Write a letter (part 2)

Tonight I received this email from Michael Schur, writer and co-executive producer of The Office:

Hey tanster,

Saw this somewhere and thought TallyHeads might be into it.

This site, Firedoglake, has made it really easy to send emails to the companies on behalf of specific shows. I’d encourage them not only to do it for The Office, but for any show on any network they like and want to see come back.

Constant pressure on the networks is having an effect — and on advertisers, too. At least one large national company is considering pulling ads from shows because of pressure from consumers. (Unconfirmed but there’ve been a lot of rumors.)

Anyway, thought this might be something good for the site … as always, thanks.

If you wrote and sent a letter the first time around, you are a-w-e-s-o-m-e. Now it’s time to do it again. Tell those network execs to get back to the negotiating table!

Do it for The Office. Do it for Mose.

56 comments

  1. There are some grammatical mistakes in the form letter. One sentence even ends in a preposition. Make sure to proofread it before sending. I’m SURE Tanster would! :)

    I added at the bottom: DO THE RIGHT THING!

  2. I am no longer supporting the writers so I’m going to make sure I don’t send any letters like this to them. Having a strike is one thing, but maybe if all the writers in general (minus the office staff of course) would put out a better product, maybe the networks would find it easier to come to a fair deal. No offense to writers, but most of what is put out there these days is pretty terrible. I feel like the writers are being very selfish in putting others out of work, other people who will never make nearly as much as some of the writers will make with or without a new deal.

  3. Great idea! And I really hope those rumors Michael heard were true…that would move negotiations along much quicker if the money stopped rolling in.

  4. Someone should make a list of everything advertised during The Office timeslot and we should sign a petition to boycott those products. If you threaten their advertising revenue, they have nothing left.

  5. This was great! I sent several letters at the start of the strike, and this post made it so easy to fire off three more in a matter of minutes. Here’s hoping it works. I’m in serious withdrawal.

  6. As a warning, that firedoglake site is a strongly left-wing site — which is fine, but it does so in a rather…controversial way. Write your letters if you’d like, but just know that using that site comes with a lot of baggage for any convenience.

  7. Thanks for the link. In the words of Stanley, “Game On!” I will begin every workday with sending out as many emails as possible in support of all the writers!!

  8. There’s also a group on Facebook that does generally the same thing. You post your letter on their “wall” or comments page, and they send it to Zucker for you.

  9. Ooo I like this, it’s much easier to send many letter to many different people and networks. Hehehe I wonder what the inboxes look like over at NBC. I think our favorite CEO is probably having a heck of a time

  10. I’m so glad that you posted this website. Not that I hadn’t planned on sending in a letter, but being the Christmas season, I’ve been really busy. So this site has made it MUCH easier to release some steam and inform the heads how this effects the viewers as well! Thanks again Tanster, you’re the best!

  11. This is awesome, I’ve already sent 5 about the Office, and a couple for 30 Rock. Just imagine if all of us Tally heads sent 5 each for the Office? Guys..it’s so easy!

  12. Done… and done. :)

    I still feel ridiculous, though, because I wrote a letter to Jeff Zucker a few weeks ago and now I just sent that e-mail, but it just doesn’t seem like enough. I want to go picket with the WGA, dangnabbit, or egg NBC’s building! (totally kidding… sort of)

    Here’s hoping for a resolution soon!

  13. Michael Schur seems like a really nice guy. I’m glad to hear of the rumored pullout by advertisers.

  14. I LOVE the Office and I love this site! I haven’t tuned in since the repeats started and I won’t tune in until our fabulous writers get their fair share! I don’t watch a lot of TV, and “The Office” is one of my favorites…I’ve been having serious withdrawal. Thanks for keeping us posted on what is going on, and for providing this link. I just wrote my first letter and I’m prepared for my second one. My TV will remain off…no crappy reality replacements are going to be seen in our house!!

  15. the writers aren’t asking us to fight for them, they are asking that we fight with them. an injustice is being done and i for one feel proud to stand up for these people who work so hard to entertain us, which we take for granted, and make sure they they get a fair deal. there is never a good reason to not fight for what is right in a peaceful way.

  16. Okay… I just sent like twelve letters to The Office, Grey’s Anatomy and Conan. I have to tell ya though, I am really liking this “writing to the man” thing. It feels so badass! hehe. Thanks for the link.

  17. Let’s just friggin do this people! It is so simple to send multiple e-mails a day — it’s all filled out for you!

  18. I had to make slight revisions because I don’t like some of the word in the final paragraph, but I just sent letters on behalf of The Office and Bones.

  19. Fantastic. I mailed a letter to Zucker already, but I sent emails on behalf of The Office and 30 Rock anyway just to be a pain in the a$$ :) Maybe I’ll just write a new one every morning until the producers cave in.

  20. I sent a bunch! I did two for the office (used two different email addresses), and then a bunch for some of my other shows too. I’ll try to remember to do it daily. That’s a great source!

    I’m doing it for Mose for sure. lol

    One thing that confuses me about this though – it says it’s being sent to “The Producers of ‘The Office'” ??? Don’t we want these sort of things going to the Network heads? The producers already are supporting their shows, right? That confused me.

  21. I did two for The Office. Plus, one each for 30 Rock, Grey’s, and Pushing Daisies.

    Everyone should do this. It’s way too easy not to.

  22. Too bad you need to include a zip code – a template for us “ticked off Canadians” would be great too.

  23. I’m not watching ANY network TV since the strike. I told them that I wouldn’t even tune in to watch a new “reality” show about people that won’t watch TV since the strike. That probably gave them an idea for a new replacement show.

  24. I agree with a lot of people that are saying this is too easy not to do. I sent two emails already and i also sent a letter earlier during the strike. I can not bear the thought of seeing this strike go on for another 5 months until the SAG contract is up. Let’s do whatever we can to try and get the Office back on air!

  25. I can not imagine them scrapping the season – it hurts me to think about it.

    I sent two letters to NBC early November, and I just fired off numerous emails for The Office and other good shows.

  26. Thanks for the link. And thanks Firedoglake for making it so easy to help! (I sent letters for The Office—natch, 30 Rock, and Weeds.) I’m planning to send letters everyday until the writers get their due.

  27. Hi Tanster,
    I checked out firedoglake and like the letter, but didn’t see any listing of the address it’s being sent to. Who exactly will get it? Also, do you have any info about advertisers we could write to?

  28. I sent one on behalf of Conan, King of the Hill, Simpsons, The Office, Chuck, and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

  29. Oh thank god… I was waiting for something like this! I’m spreading the word to everyone I know!

  30. Thanks for making it so easy. I just sent one for all my favorite shows. It is just depressing without new episodes of The Office!

  31. Just sent my letter for Office and will do one for 30 Rock as well. I can’t wait for the day I open up this page and see “AMPTP collapse, give in to Writers”

    that would be amazing :D

  32. i sent a letter for each show that i watch, one for each show that i have watched once or twice, and one for each show that i think might be a good show to watch! most for the office though. i miss my thursday night ritual.. :-(

  33. I have/am been/are a writer. I know how difficult it is to constantly chase editors for money after my work has been published. And, it is damn difficult to make any kind of money in this business.
    I’m for writers under ANY conditions. From my admittedly limited experience, sack and pillage the money-bags to the conference table and squeeze them til their eyes pop out on their cheeks. I’ll watch re-runs til the cows come home.
    Roger Fulton
    Yuma, Aza

  34. I’m sending a second round of letters, but the website is really slow on my computer!

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