How long are the non- commercial parts of a show?

Question

about how long is the first part of a show before the first commercial?

Answer 1

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.

Answer 2

most half hour shows are only about 19-21 minutes.

Answer 3

it depends on the show- for an hr long show there may be like 3-5 minutes and then commerical or often there are commericals every 12- 15 minutes