Ideas to ensure a Season Three!

[wdpender]

In your e-mails emphasize how shows of this quality don't come along very often, that it is approaching "cult classic" status, etc.

[cko]

Here's what I'm going to post on our usual sites:

Possible FANTASTIC news from The Hollywood Reporter (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3id56fc6d97f8a77c1255ababf3180069d) that ABC Studios might be in negotiations with local CW affiliates to syndicate a NEW SEASON of Reaper for Sunday nights! Write to your CW affiliate and tell them there's a fanbase in your area and it would be a ratings boost for them on Sunday nights! Look up your CW affiliate here: www.cwtv.com/stations. Check reaperdmv.com for more ideas.

International viewers, you should write to your networks and affiliates too!

[cko]

Wow, wd, I wish I'd read what you wrote earlier, yours is so good! Everyone, use what wdpender wrote!

[cko]

Possible FANTASTIC news from The Hollywood Reporter that ABC Studios might be in negotiations with local CW affiliates to syndicate a THIRD SEASON of Reaper for Sunday nights!

Write to your CW affiliate and tell them there's a fanbase in your area and it would be a ratings boost for them on Sunday nights! Look up your CW affiliate here. Also write to ABC Studios encouraging them to keep promoting the syndication of Reaper! International viewers, write to your affiliates/networks too. We'll keep updating here. Save the Show addresses and petitions below. Come on, folks! This is our chance!

Possible email to your affiliate:
The Hollywood Reporter is reporting that CW Affiliates may pick up a third season of Reaper to run Sunday nights. I'm here to say that we have a devoted fanbase here in the [your area] for this show. 2 million of us have proven we will follow the show anywhere it is programed, with an additional 400k to 600k every week that DVR the show, for an average audience of 2.5 million. Reaper can get ratings for Sunday night!

AND THE SAVE THE SHOW CAMPAIGN CONTINUES!
Spread the word and reach as many fans as we can.

ADDRESSES:

Ms. Dawn Ostroff, President
The CW
3300 W. Olive Avenue
Burbank, CA 91505
Re: REAPER

Mr. Stephen McPherson, President
ABC Entertainment Group
500 S. Buena Vista St.
Burbank, CA 91521
Re: REAPER

EMAIL:
[e-mail]
www.cwtv.com/feedback/comments
abc.go.com/site/contactus.html?lid=ABCCOMGlobalFooter&lpos=CONTACT

PETITION: tvseriesfinale.com/articles/reaper-petition/

VOTE: 2009-bubble-shows,0,1828400.photogallery?index=25

[pacejunkie]

I took cko's e-mail and added to it. Here's what I sent to the local Pittsburgh CW affiliate (which is actually our CBS network too, same company):

The Hollywood Reporter is reporting that CW Affiliates may pick up a third season of Reaper to run Sunday nights. I'm here to say that we have a devoted fan base here in the Pittsburgh area for this show. 2 million of us have proven we will follow the show anywhere it is programmed, with an additional 400k to 600k every week that DVR the show, for an average audience of 2.5 million. Reaper can get ratings for Sunday night!

You can see a sample of this devoted fanbase at reaperdmv.com, the fastest growing reaper fan forum on the net. I urge you to consider picking up Reaper for syndication in the Pittsburgh area, and tell ABC Studios and the CW that your viewers want Reaper to stay on the air.

Thank you.

It ain't over till it's over. And Tyler's show may have been picked up but if he has to shoot 13 episodes of Reaper first I'm sure they will work something out if they want him badly enough, even if they have to delay his new show for a bit. And we know Tara and Michelle will continue on as consultants so that's not a deal killer either. I got to hand it to ABC for going to bat with this show. I think they see the problem is the CW and not the quality of Reaper.

[awesomereaperfan]

Good god this is great news. I say that if they are going to take the time to do this they should make it a full season. You can't stretch 13 episodes over 9 months.

Unfortunately I watch the show online since I don't have a DVR, so does anyone know what Toronto's CW affiliate is? If it was on on Sundays I could watch it live!

[wdpender]

Unfortunately I watch the show in Hell since I don't have a DVR, so does anyone know what Toronto's CW affiliate is? If it was on on Sundays I could watch it live!

awesome, their e-mail address is: [e-mail]

[Blue Sunflower]

May 14, 2009 8:22:39 GMT -5 awesomereaperfan said:

Good god this is great news. I say that if they are going to take the time to do this they should make it a full season. You can't stretch 13 episodes over 9 months.

Unfortunately I watch the show online since I don't have a DVR, so does anyone know what Toronto's CW affiliate is? If it was on on Sundays I could watch it live!

Reaper aired on Channel A if I recall correctly. I'll check around and get back to you.

[wdpender]

I also wrote to the Toledo station (even though I'm in Cleveland) and just signed my name. I just got a reply thanking me for watching and saying that the e-mail would be passed on to the Genaral Manager of the station. I'm wondering if we should be sending e-mails to other CW affiliates outside of our hometowns? What does everyone else think?

[wdpender]

I've just e-mailed all of the Ohio outlets that have separate e-mail addresses for their stations. It appears that a few of the stations just use the CW home network for their web site, so any e-mails appear to be sent to the CW network rather than the local station, so I did not send to them because the CW would just keep getting the same e-mail. So if you are e-mailing to other than your local station, make sure the e-mail address is the local affiliate and not the CW national address (which appears to be: [e-mail]).

[cko]

Here’s a shorter version of what I’m posting on the different reaper-related sites and news stories out there--on the sites where they are already reporting the Hollywood Reporter story, so doesn't mention that. People should post, too!

Reaper Fans! Write your CW affiliate and say there's a fanbase in your area and it would be a ratings boost for them on Sunday nights! Look up your CW affiliate here: www.cwtv.com/stations. Also write to ABC Studios --http://abc.go.com/site/contactus.html?lid=ABCCOMGlobalFooter&lpos=CONTACT -- encouraging them to keep promoting the syndication of Reaper! International viewers, write your affiliates/networks too. Draft emails and other ideas at community.livejournal.com/reaperdmv/44208.html. Come on, folks! This is our chance!

If you’re thinking that Tyler’s new show and Michele/Tara’s new contract at Fox mean the show isn’t coming back: Tyler says that Reaper has contractural priority, and Tara told us that she and Michele would still be consultants if Reaper gets a third season. So, write!

[awesomereaperfan]

Thanks Blue, wdpender, and I checked and it is indeed A Channel. I will send an e-mail to them and Toledo's CW about this great news.

[cko]

This is kind of a different angle on the whole thing by Andrew Solomon at Backstage Espresso--no new news, but funny.

If you're an actor, you might like to be Tyler Labine right now and, no, not just because of his taste in clothes. Our fair sibling THR tells us that ABC Studios is toying with the idea of bringing back Reaper, which was a ratings downer for the CW but liked among the cult set. In addition, Labine is top-lining Sons of Tucson, a new comedy picked up by Fox.

Reaper didn't fare so well in its midseason return, getting a 1.0 rating among 18-to-49s. However, on Sunday nights, the CW has Jericho and MGM movies, which are getting a 0.5 among the same demographic. With the CW giving Sunday nights back to affiliates next season, the affiliates might very well like to run Reaper instead.

The question for Labine is, is he still obligated to do Reaper, or can he say with Tucson? Perhaps he has a bit of leverage...Then again, if ABC Studios pretty much owns him until the suits say so, maybe it's not a good position to be in. Still, most actors would like to be in his shoes, it not necessarily his shirt.

[cko]

Another interesting view from The Star, stating that Star Trek The Next Generation got by on syndication, and the deciding factor for Reaper will be number of affiliates that sign on, not overall ratings. Courtesy Cristin.

Reaper, The CW's beloved but struggling show about an average guy who has to become a bounty hunter for the Devil, may not be terminated after its current second season is over after all.

Broadcasting & Cable Magazine reported recently that ABC is keen to produce new episodes of the show to air in syndication, i.e. pre-sold to local stations, affiliated to The CW.

(Syndicated shows survive based on how many markets they can be sold into, as opposed to regular network series which depend on ratings, or audience numbers, to live. It's the approach used for shows like Star Trek: The Next Generation, which ran for seven seasons.)

The stations are apparently interested in ABC's idea and are waiting to see if the terms are right.

[cko]

Blue got us some nice coverage at axiom's edge; check it out: axiomsedge.wordpress.com/2009/05/14/update-051409/#comment-546

[pacejunkie]

That's a good point that ST:TNG was syndicated all those years. I had forgotten about that. You need a much smaller audience for syndication as long as local markets are happy with the terms and they get a bit of a regular viewership for their local ads. It's a win-win. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that enough markets sign on to this. I really think it's up to us the fans now more than ever before to write to these markets and tell them you want it. We likely have more power here than we did with the CW.

[pacejunkie]

Pittsburgh has a nice local affiliate. I received an e-mail from a programming rep at the local CW telling me he has no news yet on Reaper, but that their upfronts are next Thursday and they should know more then. Good to know someone has heard us and I reiterated to him that show has a loyal fanbase.

It's worth contacting your local affiliates. These are small stations with excellent accessibility. You will be heard.

[Blue Sunflower]

It took me forever to find Portland's 32:

[e-mail]

At least I think that's it. There's another email address to the Chicago Tribune. And the other 3 I need to snail mail, they don't have email addresses.

This was supposedly Bend's:

[e-mail]

[cko]

Pace reminded me of this, preorder Season Two DVDs and leave a review. I already got an iTunes subscription but those damn things take forever to download. Anyway, I can always give my DVD set to someone who might win a bet or something.

If for some reason that link to Amazon takes you to my "recommendations for you cko" page, I'm just saying that the sex and drugs books are for my job. My Job.

[cko]

Not sure how to take this, but I'll take it as a compliment, from James Hibbard at The Live Feed:

Along with NBC renewing low-rated "Friday Night Lights," and strongly considering modestly performing "Chuck," and the CW stations considering bringing back very weakly rated "Reaper," there's seeming trend this spring toward networks looking beyond live-viewing ratings when contemplating the fate of shows with passionate fanbases that they can monetize in non-traditional ways.

As I posted there, if it means more Reaper, I'm willing to be monetized in non-traditional ways. Oooh Ooooh.

[Kwyjibo]

May 16, 2009 0:49:41 GMT -5 cko said:

As I posted there, if it means more Reaper, I'm willing to be monetized in non-traditional ways. Oooh Ooooh.

Same here.... hehe.

[cko]

I didn't hear back, but another fan did:

Thanks for the feedback. We will consider this option. I am a big fan of
the show as well. Keep your fingers crossed that it will be made
available and be ready to let all your friends know if so!

(name)
Regional Director
Creative Services and Programming
CW27 WGNT/CW44 WTOG/CW 69 WUPA TV

[awesomereaperfan]

Is it tomorrow that we find out whether the CW is picking up Reaper for a third season/dropping it?

[cko]

arf, I think the CW announcements will happen on Thursday, and that is supposed to include the affiliates as well as the national network. Fingers crossed and keep writing everywhere!

This is from The Hollywood Reporter RE: Dollhouse:

With NBC's modestly rated "Chuck" and the CW's lowest-rated scripted series "Reaper" (albeit as a syndicated series) also in contention for next season, there's a suggestion of an industry shift that goes beyond the macro trend of networks continually lowering the ratings bar when deciding the fate of shows. It's about bringing new elements to the table, ancillary factors like youthful fan passion that drives traffic to networks' Web sites, downloads on Hulu and blogosphere buzz; factors that are increasingly cited as important, though remain far less easily monetized than a ratings point.

I underlined the part that is good to remember. And...youthful fan passion! Is that better than "rabid fanbase"?

And, a cool blog, Stay Tuned, that talks about other shows that have thrived in syndication, including Due South and Baywatch!

[pacejunkie]

No offense, but I prefer to be inspired by the thought of Star Trek: The Next Generation over Baywatch. We'll get there. I gotta believe affiliates would be interested in a show with a buzz. Anything's better than what they'd otherwise broadcast.

[Blue Sunflower]

Holy crap! Mark Wahlberg is tweeting to help save Reaper!

www.promitweet.de/tweets/mark-wahlberg-hey-folks-reaper-on-cw_network-needs-t/

Uhhhh....do I spam him or not?

[pacejunkie]

Yay Marky Mark! Totally write back.

[awesomereaperfan]

Are you sure that's the guy himself? It's a German website, you know. Seems like the last place he'd mention he wants Reaper saved.

[awesomereaperfan]

Also, is it possible that we could know if ABC Studios have saved Reaper before the finale airs?

[Blue Sunflower]

May 19, 2009 22:03:22 GMT -5 awesomereaperfan said:

Are you sure that's the guy himself? It's a German website, you know. Seems like the last place he'd mention he wants Reaper saved.

Try commenting. Also, check out his friends. And IIRC, Mark does speak German. Not to mention, Germany was the second country to air Reaper. They're on episode 9 right now I think.

But no matter what, it's someone advocating Reaper. So yay!