Consumerist.com Allows Consumers to Bite Back in Fifth Annual Search for the Worst Company in America

NCAA-Style Tournament Kicks off Today with 32 Contenders

NEW YORK, March 24 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Cable providers, cell phone companies, and bank giants round out the contenders in Consumerist.com's fifth annual search for the 'Worst Company in America.' This year's tournament has some repeat competitors including Bank of America and Comcast, which both lead in nominations and are at the top of the bracket.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100324/DC76157)

The search kicks off on Consumerist.com with 32 nominees in a bracket-style, single elimination tournament, similar to the NCAA basketball tournament currently underway. Each week, starting today and running until the final round on April 23, Consumerist.com will scale down the brackets based on company match-ups and visitors' votes.  In order to be considered for inclusion, companies must regularly provide goods and services directly to consumers.  Nominations for the competition are solicited from the Consumerist.com readers.

"Four years ago when we started this search Americans voted Halliburton as the national champion and since then we have seen AIG, Countrywide, and others bestowed this honor," said Ben Popken, Co-Managing Editor of Consumerist.com.  "Every year there is a 'Cinderella' company that comes out of nowhere and we can't wait to see who it is in 2010."

"Bad customer service and bad business decisions will frustrate customers and our bracket gives consumers a place to vent those frustrations," said Meghann Marco, Co-Managing Editor of Consumerist.com.  "Each year we see a few repeat nominees including Best Buy, Ticketmaster and Walmart, but some do try and 'right their wrongs' and we never see them again."

The 2010 Grand Champion in Consumerist.com's "Worst Company in America" will receive the prestigious Golden Poo Award, a golden statuette modeled after a pile of... poo.

Following is the calendar for key elimination dates. Consumers can check back regularly at Consumerist.com for updated brackets and voting opportunities throughout the month of March and April.

• April 2 – Sweet (and sour) 16
• April 14 – Elite 8
• April 21 – Final Four
• April 23 – Championship Battle
• April 26 – Winner!

Ready? Set? Play ball! 2010 nominees are…

Click here for direct link to bracket.

Here are the match-ups:

About Consumerist.com

The Consumerist is a subsidiary of Consumers Union, the publisher of Consumer Reports, and ConsumerReports.org, and the nation's leading not-for-profit consumer advocacy organization. Since its founding in 1936, Consumers Union has fought for a fair, just, and safe marketplace for all consumers and to empower consumers to protect themselves. To maintain independence and impartiality, CU accepts neither outside advertising nor free samples. It employs a staff of "mystery shoppers" who buy products in retail stores around the country, just as any other buyer would, and then ship them to the Consumers Union labs, where technical experts test some 3,000 products yearly.

To further advance its mission, CU employs a dedicated team of grassroots organizers, advocates and outreach specialists who work with the organization's more than 600,000 online activists to change legislation and the marketplace in favor of the consumer interest. Consumers Union is also the leading publisher of information to help consumers choose the right products, stay safe, and protect themselves against unfair business practices. In addition to The Consumerist and Consumer Reports, CU's publications include ConsumerReportsHealth.org, ConsumerReportsEnEspanol.org, ShopSmart magazine, Consumer Reports on Health and Consumer Reports Money Adviser. CU's publications have received many major awards, including multiple National Magazine Awards, several Webby Awards and numerous awards for public-interest and health-care reporting.

SOURCE Consumer Reports