Below is an email I sent to Marcos on the Daily Kos website because the original post was on that site.  (I posted a similar Diary here at MyDD.)  The Kos Diary I refer to can be found at
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/9 /8/164416/0200
The title/author/time of the diary post was:
Remote Smackdown: Downrate or Block ABC/Disney Programs
by a lynn
Fri Sep 08, 2006 at 01:44:16 PM PDT

As best I can tell the theory in that post is that modern ratings use real-time, minute-by-minute collection from cable (especially with boxes) program and channel watching.  One implication (among many) was that if a cable users blocked a channel with a TV's V chip, that channel would receive 0 ratings (never watched in this household).  If 10's or even 100's of thousands of people block ABC and Disney channels their profits would suffer enormously.  These would be real consequences for ABC.
  In historical context, I believe that the Sinclair Group suffered no real long-term consequences for airing the inaccurate and prejudicial "documentary" about Kerry in key battle ground states just before the 2004 election.  I think that if Sinclair had suffered truly horrific mometary losses then ABC would not have aired Path to 9/11.
  It's plausible to think that the Sinclair Group, Disney/ABC strategy will continue and even escalate.
   Here's my questions.

1.  Is the information on "a lynn's" post accurate (does the blocing of ABC with my V chip actually affect their ratings)?
   
2.  If it is accurate, is there follow-up for a long term, massive blocking of Disney/ABC?  if not why not?  (I don't want to be the only one in America blocking ABC on my TV; that would be ineffective, even idiotic.)
   
3.  How can we organize a net roots (yes, I bought the book) campaign to reduce ABC's profits so substantially that no other broadcaster will do this again?  Is the Daily Kos the correct vehicle or is MoveOn or ThinkProgress, or MyDD, etc. better or is a coordinated effort the best?
   
4.  Is there any follow up to "a lynn's" post?
   
5.  It may not be quite this systematic, but I propose that Sinclair was a proof of concept and ABC/Disney was a full-on roll out of the stategy. Our complaints and letter writing campaigns are essentially ineffective.  The people responsible for the Path to 9/11 are probably laughing about our complaints and critiques as they plan an even more massive use of the strategy for 2008.  It would be more useful if ABC suffered profit loss so great than no broadcasting group would do this again in 2008. Should is stop blocking ABC and the Disney channel because I'm alone or ... or what?
   

MAKE ABC INVISIBLE
Pick up your remote control.  Use it to remove (subtract) your local ABC station from the remote control's normal set of stations.  (You may have to use Menu Options.)  Now your remote will skip ABC when you push Channel Up or Channel Down.    
ABC IS NOW INVISIBLE ON YOUR TV
(If you really want to watch a particular show on ABC you can always enter the channel number and press Enter.  Enjoy your show.  But you'll be surprised at how fast you forget about ABC.)
Send this to friends, post it on Blogs or wherever you have access.
MAKE ABC INVISIBLE.

If as many of us make ABC invisible as are upset by the airing of the show then ABC's ratings and therefore profits would plummet.