"We Interrupt These Commercials for a Commercial..."

Welcome to Firebrand, a new "online and mobile platform featuring the 'coolest' commercials." Yes, we are now being given the opportunity to watch all ads all the time (or mostly so). Microsoft and NBC Universal are said to be among the backers, so somebody grown-up must be making these decisions, right?

I'm torn. I'll admit that there are a lot of commercials out there that are much better and more entertaining than the rest of the garbage on television, but then I'll generally take reading the back pages of my local phone directory over watching most TV.

On the other hand, I think I have to side with MediaPost's George Simpson, who observes the fast-forwarding, muting and general ignoring of ads that take place in living rooms across the country every day, and wonders exactly what is going to cause people who go so far out of their way to avoid commercials to suddenly tune in to a channel devoted exclusively to presenting them with wall-to-wall ads.

Great idea, if it flies. But I'm not sure this beast has wings.