[tghe-retford]

ITV has today started blocking anyone who uses ad-blocker addons from their ITV Player. Technically, anyone who uses ad-blocking software to access the whole website (ITV.com) is now in breach of the websites terms and conditions and legally cannot view ITV.com and associated web pages.

The question now is, will a fight between the ad-supported ITV and the developers of the ad-blocking software break out, as each other tries to outdo each other?

[f_196]

Fair enough IMO.

They're a commercial tv outfit going through a bad time financially - why shouldn't they force people to view their actual revenue stream?

[jzee]

Originally Posted by tghe-retford

ITV has today started blocking anyone who uses ad-blocker addons from their ITV Player.

Youtube does the same for premium content (i.e. Channel 4), just select Adblock to disable for ITV.

[Charnham]

I would test this, but I dont have a ITV program I wish to watc

but yeah its kind obvious that ITV would seek to stop people from blocking the ads online, as much as possible.

[stud u like]

I've written to them and complained. I told them I will be boycotting them until they change their mind.

[timboy]

I use adblock on Chrome and itv player is still working for me.

Unless I've missed something?

[DANCE OF DEATH]

I have just tried to view a programme on ITV.com. It comes up with the following:-

Ad-blocking software detected
We have detected software on your computer that filters out adverts. This also prevents you watching video on ITV.com. Please disable your ad-blocking software.

I use ad block plus as well as web mail blocker and ff 3.6.8 as my browser. Actually not too bothered about ITV player as most of the programmes are crap.

[timboy]

Originally Posted by DANCE OF DEATH

I have just tried to view a programme on ITV.com. It comes up with the following:-

Ad-blocking software detected
We have detected software on your computer that filters out adverts. This also prevents you watching video on ITV.com. Please disable your ad-blocking software.

I use ad block plus as well as web mail blocker and ff 3.6.8 as my browser. Actually not too bothered about ITV player as most of the programmes are crap.

Perhaps I'm misunderstanding, are we speaking about the adverts they show during the programmes or just normal adverts like you get on here?

[stud u like]

Originally Posted by timboy

Perhaps I'm misunderstanding, are we speaking about the adverts they show during the programmes or just normal adverts like you get on here?

For some odd reason they now show adverts before the programme. I used to enjoy ITV Player as they had no adverts. Now they force you to watch 6 adverts before you can watch.

[stud u like]

Typical attitude of ITV. They didn't even read what I wrote and sent me this patronising rubbish as if I was some kind of thicko who couldn't understand English unless it was presented in stupid sound bytes.

Thank you for contacting itv.com



Our systems have detected that there may be software on your computer that filters out adverts. This prevents you from watching video on ITV.com. If you have such filtering software on your computer, you will need to disable it to continue watching ITV.com.



As a commercial organisation, ITV does not receive funding from TV licensing, therefore in order for us to provide our viewers with our services, Live TV and other features for free, our website is supported by advertisements



In order for you to do this you will need to go to the following on your navigation bar ‘Tools’, ‘Add-Ons’, ‘Ad block plus’, you will need to click the disable button and video content will start to play.



Please do not hesitate to contact us should you have any further questions.



Kind regards,



Charlotte



ITV Customer Support

[stud u like]

Originally Posted by timboy

I use adblock on Chrome and itv player is still working for me.

Unless I've missed something?

Which adblock do you use on Chrome? I don't want to see adverts but as soon as I downloaded it and went onto ITV Player a silly deodorant advert came up for females.

I guess adblock on Chrome isn't as strong.

[LightningIguana]

I don't use their player anyway, mostly because it's dire, secondly because... well... so are their shows.

[Aspartame]

I use STV Player for the few ITV shows I want to watch, and miss when they go out.

It's better, except of course when the stupid channel opts out to show "local content" which usually turns out to be old American movies.

[skunkboy69]

Mine still works.

[timboy]

Originally Posted by stud u like

Which adblock do you use on Chrome? I don't want to see adverts but as soon as I downloaded it and went onto ITV Player a silly deodorant advert came up for females.

I guess adblock on Chrome isn't as strong.

AdBlock v2.0.25.

Like I say no adverts on the page, just adverts at the beginning of the programme and during the break.

[81westley]

Originally Posted by stud u like

Typical attitude of ITV. They didn't even read what I wrote and sent me this patronising rubbish as if I was some kind of thicko who couldn't understand English unless it was presented in stupid sound bytes.

Well, to be honest I think they are right: Their shows are financed by advertising, so if you want to consume these you have to watch the adverts. I don't like these either but have to accept it. So their answer is exactly that:

"As a commercial organisation, ITV does not receive funding from TV licensing, therefore in order for us to provide our viewers with our services, Live TV and other features for free, our website is supported by advertisements"

Why does some people think they can get free content in the internet without anything in return?

[Young Turks]

I used ITV player only once in the past and it was bad enough with many ads during the programme.

I have no intention of using it again. They may force their ads for online content but they can't do so when watching on telly thanks to PVR's & DVRs

[Charnham]

I tried it, and got the ads.

[alanwarwic]

Exactly why ITV are supposedly hoping to move their channels to pay TV on SKY etc.

Not enough people watching the ads to make it pay.

[Charnham]

I dont think people ad blocking the ads on ITV Player is why ITV is taking its HD channels to Sky.

ITV Player ratings are tiny, compared to ITVs

[tomcage9]

I recieved this message today, problem is I don't have an ad blocker!!

Tried two browsers - IE and Firefox - same message.

I'm using a Uni web connection via a web proxy, I can only guess that has something to do with it.

[Chris123]

I have Internet Explorer installed along with IEpro which has an add blocker and ITV player is working for me

http://www.ie7pro.com/

[timboy]

Weird, I clicked a link of the UEFA site to watch the European Super Cup which took me here and it shows the ad-blocking page.

I click on Corrie on ITV player and it works.

[njp]

Originally Posted by stud u like

I've written to them and complained. I told them I will be boycotting them until they change their mind.

How is that supposed to inconvenience them, exactly?

[KennyT]

It's an interesting dilemma. ITV want their player to have its own revenue stream, rather than using it primarily to support the viewing of their shows - by allowing people that may have missed an episode to catch up with it.

If their player hadn't been such a dogs dinner when it first launched (e.g. ads playing repeatedly, programme segments being skipped or non-existent), then potential viewers wouldn't have tried the ad-blocking software and found out that it made viewing the prograrmmes almost a pleasure! I don't know why they don't just run a single, non-buffered stream and have done with it. That would prevent adskipping, wouldn't it?

K