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Sunday, Nov 22, 2009
Six more families might not sound like a lot, but it's actually a pretty daunting task. That's six households out of the approximately 5,000 Nielsen families, whose identities are a closely held industry secret. And of course they must also be among the 75 million households that receive the Sci Fi Channel either on cable or by satellite dish. To achieve that end, fans have demonstrated as much creativity and resourcefulness as "Farscape's" creators to bring attention to their struggle. Their efforts included launching a global protest rally in 26 cities in seven countries, funding and producing a 30-second commercial that has aired in 24 major Nielsen markets, and a letter-writing campaign targeting "Farscape's" sponsors and other broadcasting executives.
By focusing on the ratings, 'Scapers are playing by the rules of the television industry. The problem is, no one knows whether those rules even apply anymore. There is a growing sense in the broadcasting industry that the governing business model is dysfunctional. Most media executives agree that scripted television programs (i.e., sitcoms and dramas) are too expensive to produce and don't guarantee audiences large enough to justify higher advertising rates and cover costs. To make matters worse, media companies rely on data collected by an outmoded and flawed ratings system, which remains heavily reliant on the paper "viewing diaries" collected by Nielsen.
Acknowledging the industry dissatisfaction with its system, Nielsen recently introduced its "People Meter," a semi-Orwellian set-top device that monitors who is in the room and what they're watching on TV. About 5,000 families currently coexist with a People Meter, and the "overnight ratings" Nielsen accumulates from them have become crucial figures that can make TV careers, or end them.
Even if ratings were collected with absolute accuracy, it might not be enough for an industry that prefers to chase after elusive demographic segments instead of cultivating advertisers eager to reach the audience that's already watching. In "Farscape's" case, Sci Fi wanted the show to perform better with boys. But the show has already attracted a broad audience, including large numbers of women attracted to the show's strong female characters, feminist storylines, and the sexual tension between human John Crichton and his alien flame, Aeryn Sun (Claudia Black).
According to advertisers, women and sci fi don't mix. These same broad demographics prompted the producers of the syndicated series "Stargate SG-1" to change the mix of characters and storylines so that show would attract more boys and young men, prompting female viewers to mount their own protest campaign last year. Ironically, Sci Fi recently purchased broadcast rights to the retooled "Stargate SG-1" and placed it in "Farscape's" old slot, Friday at 9 p.m., which may have contributed to Farscape's audience erosion.
The entire industry grapples with the same troubles that led to "Farscape's" cancellation. Vivendi Universal acquired Sci Fi's parent, USA Networks, at the end of 2001. One year later the conglomerate almost collapsed and had to sell off many of the assets it had recently acquired, thereby pressuring all its units to tighten cash flow and contribute to the bottom line. At the same time, mounting debts forced the Jim Henson Co.'s corporate owner, the German media firm EM.TV, to consider downscaling. EM.TV may sell all or part of Henson to a third party, such as the Walt Disney Co. or an investment group led by former UPN chief Dean Valentine.
These overarching tensions came into play in the fall of 2002 during negotiations over "Farscape's" fee for its final season. Mindful of its own profit margins, Sci Fi offered an amount lower than expected, arguing that the show's declining ratings meant lower advertising fees. "Farscape's" producers argued that they could not make the show with a smaller budget and had no extra funds to cover the shortfall in licensing fees. According to industry insiders, Sci Fi then exercised a contractual provision that permitted it to opt out of its renewal agreement.
It's a shame that "Farscape" has fallen victim to corporate financial distress, but the only reasonable prognosis is more of the same. The TV industry has yet to adopt workable alternatives, preferring instead to ax veteran programs in favor of cheaper shows. Some producers are considering sponsored content, in which a single advertiser's message is an integral part of the program (Are we really ready for "8 Simple Rules for Dating My Daughter and Driving My Ford"?), while others believe that international co-financing may be the only way to cover expenses.
Unscripted television -- like the theater of cruelty that we call "reality TV" -- is the option TV programmers are wholeheartedly adopting at the moment. No wonder writer-producers like Kemper are rallying the fans to protect the dwindling number of scripted shows already on the air. If anything, television in the U.S. has lagged behind other nations in going all reality, all the time. Jack Lechner, a film executive and author of the book, "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You: One Man, Seven Days, Twelve Televisions," says, "If you look at most television systems [in other countries] 50 percent is scripted programs, at best." Indeed, the Sci Fi Channel now broadcasts "reality" shows like "Crossing Over With John Edward" and "The Dream Team."
The most interesting aspect of the Save "Farscape" campaign has been the willingness of the fans to address and remedy the problems of television economics in order to save their show. If scripted television is doomed, these fans may be on the forefront of a collective effort to keep high-quality dramatic serials on the airwaves for all to enjoy, not just those who can afford premium cable or video on demand.
