Dear Broadcasters, How About New Year’s Resolution Not to Black Out Viewers in 2014?

Dear Broadcasters,

With every passing year, it becomes more obvious how antiquated our video rules are and how you exploit them at consumers’ expense. Millions of Americans are watching their favorite programs and sporting events today without truly understanding the complex contracts and retransmission consent negotiations that enable that to happen.

Let’s keep it that way!

Rather than dragging loyal consumers into nasty public retrans disputes, how about doing something different this year? How about resolving to avoid blackouts in 2014?

Without a new year’s resolution from broadcasters, there will undoubtedly be more blackouts than ever in 2014. Just look at the trend: there were 12 blackouts in 2010, 51 in 2011, 91 in 2012, and a record-setting 127 last year.

Millions of American consumers have already been harmed by your insistence on blacking them out. How about respecting them in 2014?

Happy New Year!

The American Television Alliance