DirecTV, Dish lead in customer satisfaction

Satellite providers DirecTV (Nasdaq: DTV)  and Dish Network (Nasdaq: DISH) topped a recent pay-TV customer satisfaction study from London-based research firm YouGovBrandIndex. 

According to the study, DirecTV scored a satisfaction ranking of 21, which is the same score it received six months ago in an earlier study. Coming in second was Dish Networks, which scored a 16, a two point gain over its ranking of 14 six months ago. 

The cable operators didn't fare as well as their satellite competitors. Cox Communications scored a 14, and Cablevision Systems Corp., (NYSE: CVC) scored a 5, which was down four points from its score six months ago. And Comcast Corp., (Nasdaq: CMCSA) the largest cable provider in the U.S., scored a 1, which was slightly higher than its negative 1 scoring six months ago.

Time Warner Cable (NYSE: TWC) scored an abysmal negative 10, which is a decline from its negative 7 rating six months ago.

YouGovBrandIndex's satisfaction scores range from 100 to negative 100 and are compiled by subtracting the negative feedback from the positive. A zero score means equal positive and negative feedback.

YouGov's study asked consumers: "Are you a satisfied customer?" All respondents must be 18 or older and results are based upon 30,000 interviews conducted during 2013.

High profile TV blackouts such as Time Warner's blackout of CBS stations in August were likely factors that contributed to the cable industry's poor ratings in the 2013 study.

Cable operators also scored poorly in an August study by the Temkin group that ranked customer service. Charter Communications (Nasdaq: CHTR) placed dead last, and Time Warner Cable (NYSE: TWC) was ranked No. 234 out 235 total companies listed.

 For more:
- see this MediaPost article
- see this BrandIndex post

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