In a less-than-smart effort to offer time shifted video on demand shifted viewing of particular shows, ER, The West Wing, The Tonight Show, NBC, in a deal with Time Warner will offer customers a sort of video on demand service called Start Over. The service, currently testing in South Carolina, allows viewers to begin watching one of the shows at anytime during the regularly broadcast hour as long as they do so before the show ends. Viewing the show after it has ended is not an option. Viewing on a different night is not an option. Skipping the ads is not an option. Why would anyone want this when there’s TiVo and DVR cable set top boxes that allow all of the above? Wasted effort.
