CBS Claims Time Warner Blackout having Little Effect

If the Time Warner blackout of CBS is hurting the network, CBS sure isn't acting like it is. 

The network claims that ratings are doing well despite falling off the cable giant. CBS says that in the first 11 days since Time Warner Cable dropped CBS to nearly three million customers in New York, Los Angeles and Dallas-Fort Worth, the local stations’ sign-on to sign-off average among adults 25-54 – the primary demographic for local advertisers – is even with the stations’ average during the same period of time last summer. 

Meanwhile, CBS says average viewership from sign-on to sign-off is up 6% on a year-to-year basis.

“Our stations have held up very well against this backdrop, says CBS Stations President Peter Dunn.  "We’re riding momentum from a summer of ratings growth and August is traditionally a slow month, so the overall ratings impact is minor and the financial impact is negligible.  But, we know our viewers are frustrated in these markets and anxious about the start of the NFL and the new Fall season, and we hope they will soon be able to get back to enjoying their favorite CBS programs.”

In other words..... it's your turn Time Warner.