As winter draws in down under, it’s tempting to spend more time in front of the TV. The downside is that you’ll find yourself subjected to a worrying trend: the rise of the infomercial.

While infomercials are hardly a new concept, in recent months, they seem to be interrupting prime-time breaks with alarming frequency.

At a time when consumers are increasingly choosing to fast-forward ads or rejecting traditional media altogether, isn’t there a danger in bombarding those that are still watching with infomercials?