Dear TVbytheNumbers:
- 1.) WTF?! Can’t you keep your site up and running? WTF is wrong with you people?
- 2.) I could handle the RSS feed being abstracts when your site was actually working, but now? WTF is wrong with you people?
- 3.) DOLLHOUSE!! HA! 0% Huh? Not so. What do you say to that!!
- 4.) WTF is wrong with you people!?!?
- 5.) Where’s Chuck day 12?
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1.) We did a major hosting change move on Wednesday evening. There are still some kinks to work out, though uptime hasn’t been flawless, so far I’m thrilled with the level of customer support we’re receiving from our new host. I think it will likely take a few more days to get everything tweaked properly. But it is important to us, and we definitely are working on it. If things are still not working well as far as uptime, after that, we will evaluate other solutions. Sure, we could spend $5,000 a month and almost never have any downtime, but unfortunately we’re not making $5,000 a month. Someday we’d love to make $50,000 a month and have no problem with spending $5,000 a month on hosting. For now, we’re in it for the fun of it (and aside from the hosting issues, it is a lot of fun for us) and not the money. We’re not in it to lose money either though, so we will not be spending more on hosting than we are making under any scenario.
2.) It’s a fair point about the RSS feed. If we can’t get in the near 100% uptime mode in the next few days or so I will reevaluate going back to full posts in the feed
3.) Nick C from the comments has been on top of the Dollhouse rumor for DAYS. Even with all our downtime he’s still been able to be way ahead of the mainstream media on this. But here’s the thing, I wrote about how cheap talk is yesterday, but moreover, I’m a believer in markets. In markets, there are buyers and there are sellers. The question is, where are these rumors coming from. Are they coming from the sellers, buyers or both? In the case of Dollhouse it is a question of “Are these rumors mostly being spun by people at FOX studios or at FOX broadcasting? My bet is on the studio. And I’d still bet $10 that Dollhouse isn’t coming back (I wouldn’t bet $1,000, but I might still go $100 though!).
4.) WTF is wrong with us? I know! I mean we’re working our asses off, often, harder than either of us ever worked for the least money either of has made since we were in high school (and perhaps even then – I believe minimum wage was $1.75 an hour when Bill was in high school, split between us both, less expenses I’m not sure we’re making that much now). So why would we do that and deal with the whiny annoying people with a huge sense of entitlement who send those sorts of e-mails? Because they represent only a tiny portion of our readership. The rest of you are fabulous and make it a lot of fun for us.
5.) Coming later this afternoon, site willing.
I don’t know if Dollhouse’s renewal is just a smokescreen or not. Didn’t Eliza Dushku tweet the other day that she was currently renegotiating her contract for next season?
You may have to eat your words regarding Dollhouse Mr Seidman
)
Behold this link tubers (even though i’m not really a fan of the show, i know how it feels to have your show teared from you)
http://www.thrfeed.com/2009/05/dollhouse-second-season.html
Paul, that link is the link I linked to in the post above. It’s true, I might have to eat my words, but even AFTER that article I’m still willing to bet you $10 I won’t.
Let me know if you’re game.
Paul, We will adjust our prediction techniques if it happens
I’m in the uk Robert lol $10 it is even though i don’t deal in that currency:)
I just want the show renewed for the fans cos i know how i felt about Chuck:)
Robert, go ahead and send your $10 to some charity for me. It’s a done deal.
Bill, there is nothing wrong with your predictions. It’s Friday and the show needed time to find its creative legs. I still agree with you guys, but I see the argument. I also understand profit in today’s TV age is profit.
Paul, despite what I think and my betting leanings, I would be absolutely thrilled for a variety of reasons if Dollhouse was renewed.
Nick, unless and until we see the detail on how much more profitable Dollhouse is than airing a House repeat (and I am assuming we NEVER EVER see such detail) I don’t really buy the “it’s profitable” line as a reason for renewal. To me that smacks of obvious spin from the studio side rather than the network side. All the same, e-mail me your favorite charity and in the event it is renewed I will donate $10!
Robert and Bill! You guys are awesome! I LOVE your site and I hope someday you WILL be making $50,000 a month and won’t have to deal w/ all this! Keep up the good work and don’t worry about these ridiculous and RUDE people who are bossing you around!!
Well Robert if i win then put the $10 to a phenomenon called “www.tvbythenumbers.com”
Your site is great but also you could promise to post ABC Family’s Greek numbers for the remainder of the season:)
Jenna i’m not a Dollhouse fan yet i’m being helpful to the fans:)
Jenna if this changes your view i think Chuck is the best show on TV:D
Nick C, if Dollhouse comes back, do you think FOX will leave it on Fridays or try it somewhere else? Maybe put it after a more established show and help its numbers a bit?
FrankJ, Fox aren’t going to waste money on it to burn it off on fridays.
Ok, settled, if Dollhouse is renewed I will post the Greek numbers weekly and donate $10 to Nick’s favorite charity. Jenna, thank you. I don’t really worry about the ridiculous people, but with the people who really love our site and make it so great (aka, people like YOU) I do worry about the site not being available.
Erm Robert, you where the one who started the bargaining $10 ring any bells? lol
and is there a bit on this site to donate?
LOL Paul…I was just referring to people being rude and saying “WTF is wrong w/ you” etc…
How about Amensty International for that donation? Seems aprapos
I think DOLLHOUSE will remain a Friday show. The idea of renewal is to say “We believe in Friday night AND DOLLHOUSE,” and we can all say it’s a silly idea, but right now today it looks like reality. We’ll just have to find out if it’s stupid. Then again there are a good 48+ hours for someone to change their mind. The Petes like Whedon though. More importantly Murdoch likes Whedon.
Robert :You can make a donation to AHA in behalf of Chuck …LOL
Jenna, Sorry i thought you where referring to me:) Lol
Paul, if you mean do we have any way for you to donate money directly to us, no, but we appreciate the thought.
I was curious about the financial aspect of your site. It does seem like a lot of work. How much time/effort per day do you devote to this? What sort of unique visitor numbers are you getting? I have a blog on SquareSpace, I like the system, but not sure how they do with heavy duty blogs like yours.
Hang in there. Your efforts are appreciated!
I think you guys should make one:)
I think a lot of people would donate *cough* Chuck fans.
AZTop, we’re pretty public with our traffic:
http://www.quantcast.com/tvbythenumbers.com#traffic
While because of how quancast counts PEOPLE, our “people” don’t jibe all that well with internal tracking for unique visitors, but if you use the pull down for page views and visits, those items track nearly 100%
btw, I am hearing that I will be posting Greek numbers regularly and donating $10 on behalf of NICK C, but until I see something formal, I’m holding off
Just ignore the idiots, this is by far the most objective site on the internet.
And keep up the good work, I know how annoying site problems can be.
An interesting side note, it appears that the last episode of DOLLHOUSE was made for much less than a million dollars. It is the episode that didn’t air. I think FOX saw that and said “Joss, can you make every episode for so little?” Which means his experience with making something for the internet (that singalong blog thing) may really help.
Of course others may curse his name if he pulls it off. He may set an example of quality per dollar spent that will annoy producers everywhere.
Robert your site is a distraction to my studies lol, i had a 3-hour english literature exam today, i think i have brain freeze oh and it’s my birthday on Monday, big 17, maybe a good omen for Dollhouse renewal.
Wow, Paul thanks for helping our 12-17 demo.
P.S. post for discussing Dollhouse rumors here for anyone interested:
http://tvbythenumbers.com/2009/05/15/dollhouse-renewal-rumors/18711
Do you’s have a 12-17 demo or are u joking? lol
Nick C, are you stating that Dollhouse has been renewed? “It’s a done deal” sounds pretty firm.
Paul, we’re not strong in 12-17, but with more like you we could be!
http://www.quantcast.com/tvbythenumbers.com/traffic#demographics
I’ll become more like Dawn Ostroff and brain wash 12-17 to come here:)
I think I’m the only person who didn’t like Dr. Horrible.
Chuckfan, i’m a massive fan of Whedon and i’ve heard all the Hoopla about Dr Horrible but not got around to it.
Yes Robert…it’s quite a bummer when your site isn’t available…but it usually allows for me to take a break and actually get a little work done. I survive…barely!
“I believe minimum wage was $1.75 an hour when Bill was in high school”. WOW, Bill, you are young, try $1.10. Just keep doing your best and get it right.
I *almost* remember what it was like to be young.
Minimum wage during my high school years was $2.00-2.65.
http://usgovinfo.about.com/library/blminwage.htm
Bill was that by any chance in the 1930’s? lol
hmm I didn’t know that there was a minimum wage when dino’s roamed the earth!
LOL
Chalk me up for the 12-17 demo
one question, how the heck does Quanticast determine how many kids are in a viewers household? is big brother bigger than I thought??
djm, i was thinking the same.
John T Folden, the deal has been offered. If Mutant Enemy can do it for the budget requested, it’ll be official on Monday. I say it’s 95% likely, because it’s Hollywood and stuff happens.
Well your site is really popular
You Admins should have a thick skin. Plus I think this is the only site where people can get ratings, I tried to google all I see is news not something like a chart with ratings listed
Nick C,
Any further updates on the deal? And how do you know all of this? Thanks!
Bill and Robert,
You guys rock! I can imagine how frustrating it is for you but we’re hanging in there with you.
Bill, Robert – with the economy and other factors, some definitely not extraneous (pilot status, studio/net negotiations, and so forth), I won’t criticise your efforts.
Besides, you both have stated numerous times that this is based on 18-49 demo ratings, and cannot take into account all the other factors, very few of which you see until well afterwards (and many of which you do not see at all, because it would be like looking at how they make cheap hot dogs in a Peanut Corporation of America factory, and the nets and studios do not want anyone to see that!)
So, John Lennon may have said it best, when he sang:
“Everybody’s runnin’ and no one makes a move
Everyone’s a winner and nothing left to lose
There’s a little yellow idol to the north of Katmandu
Everybody’s flying and no one leaves the ground
Everybody’s crying and no one makes a sound
There’s a place for us in the movies you just gotta lay around
Nobody told me there’d be days like these
Nobody told me there’d be days like these
Nobody told me there’d be days like these
Strange days indeed, strange days indeed.”
You guys are AWESOME. I saw that the site was down the past couple of days, but even though it sucked that I couldn’t really read anything, I knew I wouldn’t have to wait too long. The one thing you guys are IS reliable. People need to be more patient. It’s not a life and death situation. Waiting a day is not going to kill you. I’m appalled that people actually wrote that kind of stuff to you. Honestly if I were you, I’d find a way to ban them for the site. Ungrateful imbeciles. The site is great, and ever since I discovered it, I come read on it at least once a day. Who knew the ratings world could be so interesting?? Thanks again guys!!