UPDATE: It's Comcast vs AIG for 'worst co.' at Consumerist
"Ticketmaster and Comcast drew the ire of voters because they were viewed as monopolies that consumers were forced to deal with," says www.consumerist.com
UPDATE: With 251,000 votes to date, it's now "Comcast vs. AIG" for the title "Worst Company in America" at the Consumers Union's www.consumerist.com. Comcast (cable TV) was runner-up to Countrywide (mortgages) last year, but Comcast got more bad votes than Countrywide successor Bank of America in an "upset" during last night's semi-finals, while AIG got more hits than Ticketmaster. Voting continues; Worst will be named Thursday.
YESTERDAY: "It's the bailouts versus the monopolies!" writes Consumerist, the Consumers Union-owned, nonprofit, ad-free Web site, in the latest edition of its yearly "Worst Company in America" competition. This year's "final four" are Bank of America, Comcast, Ticketmaster and AIG.
"Ticketmaster and Comcast drew the ire of voters because they were viewed as monopolies that consumers were forced to deal with," said Meghann Marco, Consumerist.com, in a statement, while "AIG and Bank of America paved their way to the final four with exorbitant executive compensation packages, reckless management, and taxpayer bailouts... One of these disastrous companies will go on to join Halliburton (2006), RIAA (2007) and Countrywide (2008) as 'The Worst Company in America'."
The four are survivors of a field that also included accused poisoner-by-negligence Peanut Corp. of America, Comcast rival Verizon, credit card giant Capital One, and failing carmakers General Motors and Chrysler, among others. Consumerist's unscientific voting concludes May 7.