Millions Of TV Viewers Go Dark, Few Complain (Dinosaur Media DeathWatch™)

Media Daily News ^ | June, 18, 2009 | Joe Mandese

[abb]

Suppose someone pulled the plug and a couple of million people didn't care. That may be what the TV industry is discovering nearly a week after the U.S. broadcast industry converted from analog to digital broadcasting. Days after their analog TV signals went dark, 2.2% of U.S. households still haven't bothered to hook up to digital reception, according to estimates released Wednesday by Nielsen Co.

Even more troubling, the estimates are based on households in Nielsen's national and local TV ratings panels, which means that more than 2% of Nielsen's panel is reporting zero TV usage in the days following the conversion.

The broadcast industry had expected that the vast majority of analog hold-outs would scramble to convert to digital at the 11th hour, or after their TV sets went dark, but that does not appear to be the case, as a survey of the nation's TV stations by the National Association of Broadcasters reports only "moderate" call volume from viewers to local stations seeking help of information about receiving their digital broadcast signals.

"The call volume is considerably low given that the transition impacts an estimated 14 million over-the-air households in markets with at least one station going all-digital," the NAB said in late Friday, the day analog broadcast signals ceased to transmit.

Moreover, most of the calls received by local broadcasters were among those that had already prepared for the digital transition, but simply needed assistance in scanning digital channels with their new equipment.

"A relatively small percentage of viewers so far have needed assistance given the large number of broadcast-only households affected during the today's transition," noted Jonathan Collegio, vice president for digital television at NAB. "Importantly, much of the assistance sought by viewers has been on the relatively minor issue of scanning and re-scanning converter boxes and digital TV sets."

The NAB has not released new data on the number of households that have gone dark, but the new Nielsen data suggests millions of TV viewers either don't care, or are still perplexed about how to hook up to digital broadcast despite billions of dollars invested by the broadcast TV industry and the U.S. government to help educate them.

[abb]

"By the end of this decade or shortly thereafter, television networks as we know them today will cease to exist. They will be just another url on the world wide web competing against millions of others."

"Network evening newscasts will go dark after the '08 elections and their news divisions disbanded."

Walter Abbott, (b. 1950), Media observer and commentator

[abb]

ping

[abb]

http://www.wbur.org/2009/06/18/globe-suitors-2
Who Wants To Buy The Boston Globe?

http://www.slate.com/id/2220736/
Doubting Twitter

http://thephoenix.com/Boston/News/85192-Weakened-watchdogs/
Weakened watchdogs
If the Globe shrinks, will Beacon Hill run amok?

http://blogs.wsj.com/privateequity/2009/06/17/on-the-logic-of-deal-making-in-the-dreary-newspaper-industry/?mod=rss_WSJBlog
On The Logic Of Deal-Making In The Dreary Newspaper Industry

http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=262938&ac=PHbiz
Developer to buy newspaper properties

[Mrs.Z]

Forget newscasts...

I have 500 channels and NOTHING TO WATCH but the US Open this weekend (maybe Fox at night a little)

Fortunately it’s summer...so who cares.

[PeterPrinciple]

suggests millions of TV viewers either don’t care, or are still perplexed

---

I wonder which it is.......................

[N. Theknow]

suggests millions of TV viewers either don’t care, or are still perplexed

I wonder which it is.......................

They probably bought new phones at the same time and can't figure out how to work them either.

Sometimes, after observing people, I wonder how in the world they even manage to change a light bulb.

[N. Theknow]

If “broadcast-only” is the extent of what one can receive....why bother?

[Alex Murphy]

Days after their analog TV signals went dark, 2.2% of U.S. households still haven't bothered to hook up to digital reception, according to estimates released Wednesday by Nielsen Co. Even more troubling, the estimates are based on households in Nielsen's national and local TV ratings panels, which means that more than 2% of Nielsen's panel is reporting zero TV usage in the days following the conversion.

Ping for later

[Lockbox]

and the answer is...............

they can't tell the difference in the broadcast quality

[GAB-1955]

I'm one of those people.

It's not the difference in the technical quality, but in the lousiness of the shows. I can get many of the shows I want as part of video on demand. I'd rather watch “Adam-12” on Hulu than the drivel that comes on today. For news I have the Web and Freep. For music I have BBC Radio 3 and WFMT and KING-FM in Chicago. For sports I have Westwood One. What do I need this stuff for?

[Leg Olam]

Neilsen is dead. With digital the viewers are being tabulated. Its a two way system. Welcome to 1984.

[CholeraJoe]

2% of households are stealing cable from their neighbors anyway.

[abb]

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ombudsman-blog/2009/06/what_howard_kurtz_didnt_disclo.html
What Howard Kurtz Didn’t Disclose

http://www.poynter.org/forum/view_post.asp?id=13963
Full disclosure, please

http://www.johntemple.net/2009/06/good-question-why-didnt-i-do-at-rocky.html
Good question: Why didn’t I do at the Rocky Mountain News what I now say local newspapers should do?

[hoagy62]

Hate to tell you this...but KING-FM is in Seattle, not Chicago.

[GAB-1955]

Yep. My wife loves it. She knows where it is and so do I, but you try typing with the flu.

[hoagy62]

I understand, FRiend. I myself am on the tail end of that gunk...had it since Monday, and I’ve missed 3 days of work. I still feel like I’ve been hit by a truck, but today it’s only a light truck.

Just hope I still have jobs (I have 2) to go back to....

[tiki]

They didn’t mention those who are receiving illegal signals, it must be more than I thought.

[tiki]

I know what you mean.

[tiki]

I unplugged the phone line to my system shortly after I got it so I’m pretty sure they don’t know what I’m watching.

[ctdonath2]

more than 2% of Nielsen's panel is reporting zero TV usage in the days following the conversion.

And that's not including those who went to zero TV usage pre-conversion for other reasons. I moved 3 years ago, didn't get around to installing cable (broadcast was unwatchably fuzzy) for a long time, and repeatedly balked at the price ($50/mo for dreck? no!) - still don't have it, don't intend to, Netflix + Internet is enough.

[abb]

http://www.medialifemagazine.com/artman2/publish/Newspapers_24/No_deal_yet_with_Boston_Globe_union.asp
No deal yet with Boston Globe union

http://www.cnbc.com/id/31413859
Ricketts’ Purchase of Chicago Cubs Hits Possible Snag

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=am4.XxUtBoiE
CBS Sues ABC Affiliate Owner Over Broadcasting Fees

http://news.bostonherald.com/business/media/view.bg?articleid=1179614
Media atwitter over ‘tweets’

http://www.adweek.com/aw/content_display/news/agency/e3i5be7ed32070f5880f44793cca1a879c3
Internet Named Favorite News Source
TV, newspapers and radio lag behind in Zogby poll

[GAB-1955]

I wish you well. You know to send the doctors when I start typing things like “You know, Obama’s not that bad...”

[paulycy]

Netflix + Internet is enough.

If inflation hits (if?) the satellite tv bill will be the first to go. Netflix + internet covers just about everything, especially if you're a FReeper!

[wintertime]

I moved 3 years ago,
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

When our kids were little I removed TV from the house. ( We were homeschoolers.) That was about 1989 or so.

Then in 2002 or so our condo installed cable for everyone and the cost was included in the condo association fees.

Two and half years ago we moved again and have been TV free again since then.

[ctdonath2]

My 1yo daughter barely knows what it is. She’s developing very nicely without it, not showing hyperactive/hysterical tendencies I see in others.

[ctdonath2]

...and I’m increasingly inclined to dump Netflix. $18/mo for 3-at-a-time just isn’t getting enough viewing, and the $1/movie/day from Redbox ‘round the corner is just about enough.

[ConservativeMind]

Even more troubling, the estimates are based on households in Nielsen's national and local TV ratings panels, which means that more than 2% of Nielsen's panel is reporting zero TV usage in the days following the conversion.

LOL! That is freaking funny!

[paulycy]

$18/mo for 3-at-a-time

Now that the last of the boys is off to college (except right now, during summer) we cut down to one at a time and find it to be plenty.

Maybe it's just me but after awhile it's hard to find enough movies I actually want to watch to fill up three at a time.

Or maybe I've just seen too many movies and the current crop just (mostly) sucks. I liked Star Trek, though.

[abb]

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/nbc-universal-microsoft-in-ad-alliance-200961810200?siteid=nbih
NBC Universal, Microsoft in ad alliance

http://www.cjr.org/behind_the_news/dailyshowfail.php
#DailyShowFail?

http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-06-17/the-media-can-profit-from-twitters-big-week/full/
The Media Can Profit from Twitter’s Big Week

[EternalVigilance]

Television? What’s that?

[arthurus]

That 2.2% might be the folks who haven’t turned on the box for some years now and haven’t bothered to throw the damned thing out. I chucked my home’s last one 21 years ago. After a couple of months without, no one missed it and only one out of my 4 children cares anything for TV as an adult, partly because he married a TV addict. The daughter who works as a producer at a TV station does not watch TV.

[Landru]

"Who Wants To Buy The Boston Globe?"

HA!!!!
Well abb I tired, I really tired.
But darn-it there're these -- "Developer to buy Newspaper Properties." -- out there who've the same idea!! :o)

As for TV?
2,000,000+ people done gone missing, eh?
Sounds like a *great* story, to me.
IF the quislings ever get off their knees, outa the White House? Some clever quisling could look into the matter? Blame Rove, or better yet Booshhhhhhh. ;^)

BTW, was watching cable last night.
Noticed a *new* trend-scam.
Since you track every *&* anything media, perhaps in your journeys you'll run across this addressed at one or more of the websites you peruse.

FWIW: I've seen several "financial assistance" outfits, allegedly "law-firms", advertising on the shake-n-bake nets such as History Channel etc since around February.
Not the usual "Ronnie Duetch" scam, these are specifically tailored to the mortgage meltdown.

During the --usually-- 2 minute long ultra-professionally produced infomerical all kids of promises concerning solving their debt(s) are made. A somber, conservative banker-like white dude does the pitch, naturally. Must gain *trust*, y'know? :o)
OK, after the setup pitch? The scene flashes to none other than the zerO himself!!!!!!
It is speaking sometime in January '09 proclaiming, "help is on the way" thus implying the ad's an official outreach consecrated by the zerO, Itself!!
That was before last night's new *twist*, though.

The coup de gras appeared last night when I'd saw it for the first time . Everything mentioned above, of course; BUT, this time it's a *blond* (of course, what else).
Pathetic wench pitches government assistance for ANY debt exceeding $10,000 while superimposed via blue screen in front of the WHITE HOUSE!!!
BWWWWWHAAAAAAA!!!!

Anyone listening to Rush a few months back heard the call(s) from people who bit on these type of scams shortly after zerO claimed all kinds of federal funds would be made available to assist people in distressed mortgage situations.

These supposed law-firm outfits popped up like fleas. Easily located by searching official government websites IIRC. 800 numbers and/or hyperlinks provided en-mass, no doubt PAYING zerO & Co to appear there?
These scuz "law-firms" {spit} demand a nonrefundable $2,000 (+/- varies) up front payment to, "get the process started & paperwork filed".

A while later, after weeks of hearing nothing? The pitiful mark calls 'em wondering about the disposition of his/her "case". They're penultimately blown-off or otherwise puffed, and ultimately "learn" they "didn't qualify for assistance" for one reason or another!!
Of course they've lost their nonrefundable earnest dough, are in fact deeper in the hole than ever!!

Apparently, this is *perfectly* legal abb.

Keep your eyes peeled for this despicable ruse, my friend.
It's what the grrrrrrrreat TV/cable medium has become in what I presume a desperate effort to stay *alive*. ;^)

[ken5050]

It would seem logical that the best buyer for the Globe would be the former owners..but the idea of Punch selling the payer for about ZERO back to the guy they gave $1.5 billion to a decade ago..well..that would be a tough one to swallow..

[Copernicus]

Television? What’s that?

Exactly. Television just cuts into my internet time.

Who can afford that?

Best regards,

[ken5050]

Unfortunately, the MSM have turned the US Open into the Tiger Woods Invitational..

[ctdonath2]

I’d cut back but for three factors:
- we use “profiles”, so my queue is already down to one-at-a-time
- our tastes are radically different (chick flicks vs. post-apocalyptic thrillers) so we really do need to maintain two separate queues (otherwise ratings & recommendations are meaningless and we’ll bicker over who’s movie comes next)
- between us our queues total over 300 movies, so we need to watch as many movies as we can* before metabolic cessation sets in.

(* - and that’s 300 movies _now_, plus whatever we’ll add in future, vs. spending that same time watching 500 channels of dreck. I ain’t got time to watch commercials, there’s uninterrupted quality films to get thru!)

[paulycy]

before metabolic cessation sets in.

ROFL!

[calex59]

Also, if you haven’t checked into it yet, Netflix offers instant viewing of movies, and a few TV series , for only 10 bucks per month. Hard to beat that, plus you can order DVDs of movies, and series, that can’t be seen instantly. A good deal. I am thinking of purposely shutting off my Direct TV, so many channels and nothing to watch most of the time, and I can get my news off the net.

[EternalVigilance]

Exactly. We have two TVs in the house, but all they play is old movies and cartoons for the kids.

[dforest]

I quit Netflix last year. Too many of the movies were awful.

[ctdonath2]

Awful? The movies you get are your choice!

[Cicero]

They probably bought new phones at the same time and can't figure out how to work them either.

That's easy. If you can't figure out how to work your new phone or TV, just ask your kids.

[CFW]

The real question ...
Where can I find Dr Who episodes?

The old ones as well as the new .... ?
After all , that is the one real purpose of video media.

[ctdonath2]

Good reminder. We’ve been doing that some, but really need a dedicated computer for it (laptop just doesn’t cut it when shuffling cables is required to watch something).

[dforest]

I know, most of what I chose were lousy.

I did see a few good ones, but not enough were good.

I don’t miss it.

[GOPJ]

I suspect giving up TV is like quitting smoking - at first it’s a shock - but after a while you wonder why you didn’t do it sooner.

[GOPJ]

TV shows are written by liberal elites, produced by liberal elites, acted by liberal elites and yet elite liberal TV executives wonder why almost no one wants to watch...

Hint: most union members are NOT liberal elites - most blacks aren't liberal elites and ZERO conservatives are liberal elites. Those numbers add up...

[LucyJo]

I can tell you that it’s “don’t care” at our house.

We thought about getting a new television then decided to keep the analog sets and get converter boxes.

My husband watches television more than I do, but neither of us watch it frequently, so we kept putting off getting the converter boxes and antenna.
Now that the switch has been made we have discovered that we don’t miss it and haven’t made a move to restore it.

I don’t see it happening this summer...maybe this fall...maybe not at all.

[razorboy]

I think they just over estimated the number of people who would be affected. I think they’ve been running with the assumption that anybody without cable or satellite that didn’t get one of the vouchers would not have handled things themselves. Government tends to over estimate it’s importance like that.

[razorboy]

It’s not a two way system. Over the air digital is exactly the same as over the air analog in that respect: one way and one way only. Cable has always been somewhat two way if you have a box (which you usually need for premium channels, which is where the two way comes in) but is one way if you’re hooked straight into the TV. Satellite is similar to cable.