Ignoring the Interweb

I finally got an e-mail back from the CBC regarding jPods' cancellation. Further proof that Kirstine Layfield is a Tool. It's Generic, others are receiving the exact same letter. She even quotes herself from the Globe Article.

Thankfully, the folks over at Save jPod call her on it. Her arguement basically dismissing the value of Online Viewership has me wondering how she got the job as Director of Programming at The CBC in the first place.

Dear _____,

Thank you for your email of March 28 regarding our decision not to renew jPod for another season. I appreciate the time you have taken to write.

It is clear that you strongly support this program. And I agree with you. It was an excellent program, well scripted and well acted. All of us had great hopes that the program would find the audience it deserved on CBC Television.

Unfortunately, not enough television viewers shared our opinion. Throughout its season, jPod attracted a devoted, but very small following. And while it is true that, for a public broadcaster, audience size is not everything, you also cannot be a public broadcaster without a public. If too few Canadians are watching, we are irrelevant. And, if we are irrelevant, Canadians are right to ask why they are investing the money they do in CBC Television. In addition, the Internet is not a medium that pays for the kind of production values people expect on TV. Until the reality catches up with what people watch on line, it's difficult to justify.

More importantly, we believe we should and can produce on a regular basis quality Canadian programming that people watch in significant numbers. Audience size has an impact on CBC Television's commercial revenue in two directions: when we lose ground in viewership, we lose the means to produce or obtain excellent programs. In those situations we are forced to cut back our activity, and sometimes even cancel shows. If, however, we are able to build our audience numbers, the extra revenue goes right back onto the screen as more great Canadian programming.

I can appreciate your disappointment at losing this program. It was a difficult decision, and one made only after a great deal of consideration. Looking forward, we have what I believe are some very exciting new programs coming up on CBC Television in the next few months. I hope you will tell me what you think of them.

Again, thank you for taking the time to make me aware of your opinion.

Sincerely,

Kirstine Layfield
Executive DirectorNetwork ProgrammingCBC Television
Box 500, Station AToronto, ON M5W 1E6
416-205-3121 phone
416-205-6919 fax
layfield@cbc.ca

"the Internet is not a medium that pays for the kind of production values people expect on TV. Until the reality catches up with what people watch on line, you can't justify it."

WTF? What year does she think this is?

Why Kirstine Layfield Can Kiss My Canadian A$$

Yeah, I said it.

Kirstine Layfield, shame on her for ignoring the pleas of Fans to renew jPod!!! Why does the CBC even offer episodes online if those numbers aren't being taken into consideration?

"It's a fan base that is not just a TV fan base; it's a Coupland fan base," said Kirstine Layfield, CBC-TVs executive director of network programming, in an article from the Globe and Mail, noting that she has received lots of mail pointing out the show is particularly popular with online viewers who may not be showing up in the ratings.

Kirstine Layfield is making a HUGE mistake when she states "There still isn't the business case there. Right now the Internet is not a medium that pays for the kind of production values people expect on TV. ... Until the reality catches up with what people watch on line, you can't justify it."

Well, jPod is not just a Coupland Fanbase, it's a younger, more Tech-Savvy Fan Base! It's also being watched online internationally - how many other new Canadian productions can say that?

If the CBC does not take the fact that busy people are watching TV on demand, either online or recording it on their DVRs, they will be left in the dust! The CBC should be proud that they offered a show that brought in a Younger Demographic, not a small feat for a Canadian show. They should be embracing the fact that they garnered a Loyal Following for a show, regardless how people are watching it.

The CBC - Alienating a Whole Generation. We will not forget it!!! 10 years from now you can look back and know it was Kirstine Layfield et al who destroyed any chance of surviving the competition - how's that for "Reality"? Why should the CBC play catch up when they could be the first to acknowledge that online viewing is viable? Fans have already stated that watching commercials during web casts does not bother them, we understand its importance in regards to supporting production! And of course so many were watching jPod online, because it was aired on Friday Nights when probably 95% of jPod's Target Audience is not at home.

Give jPod another chance! Even Seinfeld barely survived its first season. I think what it comes down to is that Kirstine Layfield will NEVER ADMIT that she made a mistake cancelling jPod so hastily. She is not in touch with Real Canadians, she does not speak for me and I am offended that she continues to brush the Save jPod Campaign off as nothing more than a nuisance, clogging up her e-mail inbox.


Fan-Made Save jPod! Video.

I bet our outrage continues to be ignored though, and Hubert Lacroix never even sees any of the thousands of letters and e-mails being sent to the CBC by Fans, or the Comments Section on the CBC's own Website regarding the new shows for next season and what people really think of the future of the CBC!