Kerry Spot    [ jim geraghty reporting ]
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I have little to add to the legal debate about the "Desperate Housewives" promo that ran before Monday Night Football. The FCC is investigating.

I will merely share a football fan's observation. A message to the networks, really:

When I'm watching a football game, I want to watch the football game.

I'm a Jets fan (argh) and most of their games are on the New York CBS affiliate. This means throughout the game, the network announcers between plays are telling me about the hilarity of "The King of Queens" and how I can't miss the next episode of "CSI: Tulsa" and who will be on Letterman. (I try not to have my eyes scalded by promos for their popular fiction program, "60 Minutes II." Don't worry, I watch the games at a bar, which means I'm not added to CBS Nielsen ratings.)

Fox isn't much better. Apparently when the Jets play an NFC team, Fox network executives think I want to be told about the next episode of the "OC" or "House" or "That 70's Show."

I realize the networks see the games as a great marketing opportunity, and that they want to entice those big Sunday afternoon audiences to watch other shows on the channel. Let me dissuade the networks of that notion.

I want to watch the game.

If I want to watch those other shows, I’ll watch those other shows.

So ABC has a surprise hit with Desperate Housewives, and they want to make sure everybody knows about it, including Eagles and Cowboys fans. So they make that stupid promo, about Terrell Owens sleeping with Nicolette Sheridan, and then are shocked, shocked to find football fans, including young ones, find that inappropriate.

Part of it is because at 9 p.m. EST and earlier, there are still plenty of young football fans watching. Part of it is the tackiness and sleaziness of a promo featuring an athlete sleeping with a character on a television show. But I think a big part of it is… we want to watch the game. Not Desperate Housewives. Not other network stars. Not promotions for other shows. (By the way, bringing Kelly Ripa into the booth during the Jets-Dolphins game a few weeks back was particularly lame.)

Why must every possible second of a football game broadcast be packed to the gills with promos for other shows, sponsors, etc.? I know, I know, networks pay big money to the NFL.

But for a major network, lack of judgment like that brings the FCC knocking on your door...

[Posted 11/18 09:59 AM]