Supernatural: Sera Gamble

"US paranormal drama series Supernatural has become a cult hit since it first hit TV screens in 2005.

Sera Gamble is the supervising producer and writer on the show.

She discussed what it is like working to a TV budget, the impact of the writers' strike - and why writing horror is so much fun.

Warning: This story contains plot spoilers."



"The drama around the possible defection from Paramount of the cinematic powerhouses behind DreamWorks is headline-grabbing - but it's only a distraction from what must really be driving Sumner Redstone crazy: In tough times for media giants, Viacom and CBS are doing even worse than their peers.

And yet, even if you conceded that Redstone was right strategically, you'd have cause to wonder if he got the timing or execution wrong. (As Redstone knows better than most, the market can't only be right when you are winning.) You'd also wonder how much of a cloud episodes like the intense scrutiny of Dreamworks' future cast over Redstone's empire, perhaps overshadowing other bright spots such as the improved year Paramount is having overall."

Actors Strike

"Reuters reports as Hollywood recovers from a tumultuous writers walkout that ended in February, U.S. TV networks are bracing for a possible actors strike that could delay the upcoming fall TV season. Jitters over renewed labor unrest have mounted in recent days as contract talks between the Screen Actors Guild and the major film and TV studios have grown increasingly rancorous with little or no sign that a settlement is near.The three-year labor pact covering film and prime-time TV work for 120,000 SAG members is due to expire in two weeks. "

Look Out Nielsen

"The Microsoft-Google war has moved from the web to the TV. Microsoft today announced it will buy Navic Networks, an addressable advertising technology provider that enables marketers to dynamically target and measure audiences based on patented technology available in 35 million set-top boxes nationwide.

Scott Ferris, general manager of Microsoft's advertiser and publisher solutions group, told Ad Age the Waltham, Mass.-based Navic allows the company to "take advantage of new-media formats through interactive TV and the measurement of TV viewing for the purpose of having a more efficient marketplace for buyers and sellers." Neither company could disclose specific financial terms of the acquisition.

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer believes that all media will be digital within the next 10 years -- and that means TV content will be delivered over IP networks.

"Within 10 years, no consumption of anything we think of as media today -- print, TV -- will in fact be delivered over internet technology. It will all be digital," said Mr. Ballmer at the Association of National Advertisers' annual conference in October."

Hulu

"IN A very short time, Hulu has rocketed from nothing to being one of the top video destinations on the Internet. We've all heard the years of trade-show claptrap about television-Web "convergence," but Hulu has come as close as possible to turning your computer into a TV without actually sending a tech to monkey around with the hardware and wiring.

Maybe more important, it's also shaping up as a key proving ground in the ongoing philosophical debate about what people want from Web-based entertainment.

How do you Hulu? You don't have to pay anything, download a special player or even register your name or e-mail address. The site, which went up in mid-March, is free; in exchange for watching relatively brief ads, you get access to complete high-resolution episodes of top TV series such as "24" and "30 Rock," as well as impressively cataloged clips from "Saturday Night Live" and other shows. (The movie roster is somewhat less formidable, unless you consider "The Payaso Comedy Slam" or "Snake Eater" the apex of cinematic art.)"

The Upfront Market

"When it comes to the $9 billion-plus upfront market, it's easy for marketers to get distracted by the horse race of TV networks trying to outdo each other in terms of price increases or volume. Do that this year, and you'll lose sight of the dangers that may lie ahead when it comes to getting your ads on TV.

"Lost in all the numbers, however, is a serious consideration of the ramifications advertisers are bound to face come fall. With more viewers getting entertainment and information from the web and other emerging venues, the networks' supply of ratings is dwindling -- and so is a marketer's ability to get ads on TV without advance planning.

"The question that really remains is: What will be left later on in scatter?" asked Gary Carr, senior VP-director of national broadcast at independent media buyer TargetCast TCM, referring to ad time that is purchased closer to a show's air date. "Are [the networks] going to higher sellout levels, and only a little bit will be left later on?"

Nielsen: Still Struggling

"NBC Universal and Nielsen have decided to collaborate on new sales measures using data from TV ratings, online video streaming and consumer activity based on specific industry categories. It's just the latest step by a TV network to cobble together information for advertisers that goes beyond the typical reach-and-frequency ratings that have been the benchmark of the business for decades.

"The pact comes as more advertisers are demanding measurements which take into account the new ways consumers are getting their entertainment and information. As more homes secure broadband connections, consumers' ability to watch TV programs and other forms of video entertainment online is increasing. So media outlets are looking for ways to measure viewing across different media venues, not just that taking place in front of the big screen in the living room. Marketers, meanwhile, are eager to discover just which ads lead consumers to purchase their products."

More Anger At Nielsen

"New York's television stations are mad as hell at Nielsen Media Research. And after years of complaints about the monopoly that provides ratings data, local TV executives say they aren't going to take it anymore.

Blaming a ratings slide on the company's measurement system, the stations have begun talking to potential competitors about services that could supplement or eventually replace Nielsen's local people meters, which made their controversial debut in 2004.

But now, stations say they have no choice but to find other measurement sources. They insist that the company simply doesn't sample enough homes to provide accurate ratings for a market as big as New York.

Nielsen's critics argue that in a multichannel universe, the people meters' sample panel of 800 households is insufficient to measure a marketplace of 7.4 million television households. Those figures add up to a ratio of one sample for every 9,000 households.

“The sample size for the local people meters is too small, and it is destroying the market,” gripes a station executive. “Everybody is looking at alternatives.”

All of the executives interviewed for this article spoke on the condition of anonymity because of agreements with Nielsen not to criticize it in the press."

Disconnecting Nielsen

"Today is the day. The nice folks from the Nielsen company are coming out to disconnect all their equipment. Now that our commitment is over I can tell you that we have been a Nielsen family for the last two years. This is the second time we have been a part of the Nielsen Ratings system and it’s kind of a hoot knowing that what you watch on tv influences the ratings at least somewhat. One of our technicians told us we represented 60,000 households. Wow, that’s alot of folks channel surfing.

"Even though we represented 60,000 households of viewers, Jericho was still canceled. Moonlight was still canceled. I’m not convinced my Nielsen vote helped at all there. But I watched faithfully and always made sure Devoted Spouse and I were both logged in on the remote."



"Nielsen, the fumbling audience measurement company notorious for snapping up the competition instead of building a better product for market, is doing the print industry a favor and promising not to get involved in measuring its audience. Even though its new “anywhere/anytime” initiative promised to be able to measure all media consumption, David Calhoun’s band of incompetents won’t be treading on FAS-FAX territory.

Not only that: Nielsen is looking to get out of print entirely."

Goodbye Harvey Korman

"Harvey Korman, an Emmy-winning comedic actor best known for playing the self-described "luminous second banana" for a decade on television's "The Carol Burnett Show" and for starring in such Mel Brooks films as "Blazing Saddles," has died. He was 81."

Nielsen Nonsense

"The burning question left hanging in the air after the cancellation of Jericho is the following: how does a show that can attract an estimated six million viewers to sit down in front of their TV sets, top the numbers on iTunes, and launch a number of unbelievably disciplined and organized fan campaigns, not get picked up for a third season.

Nielsen ratings.

Edward James Olmos summed it up nicely last year at a Battlestar Galactica convention. “Nielsen needs a hole in the head,” he said, explaining that the current ratings system excludes too many viewers to be reliable. In light of the current global business trends, that really would be the no-nonsense way of putting it.

TV networks and advertisers, however, are not quite there yet.

The main one? Networks don’t have a clue to whom they are delivering their programming anymore.

As the Accenture consumer study shows, consumers take in 70.6 hours of media per week. The catch? A traditional TV device is involved only 23 percent of the time.

Another thing that should come as no surprise is that 64 percent of viewers named commercials as their pet peeve when it comes to watching ‘live’ television."

The Nielsen Monster

Here is some interesting reading. It's Nielsen's SEC filing. Pay particular attention to the section titled Executive Compensation.
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"Over the past seven years, the Nielsen Company has received at least $3.1-million in state and local subsidies to consolidate its Pinellas operations in a showcase facility in Oldsmar.

Much of that money was for creating high-wage local jobs.

Yet last year, Nielsen let go 240 Tampa-area employees, including many in Oldsmar. Now the company — formerly known as Nielsen Media Research — says the Oldsmar location is losing another 110 positions."



"OLDSMAR — City Council members expressed outrage Tuesday over the Nielsen Co.'s plans to eliminate 110 positions at their Oldsmar operation after accepting government money to create jobs.

"To think they have the gall to take taxpayers' money and then lay people off!" said council member Suzanne Vale. "I am so upset."

"It's just incomprehensible to me," agreed council member Janice Miller."

Online: Network Ad Rates

"Networks now charge more per thousand viewers online than they do over the airwaves, where the average for a primetime show is about $25. Analysts put the online rate anywhere from $35 to $50 per thousand, though there are millions more potential traditional TV viewers.

Advertisers pay more online because there is a better accounting of how many viewers see the ads and an extra benefit that an impulse to purchase can be acted on with the click of a mouse."
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"In my opinion we should drop the currency debate. The currency is the almighty US dollar, not Nielsen's panel-based ratings. We should embrace new metrics that shed light on some of the more pressing issues in advertising. Imagine being able to compare which news networks have the most loyal viewers as ranked by appointment viewing. Would anyone be interested in knowing what the audience turnover for a typical weeknight is on MTV and how it might compare to Comedy Central or G4? Is one network a reach vehicle and another better suited for building brand awareness? With new metrics, all these insights are possible."

CBS: Paying Big Bucks

No wonder CBS is laying off people.

"CBS Chief Executive Leslie Moonves' compensation soared last year -- to $36.8 million, a 28% increase over the previous year -- even as ratings on its flagship television network slipped and advertising sales at its radio and television stations softened.

Moonves, 58, earned a base salary of $5.3 million for 2007 and was awarded a $18.5 million cash bonus. Moonves also received more than $13 million in stock and option awards, according to the proxy. Moonves struck a new long-term contract with the company in October. The new deal stretches through September 2011."
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"The daily Nielsen ratings do not include the out-of-home viewers yet. When Nielsen makes the data broadly available ­ perhaps as early as this month, in a limited fashion ­ it will be reported separately, apart from the ratings “currency” for buying and selling commercial time. Still, the numbers present a more accurate reflection of the audience for a given episode or event."
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"The Nielsen Company yesterday confirmed that it had made company-wide job cuts—including at its Nielsen Business Media division.

Although it declined to say exactly how many people were let go, Nielsen says this latest round of layoffs puts the company closer to its goal of reducing 4,000 positions, which was part of a restructuring plan announced in December 2006. According to sources, as few as 40 and as many as 200 people were laid off. Nielsen said the cuts were across the entire organization and are not concentrated in any particular brand."

Monster Changes

JerichoMonster will now be a blog which documents the wildfire spread of new media.

It will cover a variety of shows, fan blogs, networking, forums, media companies, and viral marketing. JerichoMonster at heart started out as a blog about one television show, but it has evolved over time and will now focus on such vital issues as the nature of fandoms, fan campaigns, the phenomenon of canceled (and resurrected) TV shows, and so much more.

Jericho news and information will continue to be dispensed here although not on a daily basis.

The JerichoMonster is a perfect metaphor because Jericho helped both to create and then let this monster loose. I am not just doing a TV blog, I am doing a future of TV blog. NOW.
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Jericho was cancelled due to poor Nielsen ratings. Which show will be next? If you don't have a Nielsen box then you don't count as a viewer. It's time to force changes with the networks and Nielsen Media.

We can all work together to be more focused on disrupting the ratings. No campaign is safe and may not have any effect on the networks unless the current situation is changed.

If you're interested in helping your campaign, please go here.

Jericho Ratings Improve

Jericho Ratings for Feb. 26:

"At 10:00 PM, JERICHO was second in households (4.3/07), viewers (6.90m), adults 25-54 (2.9/07) and adults 18-49 (2.2/06). Compared to last week, JERICHO was up +13% in households (from 3.8/06), +16% in adults 25-54 (from 2.5/06), +10% in adults 18-49 (from 2.0/05) and added +1.04m viewers (from 5.86m, +18%)."



Would you allow Nielsen to invade your privacy so they can learn everything about you? I'm not talking about just TV either. Keep reading.


"The central message here is that Nielsen, which would just love to know what TV shows you watch, which websites you visit, which books you read, which video games you play, and which brand of bread you eat, is running into iron walls as it tries to combine all of its audience analytics systems. Homes that are part of Nielsen’s television audience panel don’t want the company snooping in on its Internet browsing. Suddenly, privacy matters!

But that’s not keeping Nielsen from moving ahead with A2/M2, or “Anytime Anywhere Media Measurement,” which aims to measure the media a person is consuming anywhere, anytime. If that sounds a little Big Brother circa 2083, it is. It’s also nearly as impossible as it sounds.

Despite increasing competition, clients, like ad agencies and TV networks, have faith in Nielsen. But only because Nielsen is the biggest game in town, and not because its methodology and initiatives make any sense."



"The intimate media habits of the fickle public won't be a secret anymore. Nielsen announced yesterday that it will use paid human "shadows" to monitor plugged-in Americans during every waking moment, with information updated as often as every 10 seconds.

The television-ratings company calls the $3.5 million project both "landmark" and "groundbreaking," and has enlisted the help of academics and marketing mavens alike to mine the information. No bit of data is considered trivial."

Jericho: Learning From Star Trek

"... a dream that became a reality and spread throughout the stars" -- Captain James T. Kirk (“Whom Gods Destroy”, originally aired January 3, 1969).


Why is JerichoMonster talking about Star Trek? One reason is that there is much we as Jericho fans can learn from the successful campaign that saved the original Star Trek TV series. The second reason is because it is a great honor to present an exclusive interview Thursday evening with Bjo Trimble.

You will learn who Bjo is in the next paragraphs. Her interview will fascinate you, of that I have no doubt. Read to the end for an excerpt of tomorrow's interview.

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Star Trek debuted on NBC on September 8, 1966. The show tells the tale of the crew of the starship USS Enterprise and that crew's five-year mission "to boldly go where no man has gone before." After three seasons, the show was canceled and the last episode aired on June 3, 1969. The series became popular in reruns and a cult following developed with the help of fan conventions.

Enter Bjo Trimble and her husband John.

Wikipedia describes Bjo Trimble as "a significant figure in the history of science fiction fandom. Initially entering fandom in the early 1950s, Trimble, along with her husband John Griffin Trimble, is credited as being one of the most influential fans of their generation."


"After the first cancellation threat from the first season, writers like Harlan Ellison lobbied NBC to keep the show on the air. But Bjo realized it would take more than just the writers banding together. They needed to have an outcry from the fans, and she and John decided to grab the bull by the horns, and find some unconventional means to get NBC's attention. And they did."

"The Trimbles convinced booksellers and convention organizers to donate their mailing lists, and then hoped that those people would contact their friends, and everyone would write to NBC and say that they would want Star Trek saved."

"They even got one fan to take a trip to the NBC Studios in New York City, and find her way into the executive parking lot to plaster limosuines and cars with "I Grok Spock" and "Save Star Trek" bumper stickers."


JerichoMonster asked Bjo the question,"If you had a show you wanted to save from cancellation today how would you employ the internet?"

"There are many ways to deal with the Internet, but people are so gullible they believe anything they hear without checking Snopes," says Bjo. "That’s why the old send-this-terminally-ill-child-a-postcard trick still works.

First, petitions on the Internet are totally useless. Nobody in charge of anything will pay any attention to them. They are too easy to set up and be run by one person. Anybody could be writing names on a list, not necessarily all those names you see on the petition. So forget Internet petitions."

Want to hear more of what Bjo had to say? Stay tuned.

Watch Lost

Margie Without Edna

Hi everybody! Margie here. It's New Year's Day and I'm here alone. My sister, Edna, has deserted me. Yes, she doesn't care about me. She didn't even tell me where she was going!

It's a good thing I have all of you. Well, Mr. Hawkins did stop by with some good news. He says we may have our power back soon. That sweet wife of his sent me some cookies too.

Thinking back on 2007 has made me think of the new year ahead so I wanted to send out some wishes for 2008. Keep in mind that I never make resolutions. I don't resolve to do anything;I just do it.

Here are my wishes:

1. Edna, stay wherever you are and don't come back.

2. Stanley and Mimi: I wish you a big wedding. Invite me.

3. I wish that all of you will have the opportunity to visit Jericho in 2008. Come see my nice basement. Ladies, come for tea.

4. I wish much continued success for my friend, Amy Vernon. She's too nice to tell the truth about Edna so she writes about TV shows instead.

5. Mr. Rich Becker: I hope you get to visit my home in 2008. You seem to be a very nice man.

6. To Ms. Briarpatch: I wish you luck finding that towel you wanted.

7. For all Jericho fans all over the world: I wish you all the Nuts you can hold.

8. I would also like to wish a very happy, successful year to the person who made all this possible: Nina Tassler.

9. Cousin T.: I hope you strike it rich so you can retire. By the way, can you come look at my porch? It sags.

10. Happy New Year to all of you and your families and friends and pets. I had a dog once but she looked at Edna and ran off.

Happy New Year!!!

A Monster Fan Interview: Openminded1

Today's interview is with Openminded1(we call her Open) of Radio Free Jericho.

She is a little on the modest side but I can tell you that she has done much more for Jericho than you will ever know. She is constantly working behind the scenes on somebody's idea to be sure it comes to fruition. She has been a great supporter for me and I appreciate her more than she knows. One more thing- she has a wonderful sense of humor. Drop by RFJ and meet her. You'll be glad you did.


1. Why do you love Jericho?
Jericho is a show that offers something for everyone. There is action, drama, romance, and comedy. The characters are people that I can relate to, and the actors portray those characters very well. The story lines are exciting and leave the audience wanting more.

2. Who is your favorite character and why?
Robert Hawkins is my favorite character. He is mysterious and exciting. He is also very human in that he loves his family very much and his love for them guides many of his decisions. He is willing to put himself at risk for what he believes in.

3. If I had never watched Jericho what would you say to urge me to watch?
That would depend on your personality and interests. If you were interested in history and politics, I would start there. If I knew you were a soap fan, I would tell you about the relationships, for example.

4. Would you join a Jericho Fan Club? Why or why not?
Yes. I think a fan club is a great way to celebrate the great community of Jericho fans.

5. What would you like to see a Fan Club do?
I would like to see a fan club provide unique online content, as well as some kind of special perks for membership, such as a certificate, membership card, or exclusive T-shirt. I would also like to see a fan club that enhances what CBS provides on it's own great website.

6. Anything else you'd like to add about yourself or Jericho can go here.
I am not a TV watcher. I do not have a weekly line up of shows that I tune into. It takes something special to get me to make an appointment with my television. Jericho has that something special. Also, the promotions for the CBS Jericho website got me to visit that website from the beginning. The content on the website kept me coming back for more. I have only visited other TV websites briefly in the past.

Thank you,Open. You are one of CBS' best assets for Jericho.

Jericho, Nielsen, and You- Part IV

Television today a form of information and entertainment that connects multiple platforms and reaches audiences at every possible level. Digital technologies are providing new and more targeted means to reach audiences, and consumers are using these systems and devices to decide for themselves when, where and how they watch television.

Nielsen Media Research has undertaken several major initiatives to modernize media measurement, including:

* Launching the Active/Passive Meter, which provides the digital platform for capturing what is viewed on the screen and serves as the basis for measuring all time-shifted and place-shifted viewing
* Constructing a state-of-the art worldwide technology center in Oldsmar, Florida
* Introducing electronic Local People Meters into the top 10 local markets
* Measuring Digital Video Recorder (DVR) viewing
* Measuring Video on Demand (VOD) viewing
* Securing a majority stake in Nielsen//NetRatings (Net Ratings, Inc.), the leading Internet measurement company



Soon to be launched:

HeyNielsen is an interactive and fun environment created by The Nielsen Company where you can share opinions on your favorite entertainment, such as TV, Movies, Music, and more.

Tomorrow: Understanding The Ratings