Slightly Off-Topic: CBS, 20 Tons of Nuts, and the Jericho Redemption
So when is a cancelled TV show not actually cancelled? When a dedicated fan based utilizes the power of the internet to bring it back from the grave!
Last month, I wrote about the cancellation of Jericho on CBS. Here’s a quick note I made about the station’s marketing strategy, and it’s consequences:
Jericho had quite the web following, since they offered a full CBS Wiki page as well as every episode online. The problem with an aggressive online marketing strategy is this: if you get a decent audience & then pull the rug out from under them, you can bet there will be a rather ugly backlash…
However, neither myself nor any of the CBS execs had any idea what the Jericho faithful would do by means of retaliation…
Through the web portal Nuts Online, Jericho fans shipped over 20 tons of assorted nuts to CBS headquarters in NYC (that’s some ’salty’ fans, right there). Why nuts? If you’re not familiar with the show or the historical reference to the one word catch phrase, here’s a clever YouTube video that explains it all quite nicely:
Whether it was because of an honest change of heart, or to simply stop the snack shipments, we’ll never know. Either way, yesterday CBS pulled a ‘mea culpa’, and ordered seven more episodes of the drama to air in ‘08. Here’s a portion of the letter from CBS Entertainment President, Nina Tassler:
Over the past few weeks you have put forth an impressive and probably unprecedented display of passion in support of a prime time television series. You got our attention; your emails and collective voice have been heard.
As a result, CBS has ordered seven episodes of “Jericho? for mid-season next year.
On behalf of everyone at CBS, thank you for expressing your support of “Jericho? in such an extraordinary manner. Your protest was creative, sustained and very thoughtful and respectful in tone. You made a difference.
P.S. Please stop sending us nuts
So a heartfelt thanks to CBS; it’s great to see a network realize that they may have made a mistake, and give a show with a strong and passionate fan base a second chance.
Speaking of which, power to the people! Seriously, how cool was that online mobilization? Just think of the other things we can do together, fellow web minions…get Lindsay Lohan to stay in rehab; persuade Matt Millen to finally step down; perhaps even elect a competent President…
America, what a country!
CBS, Jericho, resurrection, second chance, by the way Trent Green finally got traded to the Fins, la de freaking da
June 19th, 2007 at 1:30 am
So Jericho was a Tight End but is now a Wide Receiver? Did you play a part in this?