Sound Off to TV Executives
"Where Is the Truth in Television?"

Confessions of a TV Maven: by MediaVillageBlogger Amanda:
June 14th Michael Jackson Verdict
I sit through a few too minutes of Charles Gibson's filler only to hear a "not guilty verdict." I have no true way of knowing if this is right or wrong, as I have not been in the courtroom or following the case. However, I am quite glad that I was never molested as a child. If I had been, I suspect the bad feeling in my stomach right now would be quite a bit worse.

June 13th Afternoon TV: Michael Jackson Verdict & Oprah
Okay, I'm watching a lackluster episode of General Hospital, or at least I think it is lackluster until ABC News breaks into it to announce that a verdict in the Michael Jackson case has been reached. I agree that this is newsworthy, but then Charles Gibson announces that we won't hear the verdict for an hour. So, it is essentially a ten minute "stay tuned" promo. He has nothing new to add to the case. So the interruption was totally unnecessary and could have been handled with a crawl. After General Hospital ends, Oprah comes on and by a strange coincidence, today's episode deals with the trauma of child molestation. The show is handling the subject with the severe gravitas that it deserves. I'm glad because even I have been guilty of making light of the Michael Jackson trial and the mind-blowing ridiculousness that surrounds it. The problem is, that there's nothing ridiculous or funny about child sexual abuse.

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"Where is the Truth in Television," asks Tony
With all that is happening in the world, where is the truth in television. ABC News, the other night did a story about catching catfish, but the Downing Street memo, that proves George Bush is a liar, has still to be exposed on the regular network news. The Senate report due out last year, on whether there was collusion between George and the rest of his cronies to lie about why he invaded Iraq, has still not been released. The EPA report about the climate changes and state of the environment due out two years ago, still hidden. The violation of federal law by Robert Novak and friends that led to the death of CIA operatives in Europe has been stalled and the state of the investigation undisclosed. What is going on? Are we more interested in has-been stars learning to dance, or the truth?

Note to Carl's Jr from Doug
For the last couple of years the Carl's Jr ads have kept me out of their ff chain, but now with the new Paris Hilton ad I hope more people find a better place to spend their $$$$$$. Free food wouldn't bring me back…

NBC's Belmont Screw Up from Bill
With more than an hour pre-race program NBC couldn't play the full version of New York, New York?

Barbara Complains About Carly in General Hospital
I don't know if the producers are even reading the ABC General Hospital boards about the new Carly but if you would take the time to look them over you will see that this person who is now in that role of Carly isn't getting much fan mail… as far as I can read no one wants her to play the role and has even started a petition to recast right away… please listen to your viewers… Thank You

Tru Calling Complaint from Michelle
I am really upset that they dropped the second season of Tru Calling. I loved the first season and was looking forward to it. I was mad that they stopped airing it due to the fact they wanted to air The Simple Life. I don't like that show and never will and so I am mad that they took away my show!!

Adult Swim Wins Praise from Stacy
Adult Swim has the best adult-type cartoons! I love the sarcasm & dry humor provided by most of their programming, excluding Anime.

Deborah to HGTV: Stop Driving Me Crazy
This is for the execs at the HGTV show: Crafters Coast To Coast… Stop the madness! Those one second scenes are making me dizzy and nauseated. Why not just put on two crafters per show and cut out the craziness. I'm not interested in seeing everyone acting like two year olds. I want to see a calm approach that I can understand and appreciate. Right now it's like a three ring circus and I won't even watch it. I'm not alone in these thoughts by any means. Check out any arts and crafts online group and they will all agree. They want to see this show become what it has the ability to be… not some madhouse of kinetic energy gone wild.

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Jamey Tucker Laugh Tracks on the Biography Channel
I'm watching Laugh Tracks on the Biography Channel this morning. I've somehow missed these programs but I'll be looking for them from now on. Today's show is about Bob Newhart and his two sitcoms The Bob Newhart Show and Newhart. Both of those sitcoms are on my list of all time greatest and funniest TV shows, but I had forgotten just how funny they were. The outtakes and bloopers are priceless. But here's a question: why are both of these shows off the air? Why doesn't Nick at Night or TV Land carry these in syndication? Instead, I'm treated by those channels with six hours a day of Full House. Bring back Bob… and hurry.

Bambam Sounds Off about Nielsen Ratings
Morons! If the TV Execs, people would get heads out of their asses and think to the future of TV, they would actually see where their viewership is going and look past their advertising dollars. How many shows get cancelled for some stupid reason, only to have their viewers start web sites and message boards. Do these people not know who watches their shows? Showtime has been making bad choices for some time now. Look at Stargate SG1. They sold that to the Sci Fi channel and now Sci Fi was able to parlay that into a spin-off show with Stargate Atlantis, and was able to bring back another show more people watched than the EXTREMELY OUTDATED NIELSON RATING TV's. It is time to look toward and PAST the future of television. With the technology available today, everything is swinging towards a recording "digital converter box" in every home. Whether it be through a satellite or cable provider. Here's the "future" part.

TV people CALL THE CONVERTOR BOX MANUFACTURERS, (Scientific Atlanta, Motorola, etc), and CALL THE NIELSON PEOPLE AND SAY WHY DON'T WE FORM A PARTNERSHIP AND INTEGRATE THE NIELSON SYSTEM INTO EVERY BOX BEING MADE THAT WAY WE KNOW WHAT THE WATCHING PUBLIC IS REALLY WATCHING, NOT JUST 1/10TH 0F 1 PERCENT OF "NIELSON HOMES". Then possibly shows that real people watch where "Nielson Homes" do not, won't be cancelled. I work in the cable TV industry and I have seen it falling behind what could be a massive potential to deliver TV that people actually want to see. Not want 4 people in a board room think they know what the public wants to see.

Less Reality, More Dramas Says Carol
Eliminate some of these reality shows and put something a little more interesting like mysteries, detectives, thrillers, more like NCIS, JAG, COLD CASE, LAS VEGAS, MEDIUM, and ALL CSI PROGRAMS. Something with a story and a cast of interesting people like HOUSE.

Sam C. Upset About Joan of Arcadia Cancellation
When I heard that CBS cancelled Joan of Arcadia I couldn't eat I was so upset. It is beyond me why they would ax such a great show. It's original, thought provoking, and has just an amazing cast! Working with Arcadia's Army in the Crusade to save JoA I hear Sony is attempting to shop the show. I hope another network wakes up and sees that they would gain a large audience and a great show. JoA is too wonderful to let die now.
Sam, Arcadia's Army
http://www.savejoanofarcadia.com

Sound Off to HBO Executives

To HBO: Wake up and watch your brand decline, Pete Advises
I've noticed a serious decline in the quality of programming on HBO over the last year. The quality of movies (third and fourth run?) is pathetic. First we lost Curb Your Enthusiasm, we wait 2 years for The Sopranos, and now Carnivale is cancelled. Yet we have Deadwood (gratuitous swearing is stupid and sophomoric) Entourage (yawn), Six Feet Under (Ok, but no Carnivale) and the same movies over and over and over. HBO used to set the standard. Now it is at the level of basic cable. I'm canceling my subscription. HBO has become a joke and a rip-off.

Doug Sounds Off about HBO & The Comeback:
God what a miserable waste of time this thing is. It was very much like watching someone who is trying to commit suicide using a 3" length of cotton string. Those beloved HBO quarterbacks just keep the fumbles pouring in…

Perturbed at Cancellations, says Sheryl
You know, I'm perturbed that they have cancelled Third Watch, Judging Amy, Joan of Arcadia and possibly, Jack & Bobby. What if anything, can I do or say to let them know how I feel?
Jack Responds: Unfortunately, there's not a lot that can be done - and we can only hope the new shows will exceed these shows in quality, although it's unlikely. I will include your comments in our Weekly Sound Off to Network Executives, that they receive and read. Thanks for your feedback and I hope you will continue to visit MediaVillage.com. Next week, we launch our new Bloggers section and several new features will be added during the next few months.

More Feedback Complaining About Dead Like Me Cancellation

Dawn Responds to Interview with Dead Like Me Creator Bryan Fuller
A television producer having people saying snotty things to him is not quite the same as "being in a war." This guy is an obnoxious idiot to state such thinks for an article and you are insensitive and foolish to print them.

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Candace Sounds Off
I do not understand why Bryan Fuller added his two cents to this subject considering he left the show in the beginning of the first season. In addition, he gave a similar interview to suicidegirls.com and blamed Showtime for some of the things he is now blaming MGM for. Looks like nothing more than damage control on Mr. Fuller's part. I'd prefer to hear from writers J.J. Philbin, Bridget Carpenter and Stephen Godchaux.

Christina S. Deals with Loss:
I have lost two things that are pretty important to me- One was my older brother and the other is the show that we watched together. A year ago my brother was murdered and this was a show that he and I had in common. We watched it in different parts of the USA and would call each other about it later on. He was 27 at the time he died and I was 24. We didn't have a lot in common but this was definitely something we had. So after he died I felt like a part of me had as well but I still had our show. Please give me back that show that makes me feel like he's there with me. Dead Like Me.

Mark Sounds Off
Add me to the list of angry and incredulous subscribers to HBO and Showtime for the cancellation of Dead Like Me and Carnivale. They both represent zeniths of writing, creativity, cinematography, directing, acting, and audience engagement. They are the prime reasons for my subscription to these channels. The other shows that I originally signed for, Sex and the City, Queer As Folk are either over or in their last season. These networks spend so much money keeping insipid shows such as Da Ali G Show on, and bringing in incredibly depressing shows such as Huff. It's not as if HBO or Showtime are hurting for revenue -- and as they are 'pay' channels - not relying on advertising revenue, they should not keep/cancel shows based solely on somewhat specious viewing numbers. Just who is 'monitoring' cable/satellite viewership? Nielsen? How many 'hits' do the Dead Like Me and Carnivale websites get versus the other original series that they are keeping?

These shows were examples of television 'redeeming' itself from the "vast wasteland" that has been pervasive for so long. So HBO and Showtime punish the 'good' and reward the 'drivel'. It is Annual Renewal time for my Dish Network subscription and I am seriously considering canceling HBO and Showtime. If I want movies, I get them from Netflix, watch them at my leisure, on my schedule. So much of the rest of their broadcast is not of interest to me. Sign me, "Outraged, Depressed, FORMER Subscriber"

Victoria Sounds Off
Complaints of too much sex on TV are rampant. Complaints of pointless plots with little moral ground swarm the stations; 56 channels and nothing on. Dead Like Me approached the swelling interest in thanatology, combining it with a tactful approach to religion and humour. It was a pleasure to watch and one of the few intellectually stimulating shows on television. Instead of domestic violence, sexual promiscuity, and gross anatomy explored visually, why not continue to challenge the audience and spread awareness of issues that face every person regardless of race, culture, or socio-economic status. Dead Like Me achieved this simple goal and I, for one, would like to see it resurrected.

OJ Compares Showtime to Studebaker
William Fulbright once wrote, "The cause of our difficulties… is not a deficiency of power but an excess of the wrong kind of power which results in a feeling of impotence when it fails to achieve its desired ends." With the growth of cable, that power now persists in the big providers, as does the "Arrogance of Power." "We can't be wrong," so the thinking goes, because we still have a great many subscribers. What this thinking fails to take into account is the Studebaker factor. When the Avanti hit the market in the early 1960's, Studebaker management presumed sales would make fortunes. So arrogant were they that their ideas were great that when the Avanti sales started dwindling, it was too late to fix what they had ignored and the company died (and nothing like Dead Like Me). So, in 10-years, I see Showtime being the Studebaker of the second millennium. And all the decision makers at Showtime can watch all the Studebaker ads while drinking their fill of "New Coke."

Graham T. from England Begs for Return
EEEP!, only two episodes left until Dead Like Me finishes in the UK, I'm so sad, I really hope there is a chance of saving the show, I know it's a lot to ask from the fans, but there are a lot of us who would love to see the next season, especially since in season two the reaping rules are being constantly broken, and Rube isn't doing anything about it, it would be great to see that storyline progress, and I wouldn't mind one of Georges family to die either (like her grandmother, it'd be interesting to see what George would do) I know about a million people have wrote in saying this but PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE make more episodes of Dead Like Me! PLEEEEEASE!