What the heck is up with the oddball program scheduling? (ending at 10:02, etc)

[0db]

This is getting seriously irritating.

I've got season links that won't fire off because they've got another program scheduled in the hour before but not ending until 10:02pm - I can tell a season link to end recording late, but not early... so any other channel that has something starting at 10:00 pm can't be recorded.

Is this a deliberate attempt to piss off DVR users or what? I'm sure this has been discussed in the past, I'm just confused what they're trying to accomplish and how I can sort my recordings out.

[66stang351]

Its not necessarily to piss off DVR users as it is an attempt to keep any viewer from changing channels at the end of a show. If you are watching a show live and when it finishes the shows on other channels are already started you are more likely to just stay where you are and watch the next show that is starting at the beginning.

[gully_foyle]

This is getting seriously irritating.

I've got season links that won't fire off because they've got another program scheduled in the hour before but not ending until 10:02pm - I can tell a season link to end recording late, but not early... so any other channel that has something starting at 10:00 pm can't be recorded.

Is this a deliberate attempt to piss off DVR users or what? I'm sure this has been discussed in the past, I'm just confused what they're trying to accomplish and how I can sort my recordings out.

Actually, only DVR users can deal with it by having two recordings going. Ending early won't help, as they run the show until the end of those 2 extra minutes so that people don't turn the channel.

ABC is particularly fond of this. Doesn't bother me so much, but then when it comes to network shows, I've got 2 DVRs, so they have to have 5 shows in competition before I have a problem.

[jeffmc]

I think the reason for the overrun is advertising dollars. Over the years I have seen programs extend a minute or two and then go back to the original time. The show doesn't actually run any longer it just gives the networks an opportunity to sell more advertising for a particular show. So the shows that are more higher rated run a bit longer for increased ad revenue.

[jeff125va]

Its not necessarily to piss off DVR users as it is an attempt to keep any viewer from changing channels at the end of a show. If you are watching a show live and when it finishes the shows on other channels are already started you are more likely to just stay where you are and watch the next show that is starting at the beginning.
More importantly (to the networks at least), if the 9:00 show gets higher ratings than the 10:0x show, they can get two more minutes of commercial time at the higher advertising rate.

This is a hassle but it's certainly nothing new. For me, Thursday nights are the biggest hassle. I already have a 3-way conflict from 9-10 with Grey's Anatomy (wife and daughter), The Office (will be The Office/Scrubs) and CSI:CSI. G.A. and The Office run until 10:01 or 10:02 which causes Without A Trace to get bumped. ER isn't a problem since it's on the same channel as The Office (or Scrubs once it starts, but it still took some careful planning in my prioritizers among my 3 DVR's to make sure that all of them get recorded somewhere. It would actually be easier if CBS went along with the others, since CSI actually does run until 10:01, then everything would go from 9:00 until 10:01. Of course, ABC has to one-up everybody and run G.A. until 10:02 sometimes.

[Stuart Sweet]

I think the reason for the overrun is advertising dollars. Over the years I have seen programs extend a minute or two and then go back to the original time. The show doesn't actually run any longer it just gives the networks an opportunity to sell more advertising for a particular show. So the shows that are more higher rated run a bit longer for increased ad revenue.

That's it exactly. When a "blockbuster" show is right before a show that isn't rated as well, the networks will steal a minute of ad time from the second show and put in in the first. (or sometimes, two minutes lately). That way they can sell the same time for more money.

Even though Nielsen is now tracking DVR users, the industry hasn't really adapted to it, they still really rely on their "overnight" numbers, which only include the homes watching the show live. With that model, people who record don't matter, so if there's a scheduling conflict, they don't care.