Why The Networks Aren't Worried About DVRs, Time-Shifting, And Harder-To-See Commercials

CBS isn't worried about the future of broadcast television because it believes in the promise of video-on-demand. That's the always lurking-in-the-background technology that won't allow viewers to fast-forward through possibly anything -- even commercials.

This approach isn't new. A couple of years ago, ABC had considered the possibility of working with cable operators to disable the fast-forwarding function on DVRs. That disabling function has always been available. The issue was whether to install it -- for fear of backlash from viewers.

Digital video consumers are already fully aware of what they get when they go to the likes of Hulu and other sites. You get commercials -- albeit, shorter messaging, fewer overall commercials -- prepping viewers for the possible moment in TV time, when TV viewing might revert to watching (or old-school avoiding) TV commercials. No doubt some entertainment technologists are already looking beyond VOD, as a way to get around not being able to fast-forward.