[darkpuppet]

from this article

Quote:SAN JOSE, Calif. - In this era of easy ad skipping with
TiVo-like video recorders, could television viewers one day be forced to watch commercials with a system that prevents channel switching?
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Yes, according to Royal Philips Electronics. A patent application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office says researchers of the Netherland-based consumer electronics company have created a technology that could let broadcasters freeze a channel during a commercial, so viewers wouldn't be able to avoid it.

The pending patent, published on March 30, says the feature would be implemented on a program-by-program basis. Devices that could carry the technology would be a television or a set-top-box.

I'm sure there will be a work-around, but man.. talk about making it harder and harder for the regular joes to enjoy TV.