• by Jack Loechner , Staff Writer @mp_research, May 18, 2006

According to a new report from Arbitron Inc., almost two-thirds of cable subscribers feel that basic cable programming should be unrestricted and nearly half feel that basic cable is rarely or almost never too objectionable. In addition, sixty-two percent of cable subscribers agree that basic cable networks should be able to air whatever programming they please, and seventy-seven percent of cable subscribers feel that premium networks should be able to air unrestricted programming.

Carol Edwards, Vice President of cable services, Arbitron, said "In an on-demand, multi-platform world, consumers increasingly want to experience media on their own terms and have a say in how programming is delivered."

Price preferences are evident, but not so easily resolved, as fifty-four percent of cable subscribers would prefer to only have access to the networks they view and only pay for those networks. Forty-two percent of cable subscribers would opt to continue buying channel packages as they currently do.

Forty-seven percent of those who have either watched or are interested in VOD services would prefer to get the programming for free in exchange for watching commercials that they cannot fast-forward through. Forty-two percent would rather pay a small fee, such as a dollar or two per show, in order to watch uninterrupted (commercial-free) programming.

Arbitron and Edison Media Research interviewed a total of 1,925 people 12 and older from a national sample of Arbitron's Fall 2005 survey diarykeepers.

For more on this release, please visit here.