasis on a sweeps week, when we’re more likely to have specials, and we typically commercialize specials slightly higher than a sitcom or a drama. I can tell you that, from week to week, all of the networks have fluctuations.”

Non-programming time during the important prime-time segment rose industrywide by an average of 59 seconds per hour to 16 minutes and 43 seconds. Daytime clutter rose to a record average of 20 minutes and 53 seconds per hour, up from 20 minutes and one second. Network news, late-night programming and early-morning shows also saw increases, according to the report, which identified ABC’s “Good Morning America” as the “most cluttered of all network morning shows.”

CBS’ non-programming average during prime-time hours rose 12% to 16 minutes and 32 seconds, according to the report, but the network remained the industry’s “least cluttered.” NBC’s prime-time non-programming average rose by 45 seconds to 16 minutes and 46 seconds. Fox, identified as the “most cluttered” network two years ago, finished in third place. Fox Family Channel was identified as the cable sector’s most cluttered network, followed by MTV and E! Entertainment.

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Commercial Overload

Television commercials and public service announcements hit an all-time high in 1999, according to a report by the American Assn. of Advertising Agencies and the Assn. of National Advertisers Inc. ABC had the most non-programming time per hour for the second year in a row. Non-programming time per hour during prime-time hours:

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Network Nov.’91 Nov.’92 Nov.’93 Nov.’94 Nov.’95 Nov.’96 Nov.’97 ABC 13:04 12:46 13:24 14:11 14:24 15:19 15:44 NBC 13:51 13:18 13:43 14:38 14:45 15:19 15:19 Fox 14:54 14:38 14:35 14:56 15:22 16:07 15:54 CBS 13:37 13:24 13:53 13:47 14:33 14:53 14:29

Network Nov.’98 Nov.’99 ABC 16:27 16:57 NBC 16:05 16:46 Fox 15:37 16:36 CBS 14:45 16:32

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