Altman

NBC Wednesday, 9:30-10:00 PM (starts mid-episode of Deal or No Deal)

 

1. Commercial 1:  Preview for NBC 10 News at 11 PM—weatherman calling the anchor by his first name—“James we’re looking at this kind of weather forecast…”
2. Commercial 2:  Dodge truck
3. Commercial 3:  another News commercial
4. Deal or No Deal returns—reel at bottom for 30 Rock—Howie (host) mediates conversation between contestant and her three family members—the Deal or No Deal scoreboard frames the contestant’s head—after a long time she decides not to make a deal with the dealer—Howie: “3 million dollar cases still in play…come on back!  Call your friends!”
1. Incessantly trying to keep the viewers as well as gathering new viewers.  This emphasizing the competition among networks.  It also sets up a homelike arena…you’re local friends will also be participating in the excitement of this show…it will be a topic in the local community.

b.  Reel shows that the network wants to promote itself.

5. Commercial 4:  Shows exactly what just happened in the show

a.  This is an example of Altman’s italicizing.  The summary informs us and allows us to understand what is to come in the show.  It also treats us as if we are equal viewers as those that have been watching from the beginning…we are on the same plane.

6. Commercial 5:  Explains the at-home version of Deal or No Deal.  You can win $10,000 if you choose the right case with your cell phone
7. Commercial 6:  Fisher Price toy
8. Commercial 7:  Another Fisher Price toy
9. Commercial 8:  Dodge truck…cowboys and men endorsing
10. Commercial 9:  Kmart…Halloween costumes
11. Commercial 10:  AT&T
12. Commercial 11:  Advair for asthma…black and white with several different people saying how long they’ve suffered with asthma
1. These commercials show a large targeted audience.  It starts with children/parents, then men, then what could be argued as mothers with Halloween costumes.  The network is appealing to every viewer.
13. Commercial 12:  new NBC show, New Life
14. Commercial 13:  original Law and Order returns…NBC only place to catch new episodes
15. Deal or No Deal returns—clapping heard before we see Howie—Howie summarizing exactly what just happened—says to conetestant “you are a real person, you have a real life…we at Deal or No Deal are happy to share this with you”—we can’t see dealer, only communication is through phone calls with Howie—new offer of $677,000—Howie then says “tell me what you’re thinking”—models clapping, audience clapping, everyone clapping when she decides to not make a deal with the dealer—Howie: “you just picked Brook, if Brook has the $300 case then you are an instant millionaire”—then he repeats that almost EXACTLY to us at home
1. Howie needs to gather every viewer.  If they are confused, they will change channels.
2. And what?  He tells her she is a real person???  This emphasizes that she is real and that we can relate to her because she is “live.” 
16. Commercial 14:  announcer says we could have a new millionaire TONIGHT!  “tonight said at the exact same time as contestant’s name flashes on the screen (her name is Tomorrow)
1. The network knows that her name is slightly confusing, so they place the words in a certain way that will eliminate confusion.  The deliberateness of this act shows the network’s crave for clarity.
17. Commercial 15:  At-home game continues, winning case revealed…”if you chose this case, you could be tonight’s winner!”
18. Commercial 16:  DVD commercial…comes with 3D glasses
19. Commercial 17:  Sprint cell commercial…only one with the Now Network
20. Commercial 18:  hair dye
21. Commercial 19:  Toys R Us
22. Commercial 20:  NBC ER commercial…Halloween episode
1. This ties us into Halloween.  It emphasizes liveness.  Also the order of the commercials shows that the network wants to balance the reader.
23. Commercial 21:  NBC next…new Lipstick Jungle next
1. Keeps the viewer into the specific channel.
24. Commercial 22:  NBC sports newscasters
1. Keeps viewer into the channel as a whole.
25. Deal or No Deal graphic—Howie: “the best game ever”—repeats what has been happening again—Howie: “we have already given away a million this season…she didn’t have a board this good”—Tomorrow chooses Case 15—Brook, the model, says “You are a millionaire”—music plays, confetti—Dealer in his upstairs room looks angry—Howie says congrats and that this is a historic moment—shots of family members, winner, Howie, audience—bottom of screen shows who won the at-home game
1. Creates suspense and importance within the show.
26. Commercial 23:  Preview of next two Deal or No Deal episodes
1. Even though this show had a great climax, they don’t want their popularity to plummet because a climax has been reached.
27. Commercial 24:  actresses of Lipstick Jungle hum the NBC famous three tones—then laugh and one comments on the butt of one of the others
28. Commercial 25:  Preview of tonight’s episode (mini trailer) of Lipstick Jungle—news reel at bottom advertising NBC’s 30 Rock
1. Keeps the viewer on NBC.  Economical emphasis.

                                               i.     Emphasizes the network.