Infomercials

toc =Infomercials=

In 1984, when the Reagan administration removed the restrictions that a certain amount of time in an hour of television had to be alloted to commercials, television airing time became cheap, giving way to infomercials (BBB Aware). Also known as paid programming, are television commercials that traditionaly have the same run-time of a typical television program (28 minutes and 30 seconds). This type of programming is typicaly outside of peak viewing hours, mainly late night or early morning.Infomercials typicaly take on the resemblence of a talk show, or acutal television programming, and are designed to entice viewers into purchasing a product or service. Advertisers often use "catch phrases" to embed the message into the mind of the viewer.

Other ways to know how to tell an infomercial from other shows:
 * Content of show and its commercials are similar
 * It is paid programming when a show provides ordering information for a product and/or service
 * there is evidence of a sponsor
 * there is product comparison, and the one (mainly the one advertised) is better than the other

How to avoid being lured in by infomercials:
 * "experts" and testimonials on the show are usually paid
 * be weary of product claims; it is the advertisers opinion
 * don't feel pressured to buy; good items don't need to be sold by use of pressure
 * ask about refund, exhange policies
 * contact the Better Business Bureau for a reliability report

(BBB Aware)

Typical catch phrases

 * "Set it.. And forget it!" - Ronco's Showtime Rotisserie Grill
 * "We've taken away a payment! Now you only have to pay 3 easy payments of $29.99"

Products typically offered by infomercials:

 * Financial seminars
 * Tom Vu - I LOVE THIS GUY!

> > > > >
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 * media type="youtube" key="KIt5PFd8u-0"
 * Self-help
 * Anthony Robbins
 * Kitchen products
 * Ginsu Knives
 * The Magic Bullet
 * George Foreman Grill
 * Exercise equipment
 * Bowflex
 * Exercise programs
 * Chia Pet
 * Self-Improvement/Beauty
 * Proactiv
 * Bare Escentuals
 * Diet/weight loss pills
 * Velform Sauna belt

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 * Jack LaLanne for the PowerJuicer Elite
 * George Forman for the Lean Mean Fat Reducing Machine[[image:http://infomercial.tvheaven.com/rjclose.jpg align="right"]]
 * Anthony Robbins
 * Ron Jeremy
 * Ron Popeil- Showtime Rotisserie Grill
 * Vanessa Williams - Proactiv Acne Solution

Infomercial Links:

 * http://www.infomercial-hell.com/blog/
 * http://infomercial.tvheaven.com/
 * [|http://www.as-seen-on-tv-compare.com/]
 * [|http://www.theshoppingchannel.com]

**Bibliography**
BBB Aware. (1996). Infomercials. Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Monterey and San Benito**. http://www.bbbsilicon.org/topic021.html

Infomercial-Hell.com (1999) Tom Vu Retrieved November 13, 2006, from http://infomercial.tvheaven.com/tomvu.htm

Wikipedia.org (2006) Infomercials Retrieved November 13,2006, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infomercials**

Ron Jeremy image - http://infomercial.tvheaven.com/extenze.htm**
 * Images**