It won't involve peanuts this time, but "Jericho" fans are looking to make a pre-emptive strike against a possible decision by CBS to cancel the series a second time with a new campaign designed to once again save the show.
Led by a "Jericho" fan known online as Schumi, the new campaign launched from the official CBS message boards (click here) with the slogan "Don't Tread On Me."
In an open letter to CBS, Schumi talked about why the post-apocalyptic series should return despite lower ratings from when it was cancelled at the end of its first season.
"With 'Jericho' you succeeded where your competitors frequently fail -- you brought viewers back to network television," Schumi said. "You did that by taking a chance on a little show that was different and offered more than the usual fare of recycled drama plots, or mindless games shows and reality TV. But what you brought back was a new viewer, the viewer of tomorrow."
The campaign focuses on "Jericho's" popularity in alternative distribution nodes like the Internet and timeshifted viewing, which grows the live audience by more than 20 percent according to releases issued by CBS.
"Your own executives have stated that you can get more revenue from your online offerings than your broadcast ones," Schumi said. "Why pass up this lucrative opportunity?"
The campaign is making some claims that could be questioned, however. One of the claims is that other networks that compete with CBS have abandoned viewership aggregation methodology from Nielsen Media Research. However, there's been no indication that NBC, ABC, Fox or any other major network has discounted Nielsen, which provides audience numbers the networks in turn use to set advertising rates to pay for its programming and produce profits for shareholders.
At the same time, networks have been looking to monetize their online offerings including streaming video and paid services like iTunes.
"For years you have struggled to redefine yourself as the network of a younger audience," Schumi said. "You are finally succeeding in that with 'Jericho.' But the younger audience doesn't tune in to broadcast television, especially CBS. They are online."
For more information on the campaign, check out Schumi's message board posting by clicking here.
About the Author:
Michael Hinman is the founder and site coordinator for Airlock Alpha and the entire BlipNetwork. He owns Quantum Global Media Inc., the parent corporation of the BlipNetwork. He's a print journalist by day, and lives in Tampa, Fla.
