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Belch: Advertising and
Promotion, Sixth Edition
III. Analyzing the
Communication Process
6. Source, Message, and
Channel Factors
Exhibit 6-16 Travel
& Leisure magazine
creates an excellent
reception environment
for travel-related ads
messages for shows, public service announcements (PSAs), and the like. Clutter is of
increasing concern to advertisers since there are so many messages in various media
competing for the consumer’s attention. Half of the average magazine’s pages contain
ads and in some publications the ratio of ads to editorial content is even higher. On
average, around a quarter of a broadcast hour on TV is devoted to commercials, while
most radio stations carry an average of 10 to 12 minutes of commercial time per hour.
The high level of advertising often annoys consumers and makes it difficult for ads to
communicate effectively.
Clutter has become a major concern among television advertisers as a result of
increases in nonprogram time and the trend toward shorter commercials. While the
30-second commercial replaced 60-second spots as the industry standard in the
1970s, many advertisers are now using 15-second spots. The advertising industry
continues to express concern over the highly cluttered viewing environment on TV,
as the amount of clutter increased as much as 30 percent during the 1990s. An
industry-sponsored study found that commercial clutter on the television broadcast
networks reached record levels during the 2001 season in some day parts such as
early morning, daytime, and local news. 72 The amount of nonprogramming time
ranged from just over 16 minutes per hour during prime time to nearly 21 minutes
per hour in daytime. The study also found that clutter levels are even higher on
many cable networks and during syndicated programs. The problem is even greater
during popular shows, to which the networks add more commercials because they
can charge more. And, of course, advertisers and their agencies perpetuate the problem
by pressuring the networks to squeeze their ads into top-rated shows with the
largest audiences.
Advertisers and agencies want the networks to commit to a minimum amount of
program time and then manage the nonprogram portion however they see fit. If the
networks wanted to add more commercials, it would come out of their promos, PSAs,
or program credit time. The problem is not likely to go away, however, and advertisers
will continue to search for ways to break through the clutter, such as using humor,
celebrity spokespeople, or novel, creative approaches. 73
© The McGraw−Hill
Companies, 2003
189
Chapter Six Source, Message, and Channel Factors