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cosmomemory, form letters such as what you are suggesting are notoriously ineffective, and in fact would hurt the cause. That's why we're specifically encouraging individually written letters in your own words. They're much more effective.
It does not have to be the length of a novel, I or 2 paragraphs should be plenty!
As previously stated, letter writing campaigns (particularly e-mails) are becoming more and more ineffective at the networks. However, I am not quite sure why the bleak pessimism being expressed by some.
Keep in mind that in the two seasons since TAR debuted (in fall 2001), the series has never been at home in the top of the Nielsen TV ratings. In fact, TAR has often been described as CBS's 'other reality show' (i.e. other than 'Survivor'). Having looked at the ratings, the series is doing reasonably well. During the regular season, with competition from 'The West Wing' and 'The Bachelor', TAR3 averaged just less than 9 million viewers. Compare that with the July 24TH episode which delievered 8.6 million viewers (all numbers are approximate). That is less than half a million viewers. Also, since fewer people are watching during the summer, TAR4 is doing good.
Also during the summer, a series share is more important than during the regular season. A share is the percentage of TV viewers watching a program. If a series as a 5 share, that means 5% of the people watching TV are watching that series. During last fall, TAR3 only managed an 8 share, that means that 8% of the total number of people watching TV at Wednesday at 9:00 p.m. were watching TAR3. Compare that with TAR4's share of 10. In fact, TAR4's total share has never fallen below 10 since its debut.
Most important is that TAR has always been a gold mine for the young 18 to 49 year-old demographic. Despite less-than-spectacular ratings for the first installment, CBS ordered a second one. Why? Because it brought in a lot of younger viewers, just like fellow reality series 'Survivor'. Coupled with the fact that CBS has the oldest average viewers age among the all broadcast networks (ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, UPN, and WB), the fact that TAR still attracts a youthful audience makes it that much more appealing. Also, younger viewers are more desirable (for advertisers, who pay the networks money to show their products) because younger viewers spend more money than older viewers. Incidentaly, CBS's average viewer age actually increased (i.e. got older) during the past season.
When all of these components are put together, the future for TAR, while still uncertain, is not nearly as bleak as some are painting it. While I am in no way affiliated with the producers of TAR or CBS, my own personal opinion is that TAR has a better than 50-50 shot at coming back. Considering that TAR was intended as a summer series in the beginning (being moved to fall only because of a threat by writers and actors to strike during the summer of 2001), perhaps CBS is wanting to pair up TAR with 'Big Brother' so the network can offer new programming during the normally rerun-heavy summer months?
Just my own opinions, but I am in no way trying to dissuade anyone from writing to CBS or advertisers. If you feel you need to, by all means please do so. Like you all, I would hate to see TAR canceled, but I think it would be a very unwise (business) decision by CBS to do so. As is usually the case with TV series, no news is good news.
I think that if TAR gets cancelled, this will look very bad on Jerry Bruckheimer. He's produced some of the very best TV shows and movies around. I just hope his involvement with TAR will allow for many more seasons to come.
jpoliver, the suggestions about how to approach this issue came to me through folks crrently involved with television in general and with connections with TAR in particular. If their feelings are that a snail mail campaign would help, I willing to take that at face value. While I'm not at liberty to repeat what I was told, the issue with TAR's return is in doubt and Mooves' recent comments confirm that impression. TAR's renewal is NOT a certainty at this point. And the fact that the show is on the bubble, speedbird001, in spite of JB's involvement whould be an indicator in and of itself. It might yet be renewed, but its nowhere near a certainty at this point.
Maybe we should find more sponsors? I don't know about the USA... But here in Singapore or Asia, there are these few:-
1) Priceline.com
2) Yahoo!
3) Samsung
4) Subway
5) 2nd Link
Maybe an airflight organization should sponsor.. I mean, the trips made by the crew and Phil himself surely cost a bomb.
Hmmm... instead of writing individual letters, which is relatively time consuming, why not we just write one long letter and include a petition for anybody who do not have as much free time to sign?
Luna, please read what we've been posting more carefully. Network executives give very little credit or weight to "mass" petitions or mass form letters. We're trying to leverage support with you individually written letters. Come on now, you obviously have a computer-- and I wrote all 18 letters and printed the envelopes in less than two hours. (And each letter to an advertiser was individualized to that company!)Quote:
Originally Posted by Luna
If you only have time for one letter then send it to Mooves. If you have more time write to the companies that are obvious TAR sponsors (Kodak, Royal Caribbean, American Airlines) then the others who advertise on TAR.
I have less time than you do, and I still made the effort to wrote all 18 on the list.
If you're not in the US, then write only your local sponsors that advertise during the TAR broadcasts in your area....Obviously you;s still write to Royal Carribbean and to American Airlines since they've provided prizes during the episodes, but I'm not as sure that the Kodak blurb we see in the US airs elsewhere for instance, and most of the others are clearly just commercials and not product placement prizes for the teams.Quote:
Originally Posted by aMaZiN'RaCeGuY>
But still write CBS, because it'll be their decision whether to renew the show. If they decide not to, all the other letters don't make much difference.Quote:
If you're not in the US, then write only your local sponsors that advertise during the TAR broadcasts in your area....
I wrote and sent letters to every address out there. I am also trying to encourage my friends to watch the show. Some people have just never watched it before. One of my friends watched it last week for the first time and came back to work the next day and told me, "what a fun show, I really enjoyed that". We just have to get the word out. Probably the only thing that is going to save "The Amazing Race" is ratings and that means getting more people to watch the show. This show can still be saved, but if we want to continue to enjoy the best show on television then we need to do everything we can to help. Let's spread the word and show the sponsors and Mr. Moonves how much we love this show and who knows, just maybe we'll get to keep enjoying this great show.
I was wondering what the possibility of taking the show to another network would be if CBS does cancel it, or does CBS have the rights to it.