Ad ultimatum
The EU says the 12 minute advertising per hour limit is regularly broken in Spain.
The European Commission has given a final ultimatum to Spain ordering it to enforce a reduction in the amount of television advertising broadcast here. The Commission says it wants an urgent reply to their demand.
The Spanish Government has been working against the clock* to try to enforce the European laws on advertising limits here in Spain, but there has been resistance from the private broadcasters who see additional costs and the threat from the new channels that Digital Terrestrial Broadcasting represents.
The European Commission has said that the main TV channels in Spain, including the public TVE, regularly go over the limit of 12 minutes of advertising in an hour. European Commissioner, Viviane Reding has threatened now to take Spain to the EU Justice Court unless there is ‘urgent’ action in the next two months. She says that any other response would be interpreted as a lack of respect for the viewers and citizens.
Brussels has been complaining about TV advertising levels here since last July*, and has already started legal action on the matter in Italy.
Source: typicallyspanish.com
Grammar
*Present Perfect Continuous: an action that starts in the past and continues up to the present.
N.B. Brussels is complaining about TV advertising since last July. 😡
He works here since 2001/ for 7 years. 😡
He has been working here since 2001/ for 7 years. 😍
Translate the following sentences:
- Ha estado estudiando para sus exámenes toda la semana.
- Han estado trabajando en este proyecto desde el mes pasado.
- Hemos estado esperando por ti más de una hora.
- Llevamos tres meses viviendo en esta ciudad.
- Lleva hpras hablando por teléfono.
- Él ha estado jugando videojuegos toda la mañana.
- Lleva cuatro años estudiando en la universidad.
- Ella lleva toda la mañana cocinando.
- Ha estado lloviendo desde ayer por la tarde.
- Yo he estado aprendiendo francés durante dos años.
What do you think about the amount of commercials on TV? Do you ever get annoyed?
I hate it when you have to sit through 10 - 15 minutes of ads in order to watch the last couple of minutes of what you were watching.
I hate it when you have to sit through 10 - 15 minutes of ads in order to watch the last couple of minutes of what you were watching.
What do you think of the standard of Spanish TV in general?
How much TV do you watch on average?
Are there any programmes that you don't like to miss?
How much TV do you watch on average?
Are there any programmes that you don't like to miss?
Comments
At the moment I believe that TVE is the only public channel in wich you can watch a TV program without commercials in Spain. I think that it's a good idea because if a channel TV removes commercials, during the emission of programs or films, will have a large audience. People won't touch the remote control !!!!!!
It makes a huge difference to not have commercials interrupting your viewing.
It's not the fact of having commercials, it's that they can last up to 15 minutes. What's more they can be quite frequent.
What I hate most is when they cut for a break when there is just 5 minutes of a film left and they keep you waiting that bit longer.
I think that it is GREAT *NEWS because THERE ARE TOO MANY COMMERCIALS ON SPANISH TV.
At the moment I believe that TVE is the only public channel in WHICH you can watch a TV program without commercials in Spain. I think that it's a good idea because if a TV CHANNEL removes commercials, during the emission of programs or films, IT will have a large audience. People won't touch the remote control !!!!!!
*"news" is uncountable
so:
a good new -WRONG
a good news -WRONG
(some) good news -RIGHT
Good to see you using the archives and labels to use posts from the past.
1.- He has been studying all week for doing his exams.
2.- They have been working on this project since last month.
3.- We have been waiting for you for over an hour.
4.- We have been living in this city for three months.
5.- He has been phoning for hours.
6.- He has been playing video games all morning.
7.- He has been studying at University for four years.
8.- He has been cooking all morning.
9.- It has been raining since yesterday afternoon.
10.- I have been learning French for two years.
I suppose that a lot of commercials on TV for people who watch TV frequently must be annoying. It´s very tiring for me.
I can´t bear more than half an hour watching TV and I don´t like Spanish TV, because it´s very boring for me, I prefer my computer because it´s not such passive.
About half an hour, no more. I used to watched football match before, but I don´t watch it now.
There it´s not. You must be support of TV and you need to follow the list of programs to choose which it´s interesting for you.
See you.
As I am a bit under the weather, I have largely given the grand responsibility of correcting your comment to Mr. GPT.
1. He has been studying all week for doing his exams.
Correction: He has been studying all week for his exams.
Comment: The phrase "for doing his exams" is awkward. "For his exams" is more natural.
5. He has been phoning for hours.
Correction: He has been talking on the phone for hours.
Comment: "Phoning" is understandable but not commonly used in this context. "Talking on the phone" is clearer and more natural.
7. He has been studying at University for four years.
Correction: He has been studying at the university for four years.
Comment: The only minor correction is to use "the university" instead of "University."
Explanation:
Definite Article "the":
When referring to a specific institution, such as a particular university where someone has been studying, it is more natural in English to use the definite article "the." This indicates that we are talking about a specific university known to both the speaker and the listener.
Capitalisation:
In English, "university" is only capitalised when it is part of a proper noun (e.g., "Harvard University"). When used as a common noun, it should be in lowercase ("the university").
General vs. Specific Reference:
"University" without "the" can be used in a general sense, often in British English, such as "He is at university," meaning he is attending some university. However, when specifying the duration of study at a particular institution, "the university" is preferred to denote that we are talking about a specific place.
Thus, the corrected sentence, "He has been studying at the university for four years," is more accurate and natural in this context.
What do you think about the amount of commercials on TV? Do you ever get annoyed?
Correction: "I believe there are too many commercials on TV, and they often interrupt the viewing experience. Yes, I do get annoyed when this happens."
Comment: José's response accurately conveys his opinion about the commercials on TV but could benefit from a more nuanced expression of his feelings.
What do you think of the standard of Spanish TV in general?
Correction: "The standard of Spanish TV varies. While some programs are of high quality, others may lack creativity and substance."
Comment: José's response is concise, but it would be helpful to provide a bit more detail or examples to support his opinion.
How much TV do you watch on average?
Correction: "On average, I watch about two hours of TV per day. However, this can vary depending on my schedule and the availability of interesting programs."
Comment: José's response is clear and provides a specific timeframe for his TV-watching habits, which is good.
Are there any programs that you don't like to miss?
José's response: "Yes, I don't like to miss the news."
Correction: "Yes, there are certain programs that I make sure not to miss, such as the news for staying updated with current events, and a drama series that I'm particularly fond of."
Comment: José's response is straightforward, but it could be improved by providing more detail about the programs he enjoys watching.
Overall, José has made a good attempt at answering the questions, but he could enhance his responses by providing more detailed explanations and examples where applicable. (In other words, you've been lazy LOL)
What do you think about the amount of commercials on TV? Do you ever get annoyed?
I think there are too many commercials on TV nowadays. Sometimes they interrupt the flow of the program, and it can be frustrating. Yes, I do get annoyed, especially when I'm really into watching something and then it's interrupted by an advertisement.
What do you think of the standard of Spanish TV in general?
Overall, I believe the standard of Spanish TV varies. There are some quality programs that are entertaining and informative, but there are also many shows that lack creativity and substance. However, I appreciate the effort of some channels to produce engaging content.
How much TV do you watch on average?
On average, I watch about two to three hours of TV per day. However, it depends on my schedule and what programs are airing. Sometimes I watch more on weekends when I have more free time.
Are there any programs that you don't like to miss?
Yes, there are a few programs that I make sure not to miss. For example, I always tune in to the news in the evening to stay updated with current events. Additionally, I enjoy watching a particular drama series that airs weekly. These are the shows I prioritise in my TV-watching schedule.