How long are the non- commercial parts of a show?
It varies – when I cut the commercials out of a half-hour show, the result is about 20-22 minutes long. So about 8 to 10 minutes of ads in a 30-minute show. For an hour-long program, figure about 40-45 minutes of show, so about 15-20 minutes of ads. The first segment of the show before the first commercials varies also – for a sitcom or a show like “Law & Order” there’s usually only 2-3 minutes of show, then the opening credits, then commercials. But I’ve seen shows like “The Shield” or “Rescue Me” have an opening, credits, and then more show – meaning the first break doesn’t happen until 15 or 20 minutes from the start of the show.
