This is the Statt Mann Baby. Time to Scatt a little bit.

Pay attention to the biggest business headline of the week: ATT has offered more than eighty billion dollars to buy Time Warner. When a distributor buys a content producer it’s massive news.

FansThere’s another broadcast story, though, that involves computer generated advertising during live television broadcasts.
It was big news several months ago when ESPN put ads into the World Cup hockey tournament.

Motor racing has done this for years. In drag racing you’ll see corporate logos super imposed on the lane surfaces for television.

Formula One goes even further by creating posts and signs that drape OVER the track with sponsor logos. IndyCar broadcasts featured CGI advertising on posts during the Indy 500 years ago. One looked like it was on the entry to pit lane at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

It’s important on international broadcasts when some sponsors want consumers in one country and not in others.

Get used to it. Rights fees are going up and broadcasters spending the money need more and more ways to get that money back. Especially when fewer viewers are out there.

Now, what happens when promoters start using CGI to put fans in the empty seats?

Peace.