Nielsen reports the effects of the digital transition

This is a really interesting report of the affects of the digital transition on ratings. Like the fact that "TV stations that transitioned to digital only experienced an 8 percent share decline immediately following the analog shut-off." But even more interesting is this that same number goes up to 13 percent if the broadcaster switched from UHF to VHF because of reception problems -- no wonder some broadcasters are going back to UHF. The other thing that piqued our interest was that cable companies seemed to be the real winners here as 18.2 percent of those facing the decision to buy a converter box, just ordered cable instead -- little do they know that they are just putting off getting a box.

[Via TVB]

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 3rd 2009 1:32PM]

Shouldn't that be "effects"?

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 3rd 2009 1:47PM]

and what's a tunner?

[scjessey Posted Nov 3rd 2009 2:18PM]

I prefer tuna.

[LazarusDark Posted Nov 4th 2009 7:16PM]

Arnold: "It's not a Tunu"

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 3rd 2009 1:56PM]

You guys beat me to it - that were going to be my comments! It's tough to be a perfectionist :)

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 3rd 2009 1:57PM]

I meant "those" :) arghh!

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 3rd 2009 2:09PM]

One more "affects" to go :p

It's interesting to see the ratings go down, but more interesting in my mind would be finding out where those viewers went. I doubt they just stopped watching TV. Makes me wonder if this explains the huge boost in Hulu viewership.

[Punchdrunkbrian Posted Nov 3rd 2009 2:16PM]

My local CW channel is a freaking NIGHTMARE to get ota here. I have to turn my TV to channel 48.1 and then let it sit for a second while it automatically programs my TV to get 30.1, which is actually where it's supposed to be. Even then sometimes it will unlock random channels between 10-20 on its own and then get rid of 30. And this is all thanks to their crappy UHF signal. Utah is like living 10 years ago though, so HD is essentially a brand new concept here.

[Scarabaeus Posted Nov 3rd 2009 2:31PM]

What about people who transitioned by getting a new TV, with a DTV tuner? Are those included in the blue section?

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 3rd 2009 6:23PM]

The stations that had been broadcasting their digital signal in UHF for at least a year prior to the digital switch and then suddenly went to VHF deserve to see their ratings take a tumble. I was an early adopter and purchased an OTA antenna "for all HDTV" broadcast signals and I picked up every channel in Baltimore and D.C. for about two years The switch happened and suddenly I'm missing most of my D.C. stations because they went to VHF. I'm sure I'm not the only person out there who bought an antenna for digital reception, not knowing it was exclusively a UHF antenna, and was not happy when those stations suddenly disappeared. Really dumb move on their part.

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 3rd 2009 3:37PM]

Yeah Comcast is requiring boxes November 16! bullocks