New invention could force viewers to watch commercials

from the hollywood reporter

Philips' technology could force TV ad viewing

jayembee...

No, it can't. As long as I can look away from the TV, I'm not forced
to watch ads.

Rob Jensen...

Until somebody hacks it.

-- Rob

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- In this era of easy ad skipping with TiVo-like
video recorders, could television viewers one day be forced to watch
commercials with a system that prevents channel switching? Yes,
according to Royal Philips Electronics. A patent application with the
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office says researchers have created a
technology that could let broadcasters freeze up a channel during a
commercial, so viewers wouldn't be able to avoid it. The pending
patent says the feature would be implemented on a program-by-program
basis. Devices that could carry the technology would be a television
or a set-top-box. Philips acknowledged, however, that the anti-channel
changing technology might not sit well with consumers and suggested in
its patent filing that consumers be allowed to avoid the feature if
they paid broadcasters a fee. On Wednesday, company officials issued a
statement that noted the technology also enables the opposite:
allowing viewers to watch television without advertising. (AP)