As of Tuesday, IFC now has commercial interruptions during all programming, including movies.
Also, they have decided to drop the art-house type films in favor of more accessible indie films (Pulp Fiction, V for Vendetta, etc...) and TV shows/original programming.

This was my favorite channel for years, but now I refuse to watch it.

Lots of complaints on Facebook and Twitter about this new direction IFC has chosen.

Have they completely dropped art-house films or simply reduced the number aired to make room for the more mainstream-friendly 'indie' films?

Excerpt from an article by AdAge, http://adage.com/mediaworks/article?article_id=147520

Well that sucks..... I don't watch it too much cause DirecTv doesn't have it in HD, but I believe IFC is free on most providers right? I think AMC is the only channel I have put up with without HD because their shows are great!

Crap, I love their Grindhouse showings, and things like Todd Margaret. Does anyone know if they will be editing for content now that there are commercials in the films?

Translation: IFC decided to start making money instead of losing it.

Only thing I've noticed is that sometimes they'll speed up the credits.

I won't put up with commercial interruptions during movies, so I will no longer be tuning in to IFC.

No, IFC decided to change their format away from independent films and instead, buy up rights to cult TV shows, so to cover costs, they run ads.

I have to pay extra for it with TimeWarner, and now I'm glad I don't (pay.)

Why did they buy those TV shows? Because they attract more viewers.

I'm sure they weren't making squat off those independent films.

It could also be to fund more original programming (i.e., Todd Margaret). Maybe they are planning to follow the model of AMC/FX?

They moved it out of our basic cable package years ago so I haven't watched it in ages, but it sounds like they are doing exactly what they did with AMC did a few years ago. It's the same parent company.

In the last 5 years a lot of these niche channels have moved to become more generic. AMC, Sci-Fi, TLC, History Channel, etc. The MO seems to be to start off with cheap niche programming, get wide cable distribution, switch to more generic popular programming, jack up cable rate.

I'm more concerned with why they stopped showing Arrested Development in HD.

At least AMC got some excellent original programming out of it.

Translation: IFC decided to start making money instead of losing it.

Even BBC America, which is playing episodes of Star Trek TNG (I guess because it stars a British guy?).

I remember as a kid hearing about how we'd have 500 channels in the future. I couldn't imagine them coming up with 500 different themes for channels! Little did I know that all 500 channels would be playing the same crap!

Right. I guess it just proves that catering to the lowest common demonator gets you the money.

The thing is that catering to the lowest common denominator does make more money. I know that AMC's ratings improved a lot after they added commercials and went away from classic films - and that is before they went into making a lot of original TV shows. It sucks, but niche programming doesn't pay.

TV might improve if it catered to the lowest common denominator then we would get funny Reality shows like Worlds Fightinest Hobos ,Milf Island and Who Wants to Marry a Porn Star.

TV really caters to the safest common denominator and thats why we have hundreds of channels with CSI,Law & Order,edited for content channels of films from the 80s and 90s and middle of the road reality shows.

Sadly you are correct. I didn't watch anything on AMC for about 10 years after they stopped showing classic movies and added commercials. It took Mad Men and Breaking Bad to bring me back.

This policy change means I will be watching less IFC, but I will still tune in for things like Todd Margaret and The IT Crowd.

When the fuck did V For Vendetta become an independent film?

Much later than teenybopper reality shows became "Music", self produced TV shows became "Movie Classics", and shows about midgets, over-fertile women & cakes qualified as "Learning".

Cable television is not a business in which it's economical to be niche.

Speaking of which, Todd Margaret 6 & out or will it come back someday?