Consumers Sound Off About TV Blackouts

Angry-TV-Viewers-AConsumers seem ready to take action when it comes to more frequent TV blackouts of their favorite networks -- and most of that activity comes with their primary multi-TV network seller.

One recent example: in the wake of the week-long DirecTV/Viacom blackout of Viacom networks, a study from Ipsos MediaCT TV Dailies shows that 54% of DirecTV subscribers "took action," as opposed to 46% who did nothing.

Earlier this month, Viacom networks such as MTV, Spike, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, stopped airing on DirecTV because of a contract carriage dispute. The study says twice as many people visited/contacted DirecTV areas as Viacom areas: 21% went to DirecTVPromises.com to read DirecTV's statement; 10% went to Viacom's area WhenDirecTVDrops.com, and 21% emailed DirecTV directly.

Another 15% viewed Viacom networks content on Web sites and other digital areas; 12% made social media comments about the situation.

When it came to responding to companies directly concerning this issue, 7% posted a message on the DirecTV area, DirecTVPromises.com, and 4% posted one to Viacom's area, WhenDirecTVDrops.com.

A smaller number of consumers took more drastic action: 4% say they cancelled DirecTV. Another 7% said they "did something else."

Ipsos MediaCT recently surveyed over 200 DirecTV subscribers ages 13 to 64.

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