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A Sample letter to the media
Feel free to copy and paste the text.
We need your help.
Disney’s “Kim Possible” has ended its run due to a policy known as the ’65 episode rule.’
The Disney Company has an unwritten, yet enforced 65 Episode Rule. This policy has limited production of most of its series to no more than 65 episodes. There have been a couple of shows that ran for 66 episodes but most have gotten considerably less than 65. This 65 Episode rule must come to an end and we need your help in achieving that.
Only one show has been given two extensions. “That’s So Raven” has been extended to run 100 episodes despite getting lower ratings and having fewer viewers than “Kim Possible.”
What’s the show about? Kim Possible is a high school junior who is a cheerleader by day and a crime fighter by night. She battles villains and saves the world from various calamities with the help of her friend and bumbling sidekick Ron Stoppable (and his naked mole rat pet, Rufus.) She’s assisted by computer genius Wade, who monitors her website and arranges free rides around the world by grateful people she’s helped in the past. Her father is a rocket scientist, her mother is a brain surgeon and her younger twin brothers are usually setting off rocket experiments of their own. Her family, and everyone else, is aware of her crime fighting activities and she regularly faces her arch nemesis Dr. Drakken and his assistant Shego. The show offers an excellent mix of comedy and action with some of the best fight sequences around.
“Kim Possible” debuted on the Disney Channel on June 5, 2002 and has consistently been among the highest rated Disney program on the air. As of the week ending June 25, 2005 “Kim Possible” received a 2.0 share and a 10% rating, beating out its competition on Fox Box by a margin of 2 to 1 and 3 to 1 in the ratings. It was the # 2 top rated Broadcast Show on ABC Kids and # 5 top rated show for overall Broadcast. That same week “That’s So Raven” brought in a 1.4 share and a 7% rating. Despite getting lower ratings than “Kim Possible”, “That’s So Raven” has been extended twice, by Disney, going beyond the 65 episode rule, giving it a run of 100 episodes.
The ratings for all Broadcast Channels on Saturday June 25 (ABC Kids, Kids WB and Fox) had “Kim Possible” beating ALL the competition. “Kim Possible” was the number 1 ranked show with a 2.6 share and a 13% rating.
When the “Kim Possible: So The Drama” movie was aired, in April, 2005, it garnered one of the largest viewing audiences Disney has received. DVD sales are excellent with “Kim Possible: So The Drama” going through the roof. “So The Drama” ranked second for all of Cable Television on the night it aired in the US. It was on Amazon.com’s top 500 List for 3 straight weeks and has been in their top 100 list five times. “Kim Possible” merchandise had $150 million in sales in 2004.
In the newly released 2nd Quarter Year to Year Total Day Rankings among K6-11 (in thousands) for 3/28/05-6/26/05 VS 3/29/04-6/27/04, Cable Networks Only: Disney Channel 398,000 - 3 % Toon Disney 55,000 + 15 %
What this shows is that when Disney was showing new episodes of “Kim Possible” there were 3 % more viewers. In one years time Disney has lost 3 % of its viewers. However, since “Kim Possible” was added to the Toon Disney lineup its viewer-ship increased 15 % over the previous year.
Without new episodes of “Kim Possible”, Disney Channel has lost 3% of their 6 to 11 year old age group. The same can be expected for other age groups such as 2 – 11 and 9 – 14 year olds. Moving “Kim Possible” to Toon Disney has increased its ratings, however, by not showing new episodes Disney Channel will continue to lose viewers among all age groups.
Nickelodeon lost 3 % of its viewer-ship over the same period. Where did the combined losses of 6 % go? To the Cartoon Network, up 6 %, because of new programming and extending – renewing current shows (like Totally Spies, Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends, Teen Titans).
If Disney keeps up this trend they can expect to lose considerably more in the future, with people going elsewhere for their viewing pleasure.
“Kim Possible” has garnered a number of Emmy Nominations, 10 to be precise between 2002 and 2005 and won in one of the five categories it was nominated for in 2005. It has also been nominated for the Blimp Award and the Annie Award.
If Disney wants to remain a viable entity, they need to eliminate the 65 Episode Rule and they need to put “Kim Possible” back into production and provide its loyal viewership with new episodes.
We cannot achieve this goal without getting the word out to as many people as possible and that is why we are appealing for your help in this matter and providing you with the facts, rather than the fairy tale statements being issued by Disney.
If you’d like more information please check out http://www.savedisneyshows.org/ and http://kp.savedisneyshows.org/page3.html where we provide listings of Disney Executives addresses and Email addresses to contact them and let them know our feelings on this matter.
Any help you can provide us in getting the word out to the public would be greatly appreciated.
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