Dive Brief: 

• Comcast has a new technology that may change the way TV ads are distributed, opening new doors for both advertisers and publishers. 
• The technology can insert the same ads that appear in new episodes of a show into older episodes of the same show. In a world where so many viewers record shows to watch later, this could be a game changer. 
• It is Comcast's belief that if viewers had more incentive to watch older shows, and advertisers could be charged for commercials on the older episodes, that TV networks could make entire seasons available on-demand. 

Dive Insight: 

This new Comcast technology could answer some of the questions the ad industry was facing at a time when viewers are increasingly making their own TV schedules. With so many viewers watching things on DVR or on-demand, a timely commercial spend could get lost in the recordings. If Comcast is able to insert ads into old episodes that are relevant whenever the viewer is watching, it could greatly increase an ad's value.