Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA (1888PressRelease)
June 02, 2008 - Since CBS canceled Jericho for a second time on March 21, the nutty fans have not taken the news lying down. Refusing to accept the abbreviated second season as the end, fans have launched a new campaign to persuade CBS Paramount to find Jericho a new home.
The argument is that the over six million fans of Jericho would be a welcome ratings boost on networks such as SciFi, USA, TNT. Hallmark and the CW. In April, The New York Times reported that Comcast is exploring a potential partnership with CBS Paramount in a deal similar to the NBC / Direct TV pact that saved Friday Night Lights.
To encourage CBS Paramount and potential new networks, the fans have ramped up efforts including:
-Jericho fans spent $7,500 for a giant billboard on Ventura Blvd. in the heart of Studio City, CA. The billboard sporting a giant For Sale sign is aimed at other networks located directly in the area, urging them to contact CBS Paramount about purchasing Jericho. Ironically it is a CBS billboard the Rangers leased. Much of the money for this billboard was funded by auctioning off Jericho items on eBay that the members of the Jericho Cast so graciously autographed for the occasion. The remaining money was made through donations by Jericho fans both in the US and internationally.
-Full page ads in Variety 4/25/08 and The Hollywood Reporter 4/28/08. Funds were raised in the amount of $11,180 by fan contributions and through cast-autographed memorabilia on Ebay.
-A massive letter writing campaign to CBS Paramount and possible Jericho buyers.
-Nuts to Nielsen. Fans are raising awareness of the flaws in the Nielsen rating system by sending peanuts directly to Nielsen. To date over 1,000 pounds of Nuts were sent to Nielsen Headquarters in protest. The fact that 99.999% of TV viewers are not counted in 2008 is an outrage. This is a Nuts to Nielsen campaign to protest this antiquated rating system. Over 700 pounds of Nuts were delivered to Variety magazine to coincide with Variety and Hollywood Reporter Jericho ads. Two weeks ago another 800 Pounds of nuts were sent to the Nielsen facility in Oldsmar, Florida to protest Nielsen’s poor treatment of American workers there. Currently Jericho fans are purchasing nuts at Nutsite.com for another friendly Nutty Shelling of the LA Times to highlight and bring publicity to “NTN” and the For Sale Jericho Billboard.
-Fan purchased DVDs of Jericho’s Season 2 for military personnel stationed in Afghanistan and Iraq.
- Jericho Fans are attempting to fund a Save Jericho commercial to be aired on Cable for the greater Los Angelas market on Times Warner.
After receiving more than 40,000 pounds of peanuts, CBS announced it would bring Jericho back last June. Since the show’s resurrection, Jericho has become a reference point in media discussions of the accuracy of Nielsen ratings and fan-driven efforts to save shows.
Further information is also available at the Jericho forum at www.cbs.com or at www.jericho4sale.com.
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