March Sweeps!
March Sweeps!
Okay this is starting to finally make sense! It seems this year February Sweeps have been bumped to March. So this is the reason for the lack of excitement on many episodes, as well as so many repeats. The reason for the move? They expected the transfer to the digital TV signal to happen and possibly wreak havoc with ratings because people were unprepared.
Of course the digital move has now been moved to June of this year as too many people were not prepared. Personally, we’ve known about this for 2 years and bombarded with commercials for it. How can people not be ready?
I’m ready, extremely ready, and I’m fully expecting no observable difference.
So March sweeps… That doesn’t seem as fun as February sweeps. I wonder if they’ll still have May sweeps too.
I watched Dollhouse on Hulu (FOX’s stream was running the audio delayed). I liked the premiere. It’ll be interesting to see if every episode has a differene active experience for Echo.
02.16.2009 at 8:30 pm
Dustin, I agree that the delay on the digital transition is a bit stupid…
Though I live in an area that while it should be ready isnt. I am fully on cable and there have been a lot of tests on the local stations.
On more then a few my cable fails. Like two sister stations out of Los Angeles KTTV and KCOP (11 and 13 over the air respectively) On the KTTV, my cable passes, on KCOP it fails. Same with KCAL and KCBS another set of sister stations, one passes the other fails.
Supposedly Bakersfield television stations are going digital no matter what on the 17th, they have already informed the FCC of their plans and are going forth with the change, so time will tell how that affects me.
And the funny thing is you go out to the website for the digital changes they dont have a catagory for an answer that fits my situation. Though based on reading the digital convertor box would do me no good because oh yeah, it is strictly for you being on rabbit ears or antenna not for someone getting cable but whos cable company isn’t on the ball.
02.16.2009 at 9:30 pm
CG that’s very odd! I think the delay though was not because stations weren’t ready, but because people weren’t. However I did not even think that stations could mess things up. With you being on cable already, yeah it’s their fault for sure for doing something wrong.
02.16.2009 at 11:09 pm
Yeah, I find it annoying too. My Cable company when I ask them say that, “Well the tv stations have to send us equipment, when they do we hook it up.”, Yet the tv stations when I called one of them said basically it is all in the cable company’s hands now.
I wish that there was some sort of straight easy answer as to who has to prepare for it when it comes to the cable side of things. The television stations or the cable company.
As for the why, the reason behind the delay as I understood it there are too many un-reedemed coupons for convertor boxes out. Not enough money to issue new convertor box coupons to those requesting the coupons now.. So until more of the unexpired ones run out, new ones cannot be issued.
Personally I think it is all a bunch of double talk designed to scare people into buying new tvs.
02.16.2009 at 11:55 pm
We got coupons (why I don’t know!) for the boxes. Even though we didn’t need them. They ran out fast, they were only good for a few months.
As for buying a new TV. Oy! I remember trying to tune the TV dial to get certain stations (especially UHF) on Saturday mornings to watch cartoons 🙂 When I first moved to Philly I had Rabbit ears too, what a nightmare. I’d so go for a new TV, unless it was some antique TV in great working order lol
02.17.2009 at 12:09 am
Personally, I think some people will never be ready until you force them to get ready. I don’t see how the delay is going to help that. Change to digital, I promise those who aren’t ready will get ready fast!
02.17.2009 at 3:35 pm
Thank you for clarifying! I kept seeing everyone talk about “March sweeps” and I was so very confused. Now it makes sense, though. I think about half the stations here in Boise are switching over tonight anyway, not like it’ll matter since I have cable and a converter (to get a couple over the air digital channels cable won’t carry). I wish this would just happen already, I am sick to death of those commercials! I agree that a lot of people won’t be ready until they’re forced to, which is kind of sad. Oh well, at least I’m in the know now.
02.17.2009 at 4:12 pm
If I see one more scroll about the transfer of digital cable I think my head will burst! Who doesn’t know about it??? I don’t care if they don’t know about? They don’t watch TV anyways if they don’t know about it.
If we find someone that doesn’t know about the transfer, then they need to move to the island where they film the show Lost. And hopefully they will never be heard from again.
02.18.2009 at 11:52 am