Here is the Prof's latest take on the Pyramid situation:
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Still No Word from Sony
Is it alive or is it dead? We still don't know as of today and if I were a wagering man, which I am not, I would place a conservative bet Pyramid is not back in the fall but Yogi Berra's old cliche of "it ain't over 'til it's over" still applies."
Believe me when I tell you, whether they liked it or not---and many of them probably were irritated with their e-mail boxes being flooded and their telephones ringing profusely this week---station executives and higher-ups at Sony Pictures Television have heard you. Candidly, I have been astounded at what appears to be a flood of efforts on your part to keep Pyramid on the air.
Do not misinterpret Donny Osmond's open call to stop the e-mails and the phone calls as issued Wednesday morning on his website. Whether the game returns, the three Viacom stations in Philadelphia, Los Angeles and Boston do intend to drop the show in the fall and without clearances in those markets, the show cannot continue. What inflamed some insiders is Donny's initial letter on his website Sunday, which stated in the second paragraph: "Viacom just pulled Pyramid off their stations!" He should have added three words after a comma, "effective in August." Obviously, that has led to consternation in the executive wings of both Sony and Viacom because of some of the calls and e-mails they are receiving.
Having worked in local television for many years and also having studied network and syndicated television for nearly 40 years, I can tell you the likely scenario: one of the three top dogs at SPT asked Donny to call off the dogs, except for snail mail. People at Viacom stations are ticked off at having the blame put on them. Their people have talked to Sony's people, etc., etc. Somebody at Sony contacted Donny and said, in so many words, "You've got to stop all of this, Donny." That means you have been heard, even if the show does not return.
Let me make something abundantly clear. We wouldn't be in this crossfire if Pyramid was doing a 3 rating, rather than a low 2. Yet, I remain astounded how syndicators can prepare trade publications declaring a show with a 1.5 season average, namely The Ellen DeGeneres Show, a hit and gain an early second-season renewal and a game show with a loyal following and a 2.3 season-to-date is considered a candidate for the scrap heap.
I can tell you Viacom has not done a great deal to help this show even with the stations which have aired it. Take WSBK, for example. Pyramid airs in Boston at 8 o'clock in the morning, which is drive time to work and school, and opposite the morning news/interview shows. That's certainly intuitive scheduling. A clearance is a clearance but KCAL in Los Angeles is not one of the stronger stations in that market.
We can throw out the idea that Sony is going to find room for its Pat Croce half-hour or a Life and Style hour-long magazine show by abandoning Pyramid. Neither of them have lit a fire under station managers at NATPE.
So what we are left with are three key things: 1) energetic and righteously angry viewers who are furious over what they interpret as an injustice to a quality show; 2) television stations in major cities who are feeling the wrath of game show fans who feel they are again having the equivalent of regurgitation dumped on their boots; and 3) still no announcement from Sony Pictures Television.
I find two interesting things in play here: one, an enormous amount of publicity generated for what looks to be four solid weeks of February sweep themes on Pyramid and at least one last-gasp bump on a popular NBC sitcom.
The other: unquestionably, Donny Osmond realizes he made the right decision two years ago to make the transition to a game show emcee's role. You may remember, the pilots for Pyramid were actually done in January 2001 with an idea of going to syndication that fall. The decision was delayed because Osmond deliberated on whether the career move was the right one for him.
Whether Pyramid returns, Osmond has made the grade splendidly and deserves a chance with another show if this one bites the dust. He has also seen game show fans are intensely loyal to the shows and emcees they make appointments with every day. I am unabashedly proud of the outpouring I have seen from you folks in the last few days. No doubt, Donny is overwhelmed and appreciative as well, even if he has had to call off the dogs.
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Donny Calls Off Online, Phone Pyramid Efforts
Someone at Viacom and/or Sony Pictures Television got the message or became fed up with the message.
Wednesday morning, Pyramid host Donny Osmond called off a telephone and e-mail campaign to save Pyramid, in particular phone calls and e-mails targeted at executives at Viacom stations in three major cities for passing on a third season of the show and top syndication executives at Sony Pictures Television.
Osmond retracted an earlier statement blaming Viacom executives as the culprits for killing a third season of Pyramid. He said some people misinterpreted his previous remarks as a suggestion Pyramid is going off immediately.
"I have also been informed that everyone at Sony is doing all that they can do to come back for a third season," continued Osmond.
The 46-year-old emcee thanked viewers earlier this week for what appeared to be a barrage of e-mails and phone calls to Viacom stations Monday in the three cities which have pulled the show for season three.
TVgameshows.net readers have e-mailed responses from Viacom station personnel in Philadelphia and Los Angeles, suggesting their stations have not dropped the show. That statement is only partially true. WSBK/Boston, KYW/Philadelphia and KCAL/Los Angeles all plan to drop the show after August, which has the show in peril for a third season, pending alternate clearances.
Ironically, two other talk/variety shows Sony is attempting to push at the current NATPE programming convention have failed to generate enthusiasm among stations.
In another open letter on his Donny.com website today, Osmond wrote: "I appreciate all the support that you have shown and thank you for letting your local stations as well as the executives at Viacom and Sony know that you care about Pyramid and want to see it continue in the future. You definitely rallied!
"Having said that, I need to ask that you refrain from telephoning the executives at Sony and Viacom and for those of you who got a hold of the direct email addresses for those executives, they have asked that we ask you to cease contacting them via email."
Osmond is still encouraging a snail mail campaign to Sony in an effort to save the show at this address:
Sony
10202 W. Washington Blvd.
Culver City, CA 90232
Donny, Pyramid Visit Friends Feb. 5
Pyramid Loaded with Stars in February
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