TV station icons. Why?

30hrz · #1 08-31-2008, 07:39 PM

Anyone know the reason TV stations started putting a "semi-translucent" station icon or ID on the lower right corner of the screen? It's annoyed me for the longest time. Some station icons are rather large and obtrusive. I'm trying to figure out why. I noticed they take them off during the commercials. Bleck

hbarcat · #2 08-31-2008, 07:45 PM

When there were only three possible stations on television and only a handful of programs among them the viewer always knew exactly whether he was watching ABC, CBS or NBC. Now that nearly everyone watches TV on cable or satellite where there are hundreds of stations, the viewer typically doesn't know what station he's watching without the little logo in the corner.

WickedPissah · #3 08-31-2008, 08:07 PM

They're called "bugs"

/TVguy

JimB52 · #4 08-31-2008, 08:35 PM

CNN's the first network I recall bugging their broadcasts. Ted Turner realized if other networks used CNN's broadcasts for their own news, he'd get free advertising. Now it's probably partially to prevent piracy and partially for "Branding", raising public awareness in the product.

SelenaBassGirl · #5 09-01-2008, 02:01 AM

it annoys me too!

KeithBMI · #6 09-01-2008, 02:18 AM

I hate when they turn their "bug" green.

CNN had a green logo for a while, along with some others.

IanStephenson · #7 09-01-2008, 07:06 AM

Over here they're refered to as DOG's - Digital Onscreen Graphics.

I once saw a student project to autmatically remove them - it should be possible to detech them, and fill in that area with something less objectionable. Unfortunatly it was a really weak project, and he didn't get close to solving the problem.

senorblues · #8 09-01-2008, 07:18 AM

Just one more reason to turn it off. Why do they want credit for the crap they broadcast or the misinformation they hammer? The less you watch, the better off you are. It will improve your playing as well.

wld3 · #9 09-01-2008, 07:36 AM

I don't mind the logos but I don't care for it when they use the bottom corner for advertising another show during a show I'm watching. It is usually a too-large, video and/or animated graphic ad and is quite annoying.

30hrz · #10 09-01-2008, 10:19 AM

Yeah the animated ones are even worse. Some of these BUGs/DOGs are freakin huge and nowhere near transparent. I was actually watching a show once where two characters were talking and one character face was covered up by the on screen station graphic. I don't buy the "so they know what channel they are watching" cause they don't display the icons during commercials.

As for pirating, well...pirating is so widespread and prevalent that a station icon aint gonna deter nothing. I doubt many will wait a year + pay $50-$100 for a boxset of season 4 of Stargate Atlantis sans station ID when they could get it all faster and free with the station ID off a torrent.

Anywho...TV is becoming unwatchable with those BUGs/DOGs and the increased frequency of commercial breaks. Greed destroys.

**Kelly Lee** · #11 09-01-2008, 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wld3

I don't mind the logos but I don't care for it when they use the bottom corner for advertising another show during a show I'm watching. It is usually a too-large, video and/or animated graphic ad and is quite annoying.

It is even worse when they take the whole bottom of the screen to advertise an upcoming show. It really ticks me off when I'm trying to watch a movie with subtitles.