CBS: Not Taking Care of Business

Updates coming as needed. ( Update below)

I posted on the CBS message board yesterday morning. Here is my post:

Those of you who know me know that I am not one to encourage or participate in any type of dispute on this board or elsewhere. However, when I see something like this I am compelled to speak out. Look at this blog post:

http://ramrodsworld.blogspot.com/2007/10/only-certain-poster-can-post-at-blogs.html

You will see a direct link to my blog. This person attempted to spam my blog so I had to go to moderated comments. (I kept the comments which weren't posted.) The false accusations on this blog need to stop. This person needs to be seen for what they are.

I call it to your attention and you can decide for yourself. Thank you.

**********************************
I go out for a while only to come in and find my post deleted by a user named "robert_green". He appears to be a regular user and has one post dated July 6.

Here is a screenshot of robert_green's post.



Jeff Burkett - in charge of website content, etc
323 - 575 - 4380

See what he had to say here.




To read the whole story go here.


While we wait for CBS to explain why only certain people's posts are deleted here's an update.


Here is the brilliant and logical response.


Hey Nielsen will never work properly if people choose to abuse the system for manipulating the numbers. See here.


Update:

See this post:

http://ramrodsworld.blogspot.com/2007/10/only-certain-poster-can-post-at-blogs.html

See this email from the blog owner:( Oct. 9)

"what's wrong dont like the truth to be out there..figures...you will go down like the rest of them... "

Oh, I do want the truth to be out there and it will be.

Jericho: Halloween Anyone ?

The photo reminds me of somebody I know. I thought they'd enjoy it.



Many thanks to Nibbers who has come up with the idea of attaching a note to Halloween candy advertising Jericho.

So hand out candy and promote Jericho at the same time. Thanks Nibbers.



"Another thought - the Jericho Nuts campaign. (Viewers sent nuts to the President of CBS to convince her to bring save that show). This example wasn't just fueled by consumer passion - it was fueled by consumer passion translated into something more powerful that letters. The nuts helped visualize and dimensionalize their desire. (AKA it helps to be PR savvy!)"



"I suppose we're lucky that this is a "season one" DVD and not a "complete series" set. The nut campaign aimed at CBS worked, and the second season of Jericho will start in a few months. It's only going to be seven episodes long, and then they'll look at those ratings and see if it warrants more episodes."

The Internet: Cyberbullies

Jericho Junction had a posting in Sept. about this subject and I wanted to present more information since anyone using the internet can fall prey.


"The Internet provides the perfect forum for cyberbullies, individuals whose aim is to gain gratification from the distress caused by provoking and tormenting others.

Many serial bullies are also serial attention-seekers. More than anything else they want attention. It doesn't matter what type of attention they get, positive or negative, as long as they can provoke someone into paying them attention. It's like a 2-year-old child throwing a tantrum to get attention from a parent. The best way to treat bullies is to refuse to respond and to refuse to engage them - which they really hate. In other words, do not reply to their postings, and on forums carry on posting without reference to their postings as if they didn't exist. In other words, treat nobodies as nobodies.

The anger of a serial bully is especially apparent when they come across someone who can see through them to espy the weak, inadequate, immature, dysfunctional aggressive individual behind the mask.

The objectives of bullies are Power, Control, Domination, Subjugation. They get a kick out of seeing you react. It doesn't matter how you react, the fact they've successful provoked a reaction is, to the bully, a sign that their attempt at control have been successful. After that, it's a question of wearing you down. The more your try to explain, negotiate, conciliate, etc the more gratification they obtain from your increasingly desperate attempts to communicate with them. Understand that it is not possible to communicate in a mature adult manner with a disordered individual who's emotionally retarded.

The Number One rule for dealing with this type of behaviour is: don't respond, don't interact and don't engage. This is not as easy to do as it sounds. It's a natural response to want to defend yourself, and to put the person right. However, never argue with a serial bully; it's not a mature adult discussion, but like dealing with a child or immature teenager; whilst the serial bully may be an adult on the outside, on the inside they are like a child who's never grown up - and probably never will. Serial bullies and harassers often have disordered thinking patterns and do not share the same thoughts or values as you.

Although you may be the target of the cyberbully's anger, you can train yourself to act as an observer. This takes you out of the firing line and enables you to study the perpetrator and collect evidence. When people use bullying behaviours they project their own weaknesses, failings and shortcomings on to others. In other words, they are telling you about themselves by fabricating an accusation based on something they themselves have done wrong. Whenever you receive a flame mail or hate mail, train yourself to instinctively ask the question, "What is this person revealing about themselves this time?"





WHOA is a volunteer organization founded in 1997 to fight online harassment




How to spot signs and symptoms of serial bullies, sociopaths and psychopaths
including the sociopathic behaviour of the industrial psychopath and the corporate psychopath.



"Most organisations have a serial bully. It never ceases to amaze me how one person's divisive, disordered, dysfunctional behaviour can permeate the entire organisation like a cancer."
Tim Field

"The truth is incontrovertible; malice may attack it, ignorance my deride it, but in the end, there it is."
Winston Churchill

Changing the Networks: Consumer Marketing

Since Kraft Television Theater premiered on NBC, the first regularly scheduled drama series on a network, networks have dictated what's on television. Viewers were left with one choice: watch it or not.

That seems to be changing. Viewers want more than one choice. To give them what they want, CBS will provide short-form video content for a CBS "brand channel" on YouTube starting this month. It will include news,sports, Showtime and prime-time programming. Among the offerings, CBS also said it plans to provide clips from top programs like "Survivor" as well as mini-previews for new fall shows.


CBS is not the only one trying to appease fans. Nielsen Media Research has a new website called Hey!Nielsen. "If you think your opinion doesn't matter or won't be read, all you have to do is see how a few organized voices on the web put a little town called "Jericho" back on the map earlier this year," said Steve Ciabattoni for Hey! Nielsen.


Fans like these will not be forced to watch television in the same way they once did. When networks pull the plug, consumers will fight for the show they love. When networks pull the plug consumers will fight for the show they love.

With increasing passion and armed with the Internet,consumer outcry and aggressive marketing is starting to reach the networks. The message: the time to change is now.

The Hollywood Reporter calls it the "Jericho Effect." Jericho fans campaigned to save CBS' canceled post apocalyptic drama* ‘Jericho’ and a succeeded.

When asked why fan marketing can or cannot change the way the networks operate
Boondoggie, a business blogger who also followed the 'Jericho
Effect, replied," Obviously it can, because it already has. The networks currently think of themselves as broadcasters, and I think that widespread
broadband means that they need to think of themselves as content
providers. The fact that just about every TV show now has a web
component speaks to this."


That's not the only place it's seen. With increasing speed, entertainment content is filling the Web. NBC Universal's Hulu.com venture with News Corp. will syndicate content over sites reaching a reported 96% of all Internet visitors (including AOL).

Earlier this month, ABC agreed to distribute its fall lineup of full-length programming through a Web portal on AOL Video.

Under CBS' Outernet plan, every possible real and virtual square inch of digital surface will be considered for promotional spots.



So the networks already know: if they do not change television, someone else will for them.

A Monster Fan Interview: Dresden Files

AttilaTheHun? You should work for Jericho.

Actually, Attila is a nice lady named Joann. I had a Dresden interview a while back but felt we needed to be updated so Joann kindly agreed. I must say these Dresden fans are passionate, friendly people and I thank them for sharing with us.




1. How is your petition going?

Well, the petition is doing great --- it’s only been out of the Top 10 Most Active Petitions list twice in the two months-plus it’s been operating and as of Oct 6, it has 5,530 signatures, from a wide variety of countries, and was at 7th on the Most Active list!


2. What kind of grassroots efforts are going on now?

Of course many people are continuing to write letters and send emails --- both the dresdencity.org and Sci-Fi Channel forums have threads with contact information for such. And the podcast SliceOfSciFi has started a ‘Save Harry’ campaign that involves sending drumsticks to Bonnie Hammer, who is in charge of the SciFi network ; the link is http://www.sliceofscifi.com/2007/09/14/bring-back-the-dresden-files-drum-stick-campaign/


3. How do you like Hey Nielsen? How are the Dresden Files doing there?

As of Oct 6,’The Dresden Files’ is at #5 on HeyNielsen! And I think it’s great that there is now a way for boxless people to have their opinions and viewing preferences counted!


4. Do you have any videos on YouTube?

There are quite a few Dresden-inspired videos on YouTube, and I believe a ‘Save The Dresden Files’ one is currently in the works --- or may already be out!


5. Has Dresden made the press lately? Where?

An article in The Mobile press-register, just a week or so ago. The full text can be found on dresdencity.org, under the ‘Campaign efforts’ forum.


6. Has the DVD raffle ended or not? Will there be more raffles?

Yes, the raffle is over, and the prizes mailed! I believe another promotion is being planned, but don’t know what form it will take.


7. Any news from the cast, crew, producers?

No official word from anyone, no. But Paul Blackthorne has, in interviews, stated his willingness to resume the role of Harry Dresden if offered it again …. And most of the other cast members have mentioned a similar willingness to return.


8. What's next for the campaign?

Well, as I said, I know there are more promotional efforts in the works … And one of the important things is to keep our efforts up --- we can’t let the SciFi Channell, NBC, Lionsgate, or anyone think we’re going to forget ‘The Dresden Files’! After all, a fan campaign finally succeeded in resurrecting ‘Forever Knight’, after slightly more than a year off-air, I believe --- - we’ve got to prove we, and ‘The Dresden Files’, have staying power!


9. Where can people go to get involved?

Go to http://dresdencity.org! Or Google ‘blue whale pub’ -- that’s the hosting site ; or Jim Butcher’s website -- he’s the author who created the book series on which the TV series is based --- has a forum devoted to the TV series that has ‘Save Harry’ threads ….


19. Anything else you'd like people to know? Links?

Well, besides http://dresdencity.org, there’s

http://gopetition.com/petitions/new-home-4-dresden.html, to sign the petition ;

http://www.sliceofscifi.com/2007/09/14/bring-back-the-dresden-files-drum-stick-campaign/

http://newhome4harry.blogspot.com/

http://home.comcast.net/~zarina43/wsb/html/view.cgi-home.html-.html

Or people could just Google “save the Dresden Files” and see what comes up!

Jericho: Ask Margie and Edna

Dear Margie and Edna:
These trying times have been difficult on all of us ladies in town. By now, we’ve all run out of hair products, but no one is pony-tailing it—everyone looks well-groomed. Can you explain this mystery to me? On a related note, if you had a forehead like Mary Bailey's, wouldn't you wear bangs?

Stumped in Jericho



Margie: Honey, it's called fallout powder. Just rub it in your hair and the dirt will fall out. Poor Mary Bailey. Edna doesn't wear bangs and look at her forehead. No, don't. You'll damage your eyes.

Edna: You two stop picking on Mary Bailey, I think she looks just fine. It’s not her fault she’s got that naturally curly hair. Giving her bangs would be like giving bangs to a poodle. So you two just be nice.

As for the grooming products, it’s a mystery to me, dear. Nowadays, so many young people rely on that store-bought stuff to look nice, so I can only guess they’ve been hoarding supplies. I shudder to think of the riots that will happen when they run out.



Dear Margie and Edna:
Ever since the bombs dropped, I haven’t been able to vacuum, I’ve run out of cleaning products, and I’m finding it more and more difficult to do my daily chores without the needed supplies. Am I the only one who sees advantages to the bombings?

A Happy Housewife



Margie: I sure see the advantage. I hate to vacuum. It is kind of disgusting, though, to keep eating off the same plate. Edna always spit shines hers. Try that.

Edna: Margie, just you hush! It’s unladylike to lick your plate, like I tell you at each and every meal when you’re licking yours. Happy Housewife, I understand what you mean, it can surely be a trial to keep the house clean, especially without modern conveniences. I know that cleanliness is supposed to be next to godliness, but I bet that whoever wrote that never had to wash their clothes by hand.



Dear Margie and Edna:
Do you think it would be unreasonable of me to have “Jake Green” tattooed on my rear-end and ask my husband to change his name?

S.B., Jericho, KS



Margie: What's unreasonable about that? Come over here and Edna will be glad to draw Jake on your behind. Bring your husband and he won't have to change his name because Edna will lock him in the basement.

Edna: Yes dear, I do think that’s unreasonable. Don’t listen to my sister, as usual she doesn’t know what she’s talking about. Now, I’ll grant you that young Jake Green is an attractive man, but are you sure that you’d want to go through the pain of getting a tattoo? And who are you planning to show your behind to, if not your husband? I hate to break it to you dear, but if you’re planning on letting Jake Green get a gander at your goodies, I think he has his sights set on behinds other than yours these days.


If you have a question for Margie and Edna please send to sweat1951@rock.com

Jericho: The Devil Inside

Rich at Copywrite Ink always knows how to hit the Bullseye. His latest post is no exception. He breaks the article down into three sections.




1) The Good:

Not real good but he discusses Amazon sales of the DVD as well as sales at Barnes and Noble. Sales, hopefully, will get better.

2) The Bad:

Carol Barbee recently stated that two endings have been filmed for Season 2.
One alternative ending will show where the show would go in a Season 3. The other ending, she says, “gives you a huge mythology so that you understand so much about what has happened."

According to Rich (and I agree)"Alternative endings mean exactly what one might think. Jericho’s continuation on CBS is about as certain as the day it was first placed on the bubble."

Think about that. No certainty of a Season 3. What would we do then?

3) The Ugly:

I will let Rich's statement about this speak for itself:

"If there is any distraction from promoting DVD sales at the moment, it comes in the form that frequently surfaces from the fan base. Someone places too much weight on their own shoulders, distracting otherwise like-minded fans.

It’s the kind of story worth following up on when you’re tracking the promise and pitfalls of spontaneous consumer marketing efforts. Jericho fans are not alone. If there is any reoccurring theme in the scheme of social media, it is in the abundance of people who suddenly find themselves in the semi-public spotlight without any real leadership training. Here’s one tip I picked up almost a decade ago …

“Angels have wings because they take themselves lightly.”



I used to believe we all wanted the same thing- Season 3 of Jericho. I don't believe that anymore. That's sad to say but, while there are angels among us, there are some devils too.