This blog starts now

Why do TV networks have to tell us that "show X begins now"? When did this start?

I was watching CBC tonight and "The Fifth Estate starts now" happened all of 5 seconds before the intro music and title screen came on. So what is the point? I suppose if you were blind it would be useful but that is the only purpose I can see. This also happens on TBS. I have been watching episodes of "My Boys" and at the beginning of the second episode (since they always seem to play back to back) they tell you it "starts now".

I know to get to the TV Guide people have to go online now and that is a hardship because those of us without the luxury of paying for the magazine to be mailed to us haven't been doing that for the last many years.