An ever-increasing number of commercials on the television set of a common man raises a number of questions as to what should be the viewer- friendly ad-management policy. As the current number of commercials during the prime time and non-prime time has reached a threatening magnitude, the common man has begun zipping and zapping which frustrates the very concept of ad-planning policy developed so carefully in the last one decade. The article discusses the various consequences of such indiscriminate advertising glossing over the viewers' interests and explores the possibilities of arriving at viewer-friendly ad-management policy to keep the media economy steadily progressive in the next decade.

When television was introduced 25 years ago, the viewers were overwhelmed with the joy of entertainment that the new invention promised. Indeed, it was an hour of pride and rejoice for everyone who had bought a television. The viewers were cursing themselves for their bad luck that they couldn't access all the channels available in the world at that time. Little did they realize that they would equally curse themselves later, as is happening today, for having owned a television set (may be "Owner's Pride and Neighbor's Envy") which has access to 100 to 150 channels with unending number of commercials that turn their precious time of joy into misery. Nor did they know that they were to squeeze out a lot of their hard-earned money to watch these commercials in a great measure even if they were to decide to see only some channels through cable network. For that matter, no one was even aware whether every cable operator would be able to offer all the channels or the channels of one's choice.

Assuming that everyone is getting the choicest channels one asked for or wanted for, yet a TV owner is today scared to state—"whether having a TV is indeed an owner's pride or neighbor's envy?" Sarcastically, it is certainly a neighbor's joy as not only those, no one around are able to enjoy the TV in view of the vexing number of commercials cutting into their limited time.

Mark Tully, an eminent Journalist (a BBC Correspondent for BBC Radio C-4 and formerly Chief of News Bureau) in his latest book, India's Unending Journey, writes—"There are even more advertisements on Indian television than there are on the British independent channels. Taking advantage of India's cricket mania, advertisers have invented the five-ball over, with the advertisements being shown before the sixth ball has been bowled. I don't know why Indians don't rise in revolt against the crass commercials that interrupt their national game—I know that it drives me mad to see the batting genius Sachin Tendulkar holding his bat one moment and clutching a fizzy drink bottle the next!".

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