There are nearly as many commercials as actual show time in a 50-minute show.

DTV has no control over what a channel does with their On Demand programs or how many commercial they put in.

Yep. It's annoying. But nothing DirecTV can do about it. 

Networks are increasing revenue from more advertisements. Alternatively TV providers (like DirecTV) could accept price increases to give us an even higher bill.

So more commercials or higher bill. Which would you prefer?

"So more commercials or higher bill. Which would you prefer?" So, those are the only choices?  How about a reasonable amount of commercials, e.g. 2-3 minutes, like the vast majority of television shows.

What show or network were you watching? I’ve had horrible experiences with CBS on demand. They tend to get stuck in a commercial loop. I was pleasantly surprised with the last CBS on demand show I watched, CSI Vegas, no commercials at all.

Dr Who. BBC America.

You'll need to complain to BBC America.

  That has been made clear.

Yes higher bill or more commercials are the choices. The networks get their revenue from the TV providers that carry them and the timeslots they sell to advertisers.

So the more they charge the TV providers then of course bills go up to help compensate. TV providers have been holding ground against the continuous increases. Though they cannot stop it completely, they are trying to minimize those increases.

Seriously, the bills would be much higher with as little commercials as you (and most of us0 would like. Between those choices the rest of us would rather minimize those high bills and deal with commercials as we are not the super rich.

That they need to earn cash through subscription or commercials is obvious.  Why there had to be 17 commercials per break is not.  Why not 6, or 8, or 24 for that matter. Seventeen is extraordinary and excessive in comparison to my experience with On Demand or any other option.

That is how the industry works. TV providers are not easily caving to the constant demand for price increases so networks are instead selling more advertising time.

It may not be obvious to you, but this is the reality on how it works. Unless TV providers agree to the higher costs, which would be recovered in our bills (their costs go up then so do ours), then expect a lot of commercials.

Not saying I like it, but unfortunately the networks have the industry in this condition.

That could  be why there are so many commercials to get you to subscribe.