Fan Letter Urging Media Life To Lay Off Trash Talking The Dead Zone!

Please, ease up on USA's 'The Dead Zone'

July 21, 2004

Dear Editor:
I don't often write letters to web sites, but you've pushed me over the edge with your consistently negative comments about USA's "The Dead Zone."
In today's issue of Media Life, on the very same page you use words like "free fall" and "flame out" in reference to the "Dead Zone," your rankings indicate it was the 11th ranked cable show against households, and 7th against Adults 25-54.
Maybe that's not headline news, but it's far from ratings disaster. Last year you ran a headline along the lines of "Dead Zone in Death Throes." I'm all for a good play on words, but clearly, you were wrong, as the show was renewed for a summer flight, and is now in its third season. Because of this kind of negative reporting, ad agency colleagues of mine who read your site think that the show is in the trash. That's just not true.
While it is true that the show struggled when USA ran it in Winter 2003, it does just fine in the summer. And by all other reports in the press, USA is pleased with its performance.
You may not be a fan, personally, of the show, and that's fine. (Obviously, I am.) But please, look at your own data before you give the impression to your readers that this show is in the same ratings-league as "Peacemakers." That's just bad journalism. It's hard enough to keep quality shows on the air without this kind of unwarranted bashing. I'm not asking for fluff pieces, just fair and accurate reporting.

Roberta Haber

you go Roberta! I hope they take your advice!