Negotiations between Viacom and Direct TV are paced slowly, which may put Viacom in a tight situation considering its 17 channels were blank on Direct TV. From July 11th until the 15th, Viacom lacked the 20 million viewers Direct TV making them suffer a 27% drop in an average day viewing in comparison to last year’s according to the ratings data by Barclays Capital. The shows with the most notable drops in ratings were : Nick at Nite (-48.1%), Nickelodeon (-45.0%), VH1 Classic (-35.3%), Nicktoons (-34.8%), and CMT (32.0%). Other channels that lost ratings, in a not-so notable dive, were VH1 (-1.3%), Teen Nick (-2.5%), Comedy Central (-5.5%), BET (-13.0%), and TV Land (-18.1%)
Until new data subscription is released, DirecTV’s impact is hard to determine. Competitors like Comcast, Cablevision, and Dish Network are aiming for aggravated subscribers persuading them switch now so they can continue watching Viacom’s channels.
The ending of DirectTV’s blackouts is uncertain, but DirectTV is offering free access to extra-pay channels as the talks with Viacom continues. Experts bump heads when debating the length of the Viacom vs. DirectTV situation, while some say an agreement is in the works; others say it could be for an extended period of time resulting in a major loss of earnings.
– John Weber (@JohnPaulWeber)
