Side-by-side is a type ofsplit-screen presentation format used on television broadcasts, particularly as a means of continuing to show a view of ongoinglive content, whilst simultaneously airingcommercials alongside them. Typically, only the audio of the advertising is played.
The practice was initially synonymous with sporting events, withTBS first using the format in a2000 NASCAR Cup Series race.Motorsport is one of several sports that do not have naturaltelevision timeouts; as races are only typically halted for reasons such as accident cleanup and inclement weather, there are no natural locations for commercial breaks besides caution periods — which vary based on race conditions (although under currentNASCAR regulations, all races are guaranteed to contain two competition cautions due to their new stage system).
The technology uses a split-screen to show the feed of the live sports event on one side with no audio, while the traditional commercial is placed on the other side, with full audio. Typically, the square used for the commercial is larger and more prominent than that of the event. Sometimes, a small graphic showing the lap count and leaders' names accompanies the square, or the normal ticker is still shown in the layout.side-by-side is used during all national commercial breaks during the race butSide-by-Side is also used during local breaks.[1] Side-By-Side can also be used during the pre-race and the post-race segments. During red flag stoppage conditions, Side-by-Side has been used, but during lengthy delays, such as rain delay, commercials revert to traditional full-screen format.
The concept has since been adopted, at times, in other sports such as golf, as well as football and other non-sports events: although there are natural breaks in football, the content displayed in the live view may consist of behind-the-scenes content.
During CBS NFL doubleheaders, if the local market has to cut away from the conclusion of the first game per NFL rules, CBS in most cases may show a split screen of the conclusion of the first game while showing the second game.
TBS debuted thepicture-in-picture format at the2000 UAW-GM Quality 500NASCAR Cup Series race. NBC followed suit at the2000 Pennzoil 400, also a NASCAR Cup race, with the branding "No Brakes Coverage".[2] The experiment did not continue in 2001.[3]
ESPN first used Side-By-Side for anIndyCar Series event on March 19,2005 during theToyota Indy 300 atHomestead-Miami Speedway.[1][4] It was adopted for the entire season outside ofIndianapolis. The format was first used for theIndianapolis 500 in2006.
Starting during the playoffs of the2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, ESPN began to use a similar feature during the second half of the race, in this case branded as "NASCAR Nonstop".[5]
WhenFormula One returned to ESPN in2018, ESPN usedSky Sports' UK coverage, and again used the format for its first broadcast. However, following heavy criticism from fans (at times cutting off the commentators when they were in the middle of sentences), ESPN televised the remaining races of the season with no commercial breaks during live broadcasts, starting from theBahrain Grand Prix.
NASCAR on TNT used a modified split-screen format for their broadcast of theCoke Zero 400 atDaytona branded as "Wide-Open Coverage"; the running order ticker and all on-screen graphics were displayed in an enlarged panel at the button of the screen (race footage was displayed on the top portion of the screen). Commercials were instead shown in a box docked to the lower panel, while race footage continued to be displayed. Many of the commercials were unique and/or specially created for the race broadcast, and lasted up to 1–2 minutes in duration (as opposed to the 15-30 second duration of normal advertisements). Time was still provided for local ad breaks.[6]
The format was used from 2007 through 2012; the 2013 edition of the race discontinued the format.
All Elite Wrestling's TV shows,Dynamite andRampage, also use side by side for national ad breaks during matches.
Beginning in2009, Versus, now known asNBCSN, became a new television partner with the IndyCar Series. During the race broadcast, they introducedIndyCar Non-Stop with a format and appearance nearly identical to that of Side-By-Side. The format has since been extended in 2013 to NBC/NBCSN's coverage ofFormula One (branded as Formula One Non-Stop) until NBC lost the rights to ESPN for 2018, and again in 2015 in thenetworks' return toNASCAR (branded as NASCAR Non-Stop). In October 2013, subsidiaryGolf Channel introduced the format under the title "Playing Through" (referencing a courtesy in golf for groups playing faster to overtake groups playing slower).[7]
NBC used a similar format during commercial breaks for the2020 Summer Olympics opening ceremony parade of nations[8] and for some commercial breaks during theAmerican Song Contest.
Fox, who started coveringNASCAR[9] in 2001, resisted the use of the technology for many years. By about 2010, however, executives began exploring the concept.[9] In 2011, they conducted one experimental commercial break with a split-screen format.[9][10] Through 2011, Fox has preferred to air traditional, full-screen commercials, and if any action occurs during the break, their policy is to interrupt the commercial and return to the live action (e.g. at the2013 Auto Club 400, the broadcast was in a commercial break whenClint Bowyer blew an engine and spun, so the feed immediately cut the commercial break right away; at the2013 Aaron's 499, the feed was in commercial break when a crash occurred on lap 43). FOX returned to using the side-by-side coverage during the2012 Daytona 500.
During coverage of the2013 Cotton Bowl Classic, Fox began experimenting with a split-screen commercial format it dubbed the"Double Box", where commercials during atelevision timeout were displayed in a prominent widescreen box, accompanied by an "L-bar" with sponsor logos relevant to the commercial, and a small window showing continued live footage from the event (such as shots around the stadium and teams in the huddle).[11] Fox also experimented with a similar format duringAmerican Idol, where selected breaks showcased behind-the-scenes camera feeds from the live broadcast[12]
In 2017, Fox introduced a similar presentation for short-form, in-game commercials displayed in the midst of a telecast, which are acknowledged and introduced by the commentator.[13][14]
The French Canadian sports channelRéseau des sports (RDS, the French sister network ofTSN), which is partially owned by ESPN, adopted a Side-By-Side-styled split-screen for itsFormula One race coverage beginning in 2006.
As the network has historically used feeds and commentary from the British F1 rightsholder, TSN began to use a similar format in 2009 after its domestic rights moved fromITV to theBBC (which did not air commercials). If the necessary clean feed is provided during events simulcast from a U.S. network with their own side-by-side feature, TSN will typically use the format with its own advertising.
TSN has also adopted the format oncurling telecasts, where the first few stones thrown during an end (which are not usually shown during televised matches in order to accommodate commercial time) are shown in such a split screen view.
Side-by-side commercial breaks have sometimes been used bynews channels to accommodate live, uninterrupted images of an ongoing or anticipated event.[15][16]
Side-By-Side and its similar counterparts have been generally received with positive reviews from viewers, sponsors, and sanctioning bodies.[1][17] It has been criticized for potentially devaluing advertisements, costing networks revenues, and waning the interest of the advertisers.[5] In addition, it has led to speculation that a similar technology might be implemented for in-game advertisements.[11]
In February 2022 amid theRussian invasion of Ukraine,CNN faced criticism on social media for segueing from footage ofair raid sirens ringing over the Ukraine capital ofKyiv, to a split-screen between a live shot of the city and an upbeatApplebee's commercial. In response to the criticism, Applebee's pulled its advertising from the channel.[15][16]