Electro-optical characteristics of the dye-containing polymer dispersed nematic liquid crystals (PDLC) are investigated by two methods : numerically and experimentally. Light transmission of the dyed PDLC films was calculated using the anomalous diffraction approximation and the dye dichroic absorption characteristics. The effect of varying the refractive index of LC, the polymer and LC resistivity and the dye fraction dissolved in a LC droplet on the PDLC transmission was numerically studied. Each of these parameters taken separately has little effect on PDLC transmission. The experiment showed the effect of the dye on electro-optical characteristics of the PDLC film to be more intricate. Two anthraquinone dyes with different molecular structure were used. The PDLC film transmission and scattering efficiency depend on the order parameter, the dichroic ratio and the solubility of the dyes in LC droplet.