Well, 'Ed' is currently in "on the bubble" status which means that it could go either way as far as being cancelled or staying on the air. This is not a good situation and so 'Ed' needs your help. Please read below to find out what you can do to save 'Ed'.
Hello everyone,
Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Penni and I am trying to help save Ed. I read all the industry trades on a daily basis and the word is out that Ed is "on the bubble" which means it could go either way for renewal or cancellation. Obviously, we don't want to see it canceled! The decision will be made in May (if not sooner) so we have to act now!
I ran a group called SOS--Support Our Sunset--for 3 years (an abbreviated version of it still exists today) that helped keep the television show Sunset Beach on the air for 3 full years (it was up for renewal every 6 months, so my group effectively saved it 5 times. This is not coming from bragging, this comes directly from the people who worked at the show). I have spent many hours studying Nielsen Media Research, advertisers, affiliates, executives, etc. I have also met Tom Cavanagh and Julie Bowen in person. And I own every single episode.
Because of my experience and passion for this show, I hope you allow me to suggest some ways that we might help save Ed. I would like to start a serious, massive letter-writing campaign (This can include emails, faxes, and phone calls as well). I am open to any suggestions, and will work with any websites.
I know everyone's first gut reaction is to send some item to the show itself, like a bottle of Tabasco Sauce (alá Roswell). But the people at the show aren't our targets. They WANT to save the show. The most effective people to get to are the affiliates, the advertisers, and the network executives (Don't bother with the production executives. They produce the show. They also want to save it). From there, you look towards talk shows, radio shows, magazines, and entertainment shows.
Another common tactic is an online petition. I’m not adverse to these, and if you want to get a central organized one started, that’s fine. But I find these are fairly useless in saving a show and too often the well intentioned organizer behind the petition loses control and signatures end up floating all over cyberspace instead of going to a centrally located site. When I worked on Sunset Beach there would be 8 online petitions and/or chain letters floating around at any given time. Not one of these petitions ended up in TPTB’s hands. If anyone does want to go this route, please contact me at HllywdChk@aol.com and I’ll advise you on the best way to organize one. If you email me, please put ED in the subject line. I received so much Spam, I’m likely to delete your email by accident.
This is how TV works:
Each affiliate sells commercial airtime to the advertisers. The better a show is doing in the ratings, the more money an affiliate can demand. If the show isn't bringing in big dollars, it will often be canceled, even if it's ratings are high (An example of this: For the past 10 years, almost every show that has followed Friends on Thursday nights has been in the Nielsen Top 10, but canceled nonetheless. That's because advertisers weren't vying for airtime, and affiliates weren't making money. Therefore, the affiliates didn't support the show, and when the network privately polls them about what shows should stay and what shows should go, the affiliates picked these shows to be dumped). So, it is extremely important to let both the advertisers and the affiliates know how much the show means to you. They go hand in hand.
Once the affiliates are convinced, it's on to the network executives themselves. From there, you can contact the producers, and other forms of media to help promote the show.
Here are some ideas:
1. Write a letter to the advertisers. You can create multiple letters by simply changing the name of the company and the name of the product. When I used this method for Sunset Beach, I not only helped the show, I also received all kinds of coupons, recipes and samples! This is Letter #1. If you get a response letter, by all means, make copies of it. If not, make a list of all the advertiser’s you contacted. See Letter #1 below for example. Please change your wording around to fit your style, so that they do not receive the same robotic letter over and over again-we don’t want this to feel like a campaign, even if it is.
Call, write, fax, and email your local NBC station, raving about Ed and how
much you love it. DO NOT WRITE ANYTHING NEGATIVE! This is not the format to vent any of your frustrations over the content of the show (the only appropriate frustration would be to mention that the show isn’t promoted enough, but it is always better to keep the letters positive). http://www.nbc.com/nbc/header/Local_Stations/ will help you find your local information. If you live near a border area that carries more than one NBC, contact them all. Enclose either a list of the advertisers you've contacted and/or an advertiser's response letter, to let the affiliates know you mean business.
You will also send this same letter to Jeff Zucker and Bob Wright at NBC. Jeff is President of NBC Entertainment and oversees the entire NBC schedule. Bob is the CEO of GE (which owns NBC) and the CEO of NBC. Enclose a copy of either the list of advertisers you’ve contacted, or a sample of the advertiser's response letter. These are Letters 1 & 2. See below for a sample of Letter #2. Again, change the wording to make it fit your own language and style. Using the same letter for the affiliate, Jeff and Bob is fine (just make sure the name corresponds to the person you are sending it to!). Make 1 copy of Letter #2.
Jeff Zucker
3000 W. Alameda Ave.
Burbank, CA 91523
Bob Wright
30 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, NY 10112
3. Send copies of the list/letters to the producers of Ed, so that they can have proof of the fans writing and trying to save the show (in case any of the above mentioned places conveniently lose the mail or claim to have not been sent any letters).
Rob Burnett and/or Jon Beckerman
c/o Ed
199 Paris Ave.
Northvale, NJ 07647
4. If you are still up for more writing, you can join a Letter Writing Team. I will break the teams up into groups of 4 (one group per week, 4 groups per month), so that each rotating team is writing the targeted media once a month, causing a continuous steady stream of mail to those people (magazines, talk/radio/entertainment shows, etc.) Email me at HllywdChk@aol.com to join the Writing Team. If you send me an email, please put ED in the subject line, as I get so much Spam, I’m likely to accidentally delete it.
The more you are willing to write/call/fax/email, the more you will be helping the show, but EVERY LETTER COUNTS, so if you only have time for 1 letter, that’s better than nothing! If you have multiple Internet screen names, feel free to use all of them (but change the letters, so they don’t realize it’s the exact same person). If you have any friends, family, neighbors, coworkers, etc. who are willing to send off a quick email, or help in any way, please use them! Again, you can always write one letter and just cut and paste it into other letters.
Sample of Letter #1
Jane Doe
1234 Main St.
Los Angeles, CA 91221
Phone # or Email Optional
February 25, 2003
Dear Sir or Madam:
Last night, I was watching Ed (my favorite show!) and I came across a commercial for Minute Maid. Looking for a change from my usual brand, and excited to see you supporting my favorite show, I promptly went out and bought box. I love it!.
Providing that you continue your fruitful relationship with NBC and Ed, I will continue to buy Minute Maid Orange Juice. I will also recommend it to all my friends and family.
Sincerely,
Hand-written Signature Here
Jane Doe
Sample of Letter # 2
Jane Doe
1234 Main St.
Los Angeles, CA 91221
Phone # or Email Optional
February 25, 2003
Dear Mr. Wright (or Mr. Zucker, or Sir or Madam, depending on who you’re sending this letter/email to),
I am writing to thank NBC for keeping Ed on the air and for nurturing it. It is my favorite show on TV and my family and me make a point of getting together and watching it every week. It is our Must-See TV show.
Every character is wonderful and integral to the show, from Ed and Carol, all the way down to Warren, Mark, Carmela, and Dr. Jerome. I’ve never watched a show that I found myself laughing and crying from one moment to the next.
Each character adds a special touch. Although Kenny is missed, Eli is not only a welcome surprise, he’s become an absolutely fabulous part of Ed. I cannot say enough great things about Daryl Mitchell and the freshness he brings to the show.
I didn’t know how I felt about Frankie coming on-afterall, everyone knows Ed is supposed to ultimately end up with Carol. But Sabrina Lloyd has been delightful, and she has had a great chemistry with Tom. I can see them as an acceptable alternative if he can’t be with Carol.
We live in a time when shows are canceled faster than they can find an audience. When reality shows and voyeurism are threatening to overrun our stations. When taste and values are being eaten up in favor of hipness and vulgarity. That is why it is so refreshing to see a show like Ed remain on the air. Thank you, NBC for supporting this little-show-that-could. Thank you for giving me an excellent excuse to spend quality time with my family. Thank you for Ed.
P.S.-I’ve contacted various advertisers to show them my support of this fabulous show. Enclosed is a list of companies I’ve written to (or Enclosed is a sample of one of the many responses I’ve received from the various companies that advertise on Ed).
Sincerely Yours,
Your signature here
Jane Doe
If you have any of these products lying around your house, you can usually find direct phone numbers and addresses listed on them. They are listed in order of which company spends the most in advertising for Ed. The top 6 companies are the most important targets.
Proctor & Gamble Co.
http://www.pg.com/contact_us/contact1.jhtml?toolbar=/includes/ltb_main.jhtml
Contact the main company and tell them that you’ve seen several of their products advertised during Ed, rather than try to figure out which of the 50 products you’ve specifically seen. For a full list of P&G products, email me at HllywdChk@aol.com
General Electric (owns NBC)
http://www.ge.com/en/ge/contact.htm
Main contact page
https://www.ge.com/ge/feedback.htm
Email GE
McDonald’s Corp.
http://www.mcdonalds.com/countries/usa/corporate/contacts/comments/marketing/index.html
Phone: 1-800-244-6227.
Yum Brands Inc. (Taco Bell, A&W, KFC, Pizza Hut, and Long John Silver’s)
http://www.yum.com/contact.htm
Sprint Corp.
http://www.sprint.com
http://www.sprint.com/sitemap/?refurl=uhp_globalnav_sitemap
General Motors (Pick a car and say you went/are going to go for a test drive)
http://www.gm.com/gmcomjsp/contactus/email.html
AOL Time Warner
http://www.aoltimewarner.com/companies/index.adp
Main page. This will lead you to links for their different companies.
http://corp.aol.com/contact.html?
AOL’s contact page
Glaxosmithkline PLC (Tums, Oxy, Nicoderm, Nicorette, etc.)
1-888 825 5249
Honda Motor Co Ltd. (Pick a car and say you went/are going to go for a test drive)
http://www.honda.com
Couldn’t find any direct contact info.
Johnson & Johnson
http://www.jnj.com/contact_us/product_info/index.htm#product_info_grid
A list of websites/contacts featuring their various products.
Volkswagen AG (Pick a car and say you went/are going to go for a test drive)
http://www.vw.com/VwSFB/feedback/1,1126,,00.html
Hours are 9:00 am - 7:00 p.m. EST Mon - Fri: 1.800.DRIVEVW
Ford Motor Co. (Pick a car and say you went/are going to go for a test drive)
http://www.fordvehicles.com/help/contact/
Phone: (800) 392-3673/ (800) 232-5952 (TDD for the Hearing-Impaired)
Office Hours: 8 a.m.-11 p.m. ET. (Mon-Fri) / 8 a.m.-6 p.m. ET. (Sat)
Customer Relationship Center
P.O. Box 6248
Dearborn, MI 48126
Eastman Kodak Co Inc.
http://www.kodak.com/global/en/service/contactKodak/index.jhtml
There is an option of sending an email.
Pfizer Inc. (Much like P&G and J&J-too many products to list one)
235 East 42nd Street
New York, NY 10017
Phone: 1-212-733-2323
Philip Morris COs Inc
Don’t panic, you’re not writing in support of cigarettes-they happen to also own Kraft and Miller Beer. We’re targeting the Kraft aspect. Treat this like P&G and say you’ve seen several Kraft products shown on Ed.
Kraft Foods Inc.
Three Lakes Drive
Northfield, IL 60093.
Phone: 847-646-2000
Toyota Motor Corp. (Pick a car and say you went/are going to go for a test drive)
http://toyota.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/toyota.cfg/php/enduser/ask.php?p_sid=daNgDSCg&p_lva=&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPSZwX2dyaWRzb3J0PSZwX3Jvd19jbnQ9MTU5JnBfcGFnZT0x&p_li=
Call us: 1-800-GO TOYOTA
Unilever (Dove chocolate, Hellmann's/Best Foods mayonnaise, and Lipton tea)
http://www.unilever.com/brands/contactus/
Magazines
Entertainment Weekly
1675 Broadway
NY, NY 10019
letters@ew.com
In Style
1271 Avenue of the Americas
Suite 26-03B
NY, NY 10020
Letters to the Editor
letters@instylemag.com
People
Time & Life Building
Rockefeller Center
NY, NY 10020
Editor@people.com
US Weekly
1290 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10104-0298
letters@usmagazine.com
Entertainment Shows
Access Hollywood
Stephanie Deruyter-Murphy
3000 W. Alameda Ave.
Burbank, CA 91523
818-526-7035
Entertainment Tonight
Mylin Watkins
5555 Melrose Ave.
Mae West Bldg., 2nd Fl.
Hollywood, CA 90038-4342
323-956-4918
Extra
Liz Wassman/Steve Sunshine
1840 Victory Blvd.
Glendale, CA 91201
818-972-0500 (main line)
E! Entertainment
Camille Anderson/Julie Meller-Feinmail
5750 Wishire Blvd.
2nd Fl.
Los Angeles, CA 90036
323-692-2797
Talk Shows
The Late Show With David Letterman
1697 Broadway
New York, NY 10019
AOL Keyword: Late Show
The Tonight Show With Jay Leno
3000 W. Alameda Avenue
Burbank, Ca 91523
Syndicated Radio Shows
The Big Show With John Boy & Billy
1-800-BIG-SHOW
P.O. Box 7663
Charlotte, NC 28241
mailbag@thebigshow.com
The Doug Banks Show
Contact: Michelle Burden
972-448-3391 main
972-448-3378 fax
The Howard Stern Show
Producer: Gary Dell'Abate
40 West 57th St.
14th Floor
NY, NY 10019
sternshow@howardstern.com
Studio Line: 1-888-923-K-ROCK/212-246-K-ROCK
Kidd Kraddick
220 E. Las Colinas Blvd.
Ste. C-210
Irving, TX 75039
1-800-KIDD-LIVE
Rick Dees In the Morning
Booker: Gwen Roberts
3400 Riverside Dr.
#800
Burbank, CA 91505
http://www.rick.com/contactus.html
LA: (818) 845-1027
Everywhere Else: 1 (800) 520-1027
Ryan Seacrest For the Ride Home
Producer: Amy Sugarman
3500 W. Olive Ave.
Burbank, CA 91505
818-955-7000
aasugarman@aol.com
The Tom Joyner Morning Show
http://www.tomjoyner.com/hangin/affiliates.html#
Underneath the map of the United States is a tiny Contact Us hyperlink.
Westwood One
Bill Bregoli-Does interviews for the CBS office
212-975-1133 main/212-262-3960 fax
Pam Green-One on One Satellite Radio Tours 212-975-2106 main
524 W. 57th St., 1st Floor
NY, NY 10019