• by Wayne Friedman , Staff Writer, August 26, 2015

Results can be cruel when it comes to disclosing -- or not -- future storylines of TV shows. We speak of spoiler TV program activity.

With more disruptive TV programming -- and disparate programming release schedules -- TV viewers’ emotions can get ruffled.

TiVo says its new “Spoilers Behavior Survey” showed that 82% of respondents have encountered a spoiler, up from 78% in 2014.

The worst offender: knowing the results of a sporting event before watching that event -- 22% pointed to that. Finding something about the death of a character is right behind, mentioned by 17%. Twelve percent say knowing about a movie’s ending beforehand is also troubling.

TiVo, one of the earlier providers of time-shifted programming — and thus a factor in spoiler activity — can only do so much. Chief Research Officer Jonathan Steuer said in a release:  “Unfortunately, even TiVo can’t keep loudmouths from blurting out shocking plot twists at the water cooler.”

Sometimes viewers can self-inflict their own damage. TiVo says 31% sometimes read spoilers on purpose, prior to watching a show. Huh?

Other stuff makes a little more sense:  Forty-one percent admit to having accidentally spoiled something for someone else and to feeling bad about it.

And then there is this: A lowly 3% have deliberately spoiled others. (Who admits to that, anyway -- and in a survey?)

Sometimes technology, not humans, is to blame. Want to watch a NFL game later in the day?  You turn on your TV and the set-top box takes you directly to the end of the live airing of that NFL game. You are aghast to see, the Seattle Seahawks celebrating and giving post-game interviews.

What’s the answer? Avid TV viewers need to stop talking about TV shows. Stop aspiring to being those influencers TV networks want to do the necessary word-of-mouth marketing.

You don’t want to lose friends, do you? Or are your real friends TV programmers? Program ratings hang in the balance. Time to decide where you stand  -- and how best to serve your TV industry.