See, I haven't really watched TV since, oh probably since the end of Babylon 5. So when I got a chance to kill a couple of hours while house sitting for my mother, something occurred to me. I've come up with one more reason to not watch the Boob tube - well, beyond there's nothing good on anymore.

I caught an episode of Star Trek - one of the few from the series I like, the first two parter with the borg. But the first thing I notice is that the network has either squished the screen slightly, or cropped the bottom of the screen - the end result is a small black bar at the bottom, like a strange form of letterboxing that doesn't have a counterpart at the top of the screen. In that black bar they proudly display the show name and the network logo on the right.

That, in short, sucks for a number of reasons.

First - that whole aspect ratio thing. We're all DVD owners, and we all know that its not about letterboxing when the original image was 4:3 (or squishing the screen - which is what I think they did). It sucks and destroys composition.

Second - my and my big screen HDTV don't like static images. The last thing I need is to have the CBS eye burn in on my set - and be forced to watch the unblinking eye stare at me forever more.

I don't know how other people stand it, but man - if I wasn't put off network TV before, this surely would have done it. And as more and more people get big screen sets, this will become more and more of a problem.

thoughts?

I just hate that about TNN. Why the heck do they have it there? I mean if I want to know what show I'm watching then I'll check my TV guide.

i TOTALLY agree. If i recognize what show i'm watching i generally know what the station is, i DON'T need a reminder. If i wanna know what station i'm watching i'll click the "info" button on the remote or check the TV guide. Why don't they show network/station logos (along w/ the show's name airing during that time slot) on commercials? That'd make more sense, dontcha think?

Oxygen Channel has a very large black bar at the bottom with their logo. What they do is crop off the TOP of the picture.

Unless I'm watching a horror movie, I really don't enjoy seeing the tops of heads cut off

I don't mind the see-through logos that most of the major networks use. I've gotten to the point where I don't even notice them.

But I cannot watch TNG on TNN because of the way they format the screen. I'll just buy the DVDs.

I can understand why networks do this, with people having a gazillion channels to choose from. However, they have gotten bigger and more annoying as time goes by. TNN's is the worst ever because of the colors of their logo and that dang black bar!! Our local stations are doing this now and one of them has a giant number 3 with a solid blue oval background. It is so annoying.

Cat

I don't mind the static corner logos so much. However what I detest is when NBC comes out of commercial and has opening & closing of the peacock feathers to reveal to the viewer that they are watching The West Wing. Now that is annoying.

This, along with the "shoving the video sped-up credits at the show/movie's end to one half of the screen" phenomenon are two trends that still irk me.

I think feature film directors with enough pull should force their contracts to have a clause that when their films are shown on networks, none of these things are allowed.

I can't stand it when local affiliates put on their logo during crucial moments of programming (i.e., sports show) that blocks out key textual information that is only shown once.

My local Fox station has the annoying habit of also reminding what show you're watching by putting a huge graphic of their station ID and show name at the bottom of the screen. And they also thoughtfully remind you what show is coming up next, using the same technique.

What's worse is when channels like TBS or TNT tell you whats coming up a month or two down the road after coming back from every commercial break. It usually this huge distracting monstrosity, and the movie or show they're pimpimg has little to do with the show you're watching.

I've suggest using half the screen during commecials to identify the show and program. That's the only time that would be useful.

I also am frustrated with the closing credits. Why do they show them? Is it law or contract? If it is, I can't read them. Might as well cut them out entirely or just put them for half a second as a small bug in the bottom of the screen. It's just as useful.

Discovery channel is trying to get rid of the closing credits. I also read that the writers, producers, directors of their programs were trying to get help from some of the bigger names in TV, but no one was biting. I'm not sure what's happened since then. Anyways, if Discovery gets away with it, it wouldn't surprise me to see other channels eventually follow.