Block ABC on your cable tv -- it's easy

[wtmusic]

Channels to block:
ABC, ABC Family, ABC News, ABC News Now, ESPN on ABC
ESPN Networks (80% owned by ABC)
Disney Channel, Jetix, SOAPnet, Toon Disney

Motorola Cable Boxes (some variation on this)

-From your remote, display the Options menu.
-Select Set Parental Control. If a password has already been programmed, you will be asked to enter your password before you can have access to the Parental Control menu.
-If a password has not already been programmed, from the Parental Control menu, select Set Password. The New Password screen appears.
Use the number keys to enter a password of up to 8 numbers. An asterisk(*) will appear each time you add a number. Press the key to move to the left and change a number. When you are finished, press the ENTER key. The Confirm Password screen appears.
-Re-enter your password numbers and press the ENTER key. The Password Changed screen appears, letting you know that your password is now effective.
-Select option 2 (Set Channel Locks). The Channel Locks menu appears. The Channel Locks menu displays a list of channel names, numbers, and buttons. Press the arrow keys to scroll up and down the list of names.
-Select a highlighted channel (press the ENTER key) to lock it out. A lock appears on the button. To remove a lock, select a channel that is already locked (press the ENTER key when it is highlighted).
-Press the GO BACK key to exit this menu. Changes are saved automatically each time you set a lock.

Scientific Atlanta boxes

-On your remote, press Settings twice to access General Settings.
-Enter your 4-digit PIN number when prompted. If you haven't set it already, contact your cable provider for the default (mine was 1234).
-Press the arrow keys to select Block:Channels.
-Scroll through the list of channels with the arrows keys until you find one of those nasty ABC/Disney propaganda outlets.
-Press Select.
-Press Settings to exit General Settings.

[DesEtoiles]

1. done

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

2. Why?

I can't think of any logical reason to do that.

In fact, my wife is behind me on the couch watching ABC right now. Some special on conjoined twins.

[LibertyorDeath]

5. because they are right wing shit fuckers

if you enjoy supporting right wing shit fuckers by all means
don't interrupt your viewing habits.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

6. So?

What does that have to do with whether I or my wife watches shows on there? :shrug:

How is that supporting them? :shrug:

Please explain.

[LibertyorDeath]

8. By watching them you increase their market share

The higher the market share the more they can charge their advertisers
for the commercials they show.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

9. Wrong. Care To Try Again?

Mind explaining how I am giving them a higher market share? Do you even know what you're talking about? :shrug:

[LibertyorDeath]

13. This is what I'm talking about

"Since Television as a business makes money by selling audiences to advertisers
RATINGS are the single most important element in determining advertising rates."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nielsen_Ratings

If there is any aspect of this assertion that you fail to understand.

"Since Television as a business makes money by selling audiences to advertisers
RATINGS are the single most important element in determining advertising rates."

Then it's to fucking bad for you.

[bainz]

15. Did you read what you posted?

From the link you posted:

"Nielsen Television Ratings statistics are gathered in two ways: one is by extensive use of surveys, where viewers in various demographics are asked to keep a written record (called a diary) of the television programming they watch throughout the day and evening. The other is by the use of a limited number of Set Meters, which are small devices connected to all the televisions in a home."

So if a viewer of ABC does not

1) manually fill out a "diary"
2) allow the installation of a Set Meter

How do they make money for ABC?

FWIW, I was choosen as a "diary" nelson household back in the 90's. I was in college, only watched reruns from ~2:00 - ~6:00 AM, and never turned my "diary" in. So, let that be an example of how flawed the process is to begin with.

[LibertyorDeath]

16. Hey thanx for your cogent insight maybe you should

inform the advertisers....

[133724]

26. Not quite correct

Late in December, Nielsen, part of VNU, started distributing its ratings information in three versions: live, the traditional way television is watched; live plus 24 hours, counting how many people who own DVR's played back shows within a day of recording them; and live plus seven days, counting playback within a week of recording.


http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/13/business/media/13adcol.html?ex=1297486800&en=5637989825c685db&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss

With the advent of digital cable, the cable companies can tell what you are watching & when.

[LibertyorDeath]

27. Oh sweet mother of god Thank You!

"With the advent of digital cable, the cable companies can tell what you are watching & when."

Welcome to DU!

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

30. Actually It Was Correct. You Have Grossly Misunderstood The Concept.

What you didn't realize from your linke is that they ARE NOT talking about supplying information from anyone who owns a DVR. That is a huge misconception around here it seems. All it means is that Nielsen now incorporates into their data pool homes that have DVR's as well, and use that sampling information also to arive at their numbers.

But you STILL HAVE TO BE PART OF A NIELSEN HOUSEHOLD! LOL

DVR or not, unless you are signed up as a Nielsen household you are not counting towards the ratings numbers. It really is quite that simple.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

17. Wait, You Are Proving My Case For Me Now And Arguing Against Yourself.

You realize that right?

My whole point is that since I am not a Nielsen household I therefore am invisible to ABC. Whether I turn the channel on them or not makes zero difference since the advertisers will never know since I'm NOT COUNTED in the ratings, due to my lack of being in the Nielsen sampling pool. Got it yet? LOL

[LibertyorDeath]

21. Oh you think so

"My whole point is that since I am not a Nielsen household I therefore am invisible to ABC"

My network provider can tell what channel I'm tunned to anytime they care to check.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

31. Doesn't Matter. Has Nothing To Do With Official Ratings Whatsoever.

Again, if you are not a Nielsen household, you are not counted towards the ratings numbers. Therefore, no matter what channel you are on, no one in the industry really notices when it comes right down to it. That's just quite simply how this works, sorry.

And as for the DVR concept, that's also a big misconception. Feel free to read what I wrote above on that as well.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=2086925&mesg_id=2094170

[wtmusic]

18. I'm doing it

because I have kids in the house, and I don't want to poison their minds with that crap. Same with FOX News.

Something tells me their lives will be completely whole even without knowing what ABC's POV is on conjoined twins.

[Tarheel_Dem]

3. i'm perfectly willing to do it, but....

who will know, besides me, that i've blocked ABC and all its tentacles?

[Bozita]

4. That should be posted at every progressive website

recommended

[waldnorm]

7. Not Good Enough . . .

you have to let know ABC you're not watching them and to put them on notice. Ask the cable company to remove those channels (similar with Fox News) from your options and have that notice be sent from them back to ABC. Make it clear you refuse to pay your cable bill if it includes those stations. I know technology needs to be created just with the Fox News blocker . . . but otherwise why would ABC (or Disney, really) care?

[onenote]

19. your cable company is required by law to carry local over the air stations

So you can complain all you want about it, but nothing will happen. Block it yourself if you want it blocked.

[AnotherMother4Peace]

10. People have given their lives for Democracy, this is the least I can do.

Thank you for this information.

[bainz]

11. Sounds Good, However . . .

<Channeling OMC>
I need my ACC football and Lost is about to start season 3. ***looks for Nielsen box on my TV*** Nope. It's not there. Guess I can still watch.
</Channeling>

BTW the channeling markup is in no way mocking OMC. It was intended to further the truth that OMC has been posting for days.

[wtmusic]

22. You can still watch, even with the Nielsen box

Who gives a fuck? It doesn't mean a lot--it means a little. Maybe someone will ask why you blocked ABC, and you can tell them. Maybe you won't be tempted to patronize one of those ABC sponsors. It means as much to ABC as your 2004 vote meant to the country.

Or continue letting ABC/Disney light up you life--and do stop back and let us know what you learned from watching "Path" LOL

[alittlelark]

12. Cool - I never watch their channels anyways

So long as Sci-Fi is not part of their herd all is well for me!

[onenote]

20. well, that will certainly improve the boycott then wont it

:sarcasm:


Its amusing how many of the folks advocating boycott say they never watch ABC or any of its sister channels

[mmonk]

14. If it meant anything I would. But it just reminds me

that they have complete power in this country and a dumb populace that eats it up and there's little I can do to change that.

[deacon]

23. Done, ABC has joined Foxaganda News as erased from my remote

[upi402]

24. I FEEL LIKE A DIRTY RIGHTY!!!

It's just the sort of 'taste of their own medicine' that righties just HATE!

[Red Right and BLUE]

25. This won't do anything.

If you prefer to block those channels, that's a matter of personal preference and totally fine. I don't have cable at all, myself.

But writing to them will make an impact. Not watching them won't.

[dkofos]

28. I prefer to contact them and their advertisers

and tell them I will not buy their products.

How would they know if you blocked their channel?
Why would they care?

[greiner3]

29. I blocked 22 channels;

That includes any fucks, abc, espn which had about 10 in the high numbers of my digital lineup. I sure hope my hunch is right in that Warner cable asshats have been monitoring what station and for how long I watch. I would think that that would not be a problem with these new boxes.

[tpsbmam]

32. Don't know about cable tv....

But know that TIVO and DVR boxes ARE watching what you watch (see article segment below). Those of us with any kind of DVR can do a couple of things to send a message.

1) If you have "season passes" set up for shows on ABC stations, delete those passes. I know for a fact that TIVO tracks those.

2) Don't record any ABC stations. Advertisers will get this message, believe me!

http://news.com.com/2100-1023-270875.html

Big Brother is watching
Several companies have already hit the "play" button on business plans that monitor consumers.

TiVo's personal video recorder allows viewers to record and watch their favorite shows at any time, and it tracks their choices along the way. The company's subscription service then provides an interactive program guide and suggests shows based on individual viewing habits.

ACTV is working on a service with Motorola and OpenTV, called SpotOn, that will offer targeted, interactive advertising. Liberate makes Web-access software for set-top boxes, smart phones and other next-generation appliances that can track users.

And cable companies have their hands in the pie already: AOL Time Warner owns a 15 percent stake in TiVo, AT&T unit Liberty Media Group owns 15 percent of ACTV and International pay TV company MIH Limited controls 90 percent of OpenTV.

All this amounts to a "spy in your home," the Center for Digital Democracy charged in a June report entitled "TV That Watches You: The Prying Eyes of Interactive Television." The 30-page report says that in the face of industry opposition, no action is being taken to prevent the collection and distribution of data about TV viewers.



TiVo explained in the white paper that at no point does the information it collects become connected with personally identifiable information.

However, the company does automatically opt users in to a data-collection plan that covers what it calls "anonymous viewing habits," and sells that information to advertisers, cable networks and "other third parties."