Buzz On, Turn Off, Tune Out
by Mike KrumboltzApr 26, 2006
Cause and effect...it sucks. Take "TV Turn off Week" for example. Say you actually turn off your tube for seven days straight. Only good things will happen, right? Wrong! Shows will be canceled! Howie Mandel will starve! The Buzz will have nothing to write about! Within days, we'll all be fired and forced to sell our Segway for scrap. Do you want the blood of an innocent human transporter on your hands? If not, listen up.
Searches on the insane (insane we tell you!) "holiday" have soared, indicating many beatniks are giving their TVs the week off (or at least considering it). Of course, it's easy to inspire them to kick their TVs to the curb (they probably only watch PBS anyway). It's much harder to shake up searches on TV's biggest shows.
We examined buzz on three popular programs—"American Idol," "Deal or No Deal," and "Desperate Housewives"—to see if online interest has faded this week. Well, score one for heartless media conglomerates—all three are as popular as they were last week despite the grassroots campaign. Perhaps next year, the organizers should focus on a more realistic goal. Something like "Turn Off 'Two and a Half Men' Week." The effects of such a cause would surely be positive.