My A-Getting Community Paper!
nvrbnkisst asked me to post my proposal on Community.
Well, I'm proud to say, it got an A! Ninety-six percent to be exact! (I also got an A for the entire class! \o/) So, here it is under a cut without the title or reference pages and without the formatting. Enjoy!
Six Seasons and a Movie!
Bringing Back and Keeping NBC’s Community
A television show may seem a strange thing to inspire a fervent response from people. However, it happens quite often and has even historically changed the landscape of the television line-up. For some, their time in front of the television is their gateway to opening their imagination. It is their way to escape, if even for a little while, their lives. It is through their shared loved of a show or shows that they can connect with others. Those others can be as close as a family member or as far away as the other side of the world. The characters of the shows they love become their friends as they get invested in the stories and journeys they go through. It is not uncommon for the most passionate of fans to be for the shows with what are considered lower viewership. These are usually referred to as cult shows. Their fan bases are loyal and passionate. They almost live and breathe the shows and the characters. It is how they connect with the world. Unfortunately, these types of shows are rarely what are considered “hits” by television networks. No matter how zealous the audience, it is traditionally a very small one, which does not always translate into the all-important ad revenue dollar. However, the passion these fans show can save a show and motivate others to help them. One such show is NBC’s Community, which had been airing on Thursday nights at 8:00 PM. Community is show worth saving and there are easy steps to take to make that happen.
Currently, Community is on hiatus after unexpectedly getting pulled half-way through the season. The show is finishing filming the whole of the rest of its third season but as to when those episodes will air, it is unknown. Community is one of the shows mentioned above: loyal, passionate but small fan base. It is a favorite of its audience and critics alike. This petite but strong band of people wants to save the show not only for the rest of the season but to get renewed for more seasons to come.
The most obvious way to do this is to get people to watch the show. This is not as easy as it sounds. Television networks still depend on the Nielsen numbers to judge their viewership. The basic ratings, according to their website are estimated by, “Live viewing and DVR playback on the Same Day, defined as 3am-3am. Ratings are the percentage of TV homes in the U.S. tuned into television (Nielsen, 2012).” This means that the numbers are based off of what are considered “appointment television” programs. That is, those shows that are watched immediately and on the television or by 3:00 AM on a DVR. This is a small time frame.
Not only that, but Community had very tough competition in its timeslot, which it had held since it premiered in 2009. It faced one of the most popular sitcoms, The Big Bang Theory, on CBS; the most successful cult show currently on the air, The Vampire Diaries, on The CW and the number one show on television, American Idol, on Fox. Using what Nielsen calls “shares”, which are the percentage of televisions on at that time watching those programs, those three shows make up around 36% (Nielsen 2012). That means over one-third of all televisions turned on at 8:00 PM on Thursday nights are watching one of those three shows. That is to say nothing of the myriad of cable programs available as well. Meanwhile Community tends to get around 1.4-1.7% share. It is hard enough to get people to turn on their televisions and adding those factors make the battle seem very difficult.
While it has been the standard for years, the problem with the Nielsen numbers are, as they say themselves, estimates. They are guessing how many people are watching. They do this by measuring “Nielsen families” who have a box installed on their televisions that keep track of what those people watch. Based off of that information, they make an educated guess as to total viewership. Finding a Nielson family is not easy. Very few have even met one. Also, viewers who do not watch the same day are still viewers but currently their habits are not counted. The biggest problem, the way people are watching shows are changing because of the changing of technology.
Networks have their shows available to watch online through their own websites or outsource to sites such as Hulu and Netflix. While the views are kept track of, they do not figure into the viewing numbers. The coveted demographic of television networks are those people aged 18-35. However, according to a recent New York Times article, “Young people are still watching the same shows, but they are streaming them on computers and phones to a greater degree than their parents or grandparents do (Stetler 2012).” It goes on to say, “It has long been predicted that these new media would challenge traditional television viewing, but this is the first significant evidence to emerge in research data. If the trends hold, the long-term implications for the media industry are huge, possibly causing billions of dollars in annual advertising spending to shift away from old-fashioned TV (Stetler 2012).” Unfortunately for those who only view shows in that way, their viewing habits do not figure into the decisions of whether or not to keep shows on the air.
Community is certainly one of these shows. It recently won a poll ran by TV Guide Magazine as the Fan Favorite show. If the Nielsen numbers were the only thing to go by, this could not be possible. However, Community’s viewership is part of the new breed of show watchers. In the article that accompanied the hard-earned cover, star of the show, Joel McHale said:
“Our fans don’t watch TV the way others do…I did a stand-up show at the University of Arizona and there were 30 kids who ran the event. I said, ‘How many of you watch Community?’ and they all raised their hands, which was great. I asked, ‘How many watch it Thursdays at 8 PM?’ Zero hands. I asked, ‘How many of you have TVs?’ Four hands. I asked, ‘How many of you watch on computers?’ All hands went up. (Kronke 2011).”
Television networks as a whole need to re-evaluate how they measure their viewership. This is not something that will be done any time soon however, and would be no easy undertaking.
The fans of the show have been raising awareness to the network and to the show’s advertisers that there is an audience. This has been done through social media, such as Twitter by borrowing a quote from one of the episodes of the show in reference to another show that was cancelled but one of the characters of the show fought to keep on the air by claiming, “Six seasons and a movie!(Harmon, 2011)” While the show still aired and during other organized events have used the #sixseasonsandamovie hashtag. Even the cast and crew have taken to posting it in reference to the fan campaign. Fans have also organized flash mobs in places NBC would take notice. Fans are also encouraging new viewers by lending out or even buying the first two seasons on DVD to people.
All the episodes are also available on the streaming service Hulu Plus. On December 2, 2011, it was announced, “Sony and Hulu Plus have just struck a deal to offer all three seasons of the show in syndication via the premium streaming service, thus keeping the beloved series alive online during its midseason hiatus, while also demonstrating to Sony and NBC that it’s a property viewers are interested in watching, and that networks-if even just the digital ones right now-are interested in buying (O’Neal 2011).” Steps like that make it easier for new viewers to find the show. It is also important to show networks that people are willing to watch in non-traditional ways. The announcement when on to say that Community was of the site’s Top 20 shows of all time in terms of viewership, and that it took top honors in the “Best Of Show” competition two years in a row (O’Neal 2011).
NBC has promised the show will return but has been vague on the details of when that will be and the future of the show. During the recent Winter Press Tour, NBC entertainment chief Bob Greenblatt reassured the crowed the show was not cancelled but could not give a firm answer on a four, fifth or rally-cry inducing dream sixth season (de Mores 2012). It is understandable that show business is still a business and a business cannot be run without money. Money to run shows mostly comes from advertising dollars. Community fans realized this and have also been targeting those who advertised on the show by sending Tweets or letters to the makers of the products. They did this to let them know they had been seen and the ads created a new customer.
The steps to take to help the show are easy to do if one takes the time. Catch up with the so-far aired episodes of Community. When it returns, continue to watch in that special time frame mentioned above. Tell the network and advertisers that the show is watched and enjoyed. Is the show for everyone? Probably not, but fans of the show can say the people they have got to watch the show very seldom dislike it. Watching the show when it counts could possibly mean missing the three big shows that have aired against it, which would be a sacrifice some may not be willing to make. While that is disappointing, it is understandable.
Community is considered an intelligent show. It does not make a viewer feel stupid by using humor above their intellect. It just assumes the viewer is clever to get the jokes. In the same TV Guide issue that won the poll, the creator and show runner, Dan Harmon, wrote a letter to the fans saying, “It was a terrible business decision to write a show for the ‘smart and nice’ demographic. I may as well have written one for the three-legged unicorns. (Harmon 2011).”
So, why should someone watch Community? It has relatable characters. Almost every race, age and religion is represented in its main title cast alone. It takes place at a fictional Community college, Greendale, a scene familiar to many people these days. It is full of pop culture references that run a wide gambit. Within the first episode of the third season there was a musical dream sequence and another dream sequence referencing Stanley Kubrick’s film, 2001. It is a funny, enjoyable, smart show, making it perfect for people who just like to laugh. The “ads” for Greendale say, “Welcome. You are already accepted.” That embodies the show. It has something for everyone if they are just willing to give it a chance. Go Greendale Human Beings!
Well, I'm proud to say, it got an A! Ninety-six percent to be exact! (I also got an A for the entire class! \o/) So, here it is under a cut without the title or reference pages and without the formatting. Enjoy!
Six Seasons and a Movie!
Bringing Back and Keeping NBC’s Community
A television show may seem a strange thing to inspire a fervent response from people. However, it happens quite often and has even historically changed the landscape of the television line-up. For some, their time in front of the television is their gateway to opening their imagination. It is their way to escape, if even for a little while, their lives. It is through their shared loved of a show or shows that they can connect with others. Those others can be as close as a family member or as far away as the other side of the world. The characters of the shows they love become their friends as they get invested in the stories and journeys they go through. It is not uncommon for the most passionate of fans to be for the shows with what are considered lower viewership. These are usually referred to as cult shows. Their fan bases are loyal and passionate. They almost live and breathe the shows and the characters. It is how they connect with the world. Unfortunately, these types of shows are rarely what are considered “hits” by television networks. No matter how zealous the audience, it is traditionally a very small one, which does not always translate into the all-important ad revenue dollar. However, the passion these fans show can save a show and motivate others to help them. One such show is NBC’s Community, which had been airing on Thursday nights at 8:00 PM. Community is show worth saving and there are easy steps to take to make that happen.
Currently, Community is on hiatus after unexpectedly getting pulled half-way through the season. The show is finishing filming the whole of the rest of its third season but as to when those episodes will air, it is unknown. Community is one of the shows mentioned above: loyal, passionate but small fan base. It is a favorite of its audience and critics alike. This petite but strong band of people wants to save the show not only for the rest of the season but to get renewed for more seasons to come.
The most obvious way to do this is to get people to watch the show. This is not as easy as it sounds. Television networks still depend on the Nielsen numbers to judge their viewership. The basic ratings, according to their website are estimated by, “Live viewing and DVR playback on the Same Day, defined as 3am-3am. Ratings are the percentage of TV homes in the U.S. tuned into television (Nielsen, 2012).” This means that the numbers are based off of what are considered “appointment television” programs. That is, those shows that are watched immediately and on the television or by 3:00 AM on a DVR. This is a small time frame.
Not only that, but Community had very tough competition in its timeslot, which it had held since it premiered in 2009. It faced one of the most popular sitcoms, The Big Bang Theory, on CBS; the most successful cult show currently on the air, The Vampire Diaries, on The CW and the number one show on television, American Idol, on Fox. Using what Nielsen calls “shares”, which are the percentage of televisions on at that time watching those programs, those three shows make up around 36% (Nielsen 2012). That means over one-third of all televisions turned on at 8:00 PM on Thursday nights are watching one of those three shows. That is to say nothing of the myriad of cable programs available as well. Meanwhile Community tends to get around 1.4-1.7% share. It is hard enough to get people to turn on their televisions and adding those factors make the battle seem very difficult.
While it has been the standard for years, the problem with the Nielsen numbers are, as they say themselves, estimates. They are guessing how many people are watching. They do this by measuring “Nielsen families” who have a box installed on their televisions that keep track of what those people watch. Based off of that information, they make an educated guess as to total viewership. Finding a Nielson family is not easy. Very few have even met one. Also, viewers who do not watch the same day are still viewers but currently their habits are not counted. The biggest problem, the way people are watching shows are changing because of the changing of technology.
Networks have their shows available to watch online through their own websites or outsource to sites such as Hulu and Netflix. While the views are kept track of, they do not figure into the viewing numbers. The coveted demographic of television networks are those people aged 18-35. However, according to a recent New York Times article, “Young people are still watching the same shows, but they are streaming them on computers and phones to a greater degree than their parents or grandparents do (Stetler 2012).” It goes on to say, “It has long been predicted that these new media would challenge traditional television viewing, but this is the first significant evidence to emerge in research data. If the trends hold, the long-term implications for the media industry are huge, possibly causing billions of dollars in annual advertising spending to shift away from old-fashioned TV (Stetler 2012).” Unfortunately for those who only view shows in that way, their viewing habits do not figure into the decisions of whether or not to keep shows on the air.
Community is certainly one of these shows. It recently won a poll ran by TV Guide Magazine as the Fan Favorite show. If the Nielsen numbers were the only thing to go by, this could not be possible. However, Community’s viewership is part of the new breed of show watchers. In the article that accompanied the hard-earned cover, star of the show, Joel McHale said:
“Our fans don’t watch TV the way others do…I did a stand-up show at the University of Arizona and there were 30 kids who ran the event. I said, ‘How many of you watch Community?’ and they all raised their hands, which was great. I asked, ‘How many watch it Thursdays at 8 PM?’ Zero hands. I asked, ‘How many of you have TVs?’ Four hands. I asked, ‘How many of you watch on computers?’ All hands went up. (Kronke 2011).”
Television networks as a whole need to re-evaluate how they measure their viewership. This is not something that will be done any time soon however, and would be no easy undertaking.
The fans of the show have been raising awareness to the network and to the show’s advertisers that there is an audience. This has been done through social media, such as Twitter by borrowing a quote from one of the episodes of the show in reference to another show that was cancelled but one of the characters of the show fought to keep on the air by claiming, “Six seasons and a movie!(Harmon, 2011)” While the show still aired and during other organized events have used the #sixseasonsandamovie hashtag. Even the cast and crew have taken to posting it in reference to the fan campaign. Fans have also organized flash mobs in places NBC would take notice. Fans are also encouraging new viewers by lending out or even buying the first two seasons on DVD to people.
All the episodes are also available on the streaming service Hulu Plus. On December 2, 2011, it was announced, “Sony and Hulu Plus have just struck a deal to offer all three seasons of the show in syndication via the premium streaming service, thus keeping the beloved series alive online during its midseason hiatus, while also demonstrating to Sony and NBC that it’s a property viewers are interested in watching, and that networks-if even just the digital ones right now-are interested in buying (O’Neal 2011).” Steps like that make it easier for new viewers to find the show. It is also important to show networks that people are willing to watch in non-traditional ways. The announcement when on to say that Community was of the site’s Top 20 shows of all time in terms of viewership, and that it took top honors in the “Best Of Show” competition two years in a row (O’Neal 2011).
NBC has promised the show will return but has been vague on the details of when that will be and the future of the show. During the recent Winter Press Tour, NBC entertainment chief Bob Greenblatt reassured the crowed the show was not cancelled but could not give a firm answer on a four, fifth or rally-cry inducing dream sixth season (de Mores 2012). It is understandable that show business is still a business and a business cannot be run without money. Money to run shows mostly comes from advertising dollars. Community fans realized this and have also been targeting those who advertised on the show by sending Tweets or letters to the makers of the products. They did this to let them know they had been seen and the ads created a new customer.
The steps to take to help the show are easy to do if one takes the time. Catch up with the so-far aired episodes of Community. When it returns, continue to watch in that special time frame mentioned above. Tell the network and advertisers that the show is watched and enjoyed. Is the show for everyone? Probably not, but fans of the show can say the people they have got to watch the show very seldom dislike it. Watching the show when it counts could possibly mean missing the three big shows that have aired against it, which would be a sacrifice some may not be willing to make. While that is disappointing, it is understandable.
Community is considered an intelligent show. It does not make a viewer feel stupid by using humor above their intellect. It just assumes the viewer is clever to get the jokes. In the same TV Guide issue that won the poll, the creator and show runner, Dan Harmon, wrote a letter to the fans saying, “It was a terrible business decision to write a show for the ‘smart and nice’ demographic. I may as well have written one for the three-legged unicorns. (Harmon 2011).”
So, why should someone watch Community? It has relatable characters. Almost every race, age and religion is represented in its main title cast alone. It takes place at a fictional Community college, Greendale, a scene familiar to many people these days. It is full of pop culture references that run a wide gambit. Within the first episode of the third season there was a musical dream sequence and another dream sequence referencing Stanley Kubrick’s film, 2001. It is a funny, enjoyable, smart show, making it perfect for people who just like to laugh. The “ads” for Greendale say, “Welcome. You are already accepted.” That embodies the show. It has something for everyone if they are just willing to give it a chance. Go Greendale Human Beings!