Mitsubishi and NEC Displays earned the top two spots as the top flat panel HDTV brands overall in Pacific Media Associates' 12th annual survey of U.S. and Canadian flat panel display dealers. The survey, conducted among professional A/V dealers and integrators at the end of 2007, is an authoritative source of independent, unbiased ratings of large-screen displays manufacturers by dealers throughout North America.

"The relationship between manufacturers and their dealers is more important than ever," according to William Coggshall, President of Pacific Media. "As dealers face stiffer competition and declining profit margins in an uncertain economy, they count on their relationships with the manufacturers, and on the range of resources that they can provide."

The survey ranks 25 aspects of marketing support, products, and after-sale support according to their importance to dealers. Dealers then rated their key suppliers on each of these aspects. Ratings were based on a scale of 1 (very poor) to 5 (very good). Manufacturers with high scores on the more important aspects posted higher overall composite scores than those who scored well on less-important aspects. The report includes numerical ratings for each manufacturer for each aspect. This data can help manufacturers learn whether efforts to improve certain aspects are yielding results, and to see where they lag behind their competitors.

For the 2007 Dealer Survey, PMA is giving awards to the two companies with the highest composite scores. These top-rated overall brands are:

• For LCD flat panel HDTVs: Mitsubishi
• For plasma flat panel HDTVs: NEC Displays

In addition to these awards, special recognition was given to the two companies that scored highest on the aspect that the dealers rated as the most important:

• For plasma HDTVs, the most important factor was Product Quality. The company that scored highest on this aspect was Pioneer.
• For LCD HDTVs, dealers rated On-Time Delivery as the most important aspect. The winner in this category was Samsung.

"We’re proud that we were able to undertake this massive survey project again this year, as it provides valuable information for the flat panel HDTV companies. Our survey provides direct feedback that points to the aspects of the manufacturer relationships that dealers view as most important. We are honored to recognize these four award recipients for their outstanding accomplishments in this area," added Coggshall.

NOTE: This information may not be used for advertising or other promotional use without the express prior written consent of Pacific Media Associates.

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