In 1987, the science-fiction satire Max Headroom depicted a media-obsessed future in which television commercials were reduced to one-second bites.
Welcome to the world of tomorrow. During Sunday's Super Bowl, Miller High Life will show a series of one-second commercials. But let's hope they don't have the same effect as the "blipverts" on Max Headroom, which over-stimulated sedentary viewers and caused them to explode.
Since Budweiser is the official beer sponsor of the Super Bowl, MillerCoors had to go to individual NBC affiliates to buy airtime. Hank Price at WXII confirmed that the ads would air here, and that MillerCoors had bought four seconds of airtime. He said that the station does not discuss the rates it charges advertisers, so we don't know if they paid 4/30th the going rate or more.
And SoBe Lifewater, DreamWorks and NBC are joining forces with commercials and an episode of a TV show that all require 3-D glasses.
The glasses, which are available in SoBe grocery displays, aren't the familiar red-and-blue polarized lenses. Instead, they use gray and purple lenses. Pick them up for free, and you can use them for two commercials -- one for SoBe, and one for DreamWorks' computer-animated Monsters Vs. Aliens --that will air near the end of the second quarter. Then save the glasses until Monday for a 3-D episode of NBC's spy spoof Chuck, which airs at 8 p.m.
If you're not into sports or checking out the latest TV commercials, there are plenty of Super Bowl alternatives.
The rival broadcast networks are mostly sticking with their regular programming, much of it in reruns. ABC has a three-episode marathon of the game show Wipeout starting at 8 p.m.
On cable, Sunday's schedule includes marathons of such TV shows as I Love Lucy (Hallmark Channel), The Sopranos (A&E), Ghost Hunters (Sci Fi Channel), America's Next Top Model (Oxygen), CSI (Spike), World Series of Poker (ESPN), Trading Spouses (CMT), Law & Order: Criminal Intent (Bravo), The Closer (TNT), Phineas and Ferb (Disney Channel) and House (USA), documentaries about Jesus (Discovery), and the Death Wish movies (AMC).
And Animal Planet is bringing back its successful Puppy Bowl for a fifth year, with frolicking puppies and a kitten halftime show, plus the national anthem performed by a parrot.
However, there won't be a Lingerie Bowl pay-per-view event this year. The promoters ran into trouble with the venue where it was to be performed: a nudist resort that wouldn't agree to ensure that the spectators were clothed.
WGHP and local filmmaker Robert Van Camp were winners in the Mid-South Regional Emmy Awards, which were handed out last weekend.
WGHP won an Emmy in the "Continuing Coverage -- Within 24 Hours" category for its reports on the May 2008 tornadoes. The station was also nominated in four other categories.
Van Camp won three awards for promotional spots in the photographer, video editor and writer/producer categories. He is best known for his railroad documentaries, including one -- Celebrating North America's Steam Railways -- that will air at 8 p.m. Feb. 23 during UNC-TV's "Festival" fundraiser.
It's last call at Cheers. The eleventh and final season of the sitcom came to DVD this week, with return appearances by Shelley Long and Harry Anderson. Fans may be disappointed with the few extras considering the show's legacy as one of TV's finest comedies.
Also new on DVD this week: The second and final season of The Invaders, the 1960s science-fiction series about a man trying to thwart a secret alien invasion; the first and second seasons of the sitcom Blossom; the first half of the second season of The Love Boat; the six-episode British mystery series The Beiderbecke Affair; and the fourth season of Meerkat Manor.
■ Tim Clodfelter can be reached at 727-7371 or at tclodfelter@wsjournal.com.
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