Attn. DirecTV and Dish users: "... these promos will automatically appear on any show you record as long as there's a free slot." Isn't that just great?

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Political TV ads will soon know who you are
By Jon Fingas, August 25, 2014

Like it or not, another US election is almost upon us -- and this time around, the incessant political advertising may cut a little too close to home. Both Democrats and Republicans are using a new TV ad targeting system from DirecTV and Dish that takes advantage of voter records to put personalized campaign ads on your DVR. If you tend to swing between both parties, you may get different commercials than lifelong supporters. You may also get reminders to vote early if you frequently cast absentee ballots. And unlike conventional targeting methods, which run ads on shows they believe certain demographics will watch, these promos will automatically appear on any show you record as long as there's a free slot.

Yes, there's a chance these pitches will get very annoying; there's enough data that they could chastise you when you haven't donated or volunteered. However, the sheer expense of producing customized ads makes it unlikely that candidates will get that specific. The DVR technology may actually spare you some grief, in fact, since politicians won't waste your time if you're set in your ways. There is a risk that this approach will further polarize voters by limiting their exposure to different views. With that said, many political TV spots aren't exactly honest to start with -- this may just reduce the amount of propaganda you have to put up with during commercial breaks.
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