Yahoo! Ruins the Party for PVR Users
By Davis Freeberg
Yahoo! News has spoiled yet another television event for PVR users. This morning they posted a link on their Yahoo! homepage that said R------ denies R------, wins Apprentice. For those of you who've yet to watch the show, I won't ruin it for you, but knowing the winner of the Apprentice will immedietely suck out a lot of joy and suspense from the season finale.
While this particular instance was highlighted by a reader on Digg, spoilers on the main Yahoo! page have been a consistent problem for Yahoo! readers. In 2002, I initated the Davis Freeberg boycott of the Yahoo! homepage for this very reason. After repeatably emailing Yahoo! regarding their posting the World cup scores on their main search page, I decided that the only way to prevent Yahoo! from spoiling sports and other shows was to never go to their homepage -- hence, no more Yahoo! search for me. Many world cup games were being broadcast at 2am and while I did watch some of the games live, the vast majority of the games were watched the following day on my TiVo. If you really want to ruin a soccer game, try telling a fan that the score will be 1-0. It takes a tremendous amount of drama out of what would normally be a very exciting defensive match.
I don't really have an issue with Yahoo! News reporting sport's scores -- that's their job after all. My problem is that I don't want to see this spoiler type of information when I go to their homepage to search. Why not just leave this kind of information on it's respective news page where people can elect to read about it, instead of having these results thrust upon them.
About a year and a half ago, I decided to lift my boycott because I really enjoy reading the Yahoo! news, but after they revealed the winner of the World Series of Poker months before it was broadcast on ESPN, I knew that I could not go back until the company publically addressed the issue. With nearly 10% of the US population now using PVRs, Yahoo! should seriously reconsider this terrible policy of forcing results onto people who use their services. Would it be so hard to have the headline read finalists face off on the Aprentice - Winner Announced. I don't mind them writing about television, but give your users and opportunity to avoid the link if they haven't seen the program yet.
posted by Thomas Hawk at 8:36 AM
8 Comments:
I don't think these kinds of shows are meant to be watched later, Thomas... it's a strange world we live in - we've gotten into this notion that everything is possible to rewind and relive, but what we really need to do is to live more in the now.
Just my penny, there. Anyway, you have to agree with me that the outcome was a tragedy!
(sorry Davis, didn't see that this was your post..:-)
I think sites like Yahoo! have to report on this news, regardless of whether someone has chosen to watch the episode at a later date. Popular reality shows are known for doing cross-promotions on its networks such as having the lastest loser featured on the morning shows.
It doesn't make much sense for properties in any medium to hold back reporting on timely news while other outlets pull in the users hungry for more timely info.
Eli,
While the studios may feel that TV was meant to be watched live, I think that I would have to disagree with you. It's the studios and portals that must get used to this notion of being able to rewind, relive and postpone our television. While admitedly some events are going to be too big to stay out of the mainstream press (i.e. the Superbowl) my issue with Yahoo! involves events that either haven't even been televised (WSOP) or events that are smaller like the season finale of Survivor or the Apprentice.
I agree that we must learn to live in the now, but TV isn't really life, it's a distraction that many people enjoy. The ability to put off TV in lieu of other life events that may conflict with a 9pm start time is important to every PVR user. If the portals refuse to modify their behavior, they will soon find that others will stop using their services. It's bad enough that I have to avoid the office gossip if I miss The Apprentice, but having to avoid sites that I would otherwise enjoy shouldn't be an issue for me or the other 8% of the country that chooses to time shift their programs.
Half the problem is that entertainment is considered news. I doesn't matter who The Apprentice is and it doesn't matter who got voted off of what island, yet too many people actually think it does and so it becomes news.
Another problem is perception and syncronization. If no one is watching things at a known time then just when do you scoop news events? You also want to be entertained so your perception is that you shouldn't know about it yet others want to know who won the WSOP as soon as possible for betting or for placement reasons. It's also your perception that the Apprentice is smaller yet someone else my disagree.
I doubt very much that the portals will be bothered losing 5% of that 8% of time-shifters. Until you can get TV episodes in an out-of-band fashion (iTunesesque) and more of the country is time-shifting, then portals really won't be bothered much.
It annoys me when I learn something before I wanted to and even I wouldn't bother with the small numbers or the handful of people boycotting.
If your main reason for visiting Yahoo is to search, you might try http://search.yahoo.com instead. It loads faster and is far less likely to spoil your TV shows.
Or you can set Yahoo as your default engine in your browser (or use the Yahoo! Toolbar).
My two-cent's worth.
Replying specifically the example used of ESPN delaying broadcast of the World Series of Poker, I think the onus is not on Yahoo! to change its policy towards news and in this case, results embargo. If it is an event that happened months ago, why should there be a five-month ban on Yahoo!'s part to to publish the news?
I think that it is imperative for broadcasters, especially those who specialise in sports, to be aware that the currency of recorded content that they put on air. Else, it will lead to the problem rightly mentioned by the author that it really does take the joy out of watching a programme that is driven by a scoreline. I do believe that the programming guys at ESPN know what they are doing but at the same time don't think that Yahoo! should change what they are doing. After all, they are reporting the news of an event as it simply is.
Let me use another hypothetical analogy. Imagine ESPN delaying broadcast of the World Cup Finals. How long can one expect Yahoo! or any other news wire to embargo publication of the results? It will be all over the back page of the newspapers by the following morning anyway! For that matter, in this day and age of abundant and accessible information makes it virtually impossible for these kinds of news to stay un-"known" for long.
Delayed broadcast are meant for those who have missed it Live but would still want to watch it anyway, but it would be foolhardy to assume that a delayed broadcast will be watched by a viewer who does not already know the result. Another reason for delayed broadcast is to use it as 'filler' programming. That means that for whatever their reason, they chose not to air it Live.
心中一阵不安升降机，因为我忽然又想起了那道剑光升降平台，可怕的剑光升降台，美丽的剑光登车桥。为什么那一剑是那么的美丽货架，却又那么的可怕呢集装袋？在我倒下之前我说地磅，好美的剑塑料托盘，好恨的剑塑料托盘。我倒下了仓储笼。在我失去知觉之前仓储笼，我听到他说北京货架，这叫艺术超市货架，剑的艺术北京货架。
我并没有死广州货架，原来我的心是在右边仓储货架，而是不是左边货架厂。所以在那穿胸一剑之下我并没有死南京货架。
是一阵暴雨把我冲醒了货架公司。听说雨是上天的眼泪深圳货架，也许这天又有人死在那美丽的剑光之下吧服装货架！我张开嘴巴托盘，任雨水打进我的嘴托盘，直冲我的胃塑料托盘。我的伤口又开始流血塑料托盘，但已经不痛了木托盘。试问：仓储笼一个心已经死了的人仓储笼，肉体上的疼痛又算得了什么呢仓储笼？我知道我的刀再练一百年也无法那么美丽仓储笼，那么恨托盘，而且永远别想杀了他托盘。
我退出江湖了手推车，我没有通知江湖上的朋友们静音手推车，并来一个什么金盆洗手静音手推车，因为我的朋友们差不多都被他杀了置物架。我悄悄的走了置物架，隐进了山林之中堆垛架。俨然一个世外高人的样子堆垛架，每天一壶绿茶登高车，放在身边的几上登高车，然后或盯着一朵白云超市手推车，或盯着一片树叶物流手推车，或双目紧闭物流台车。我的刀在玉盆中泡了七七四十九天角钢货架，已经没有血腥味了角钢货架。然后我把它放在我的屋顶轻型货架，任它风吹雨打轻型货架。
十年就这年过去了中型货架。为何今天天忽然想起那柄剑中型货架，那道剑光重型货架？而且内心为什么如此不安重型货架？不应该是这样的仓库货架，对于一个喝了十年绿茶的人来说服装货架，面对死上海货架，也已不再惧怕精品货架，不再不安苏州货架，但今天又为何如此呢托盘货架？
莫非是他青岛货架，和他的剑库房货架，加上他的剑光沈阳货架。我已不问江湖之事天津货架，想他十年前也应该坐上武林盟主的位子了杭州货架，一个武林中人做了武林盟主山东货架，这一生还有什么要求的呢文件柜？
我不停的喝着绿茶工具柜。绿茶静心工具柜。但此时怎么也静不下来零件柜。茶已尽工作台。平时茶尽之时工作台，正也是日落之时工作桌。
一定快有什么事情发生了工作桌。
剑还是那美丽的剑Google左侧排名，如果再加上一道剑光吹塑机，就会形成剑的艺术色带，武学的艺术电源插座。
我问反光背心：为何还来找我滚针轴承，我已在十年之前就退出江湖了夜光粉。
他说文化石：因为你没死缎带，因为我没有对手风火轮。
我说激光打标机：十年前已不是你的对手平衡机，何况现在十年未动刀大功率led。
他说磁力泵：放眼天下梯子，只有你一个人是我的对手网眼袋，也只你一个人对我的威胁无尘布。
我不再说话手摇手电筒，因为我不知道说什么手板，我知道我十年前就开始找我毛巾布，发现我没有死就开始找我磁钢。我不死促销台，他心不安模具钢材。
他说时尚配饰：拿出你的刀筛网。
我说齿轮泵：我已无刀天使花房，命托辊，亦可有可无色丁。
他盯着我广告衫，握剑的手越来越紧钢坯，我知道那道美丽的剑光可能随时发出过滤网。在那美丽过后疏水阀，我的生命将画上句号胸章。
阳光照在了刀上发热管，反射到他的脸上手机耳机。他发现了那把刀螺杆，我的刀插销，宝刀蝴蝶，没有鞘的刀工具包。
刀已在我手中点钞机，刀还是那把刀配电箱，人却已不是那个人流苏，因为心不是那颗心沙滩巾。
他为了杀我竟找了我十年氯化镁，而为了和我比武竟帮我从屋顶拿下我的刀来双面胶带，并放在我的手中碳纤维。我忽然发现排线，他也变了汽车座垫，他在后悔十年前将所有高手都杀绝珍珠奶茶。
高手的悲哀太阳伞。
我握紧了刀桥架，我看着他的眼tpr，已经不再像十年前那样明亮了钢丝。
他的剑划出柴油发电机组，划出一道美丽的剑光护栏。我想围栏，这十年他大概在不停地使自己的剑光更美围栏。
我的刀也出了隔离网。简单的动作隔离网，一刀刺进了他的胸网片。那道美丽的光忽然停止网片，停在我的衣服上南京货架。
他说北京货架：这也是艺术北京货架，杀人的艺术北京货架，想不到你十年不动刀还懂这个艺术仓储货架。
我说仓储货架：因为我不想再让你痛苦了广州货架。
他说广州货架：谢谢货架厂。
我走了货架公司。我头也不回的走了塑料托盘。没有取回我的刀塑料托盘，因为我觉得它在我身边已经没用塑料托盘，我后悔我十年前为什么不扔了它塑料托盘？我听到了尸体倒下的声音塑料托盘。我流泪了塑料托盘，我真的不想杀他仓储笼，十年前不想仓储笼，十年后也不想仓储笼，因为我下山时答应过师父仓储笼，一切让着他仓储笼。
我叹了一口气仓储笼。远去仓储笼。
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