[Sticks]

I have been firing off two e-mails:

One to O2 and one to (Sorry about this supping with the Devil ) the Sun

First the E-mail to O2

From: Graeme Stickings
To: O2 MyCare
Sent: Monday, June 10, 2002 10:15 AM
Subject: Big Brother Fans unhappy at how show is being handled


Alan H
Thank you for responding to my request for an e-mail address in Customer Service Enquiries {{RCEA989197}} (KMM2481951C0KM)

If this is not quite the proper e-mail address in your company for this communication, please could you forward it on, and let me know what the proper e-mail address was.

Over the past week a number of fans of the TV show Big Brother, which your company O2 is sponsoring, have been highly critical of how the show has been run. A lot of the discussion can be read on the Channel 4 Reach Forum ( http://www.channel4.com/forums/c4_fo...m?forum=reach4 ) and such forums a http://www.thisisbigbrother.com

Such criticisms include:
How the weekly tasks have been changed, just so they appear on "live TV"
The spliting of the house into two sections - Considered by a lot as going too far
The descision to charge for live internet fees, when previously it was free
The way in which they decide to mute sound on E4
Inconsistancy ofthe selection process with the program "How Not to get on Big Brother", some of the contestants videos seemed to ignore the "no-no"'s highlighted
The lack of response to a reported betting sting on the eviction of a particular housemate, on any of the Channel 4 programmes

Trying not to belabour a point made above, but a number of us on different forums, feel that the decision to split the house has proven very unpopular and is considered inhumane and likely to prove more of a turn off. The feeling is that the split in the house should be removed and not made a permanent feature. Incidentally when that was mooted in the press before, the production company denied it.

A number of us have voiced our concerns to C4 and Endemol, but we are either ignored, or when someone does bother to answer, they are dismissed as they did not fit in with the result of some focus group.

As a result a lot of people on the forums say they have not got disenchanted with the show, and are giving up on it. As sponsor, if discontent from the viewers continues with the show, this may reflect badly on you company (be it unfairly)

Would it be possible for you as sponsor of Big Brother 3, to impress on C4 / Endemol UK the need for them to "LISTEN and RESPOND" to their viewers.

Graeme Stickings

Now the E-mail to the Sun

Just thought you ought to know that a number of Big Brother Fans have been outraged by the Rich House/ Poor House split, as they consider Big Brother has gone too far.

The discussion is on a number of Big Brother fan sites such as http://www.thisisbigbrother.com and Channel 4's own reach forum http://www.channel4.com/forums/c4_fo...m?forum=reach4

According to some, this is going to make them turn off, the opposite effect of C4

There is also discquiet on other aspect of how BB3 is being conducted.

You may like to read through the threads for yourselves.

I do not know if this will be of any help, but at least I have tried as well

I just hope LEE has better luck with her contact

[Janette]

Good work Sticks

I hope you get a reply, but if not, then we know that the feelings of the common people do not matter to the bigwigs and we may as well give up on BB3 now!

[Sticks]

For the record the reply from O2 is

From: O2 MyCare <mycare@o2mail.co.uk>
To: Graeme Stickings <graeme@stickings90.freeserve.co.uk>
Sent: Monday, June 10, 2002 11:59 AM
Subject: Re: Big Brother Fans unhappy at how show is being handled {{RCEA990231}} (KMM2484216C0KM)


Dear Mr Stickings,

Thank you for your enquiry.

If you would like to pass your comments onto www.marketing.o2.co.uk, they would
be able to help.

We hope your query has been resolved. If you should have any further questions,
please visit our online Help Centre at:

http://ccarechat.o2.co.uk/netagent/frame/o2.asp

Regards,

Jakki C
O2 Customer Care

I have e-mailed back requesting the e-mail address of marketing and pointed out the first link is a dead link

[Sticks]

Have now sent my O2 e-mail to marketing@o2.co.uk

I will let you know if that works or just bounces

[Sticks]

It Bounced

[Janette]

What a pain!

We want to complain and we don't even get given a proper email address!

[bob]

The sun won't care, if they ever wanted this angle on BB they would just pull the viewers complaints out of thin air.

As for O2, they know that they will get x amount of exposure and I'm sure the C4 has contractual obligations to O2. O2 would't have a say in the matter.

All the same, a good effort.

>How the weekly tasks have been changed, just so they appear on "live TV"

Crazy move to let the HM's run the show.

>The spliting of the house into two sections - Considered by a lot as going too far

Good idea in my mind, give it a chance. I like it.

>The descision to charge for live internet fees, when previously it was free

Bandwidth isn't cheap. C4 have a right to charge for the service.

>The way in which they decide to mute sound on E4

It was the same last year.

All I would say is, give it a chance and remember the C4 has to make money out of BB.

[splodge0]

What planet are you on! Might be a good idea to read all the relevent posts before committing fingers to keyboard.

The main point I have to take issue over is, if BB2, and BB1 for that matter, didn't stand alone and make a profit Channel 4 would not have committed the financial backing for the this series, let alone the the the subsequent series.

The real reason is that they see Big Brother as their saviour and are going to milk it until the pips squeak, if you'll forgive the mixed metaphor.

As for bandwith, don't make me laugh. If I wasn't so upset about this BB3, I'd bother to answer your points.

ps. Do you work for Channel 4?

[bob]

I'm on the planet 'of my own opinion,' not planet 'follow the flow, lets proclaim it a boring series in 2 weeks'.

High res streams to what must be over 1000 homes and offices 24/7 for 64 days.

Yes, that is going to cost a lot. &pound;10 is a good price for supporting users and paying for equipment and relieving the streams of advert breaks.

I'm sorry to hear that you are so upset about this series, I would give it a chance, it's great viewing for the second week.

[Sticks]

It looks like The Sun may have followed up my e-mail to them withtheir own investigations.

Anyone got any other ideas who we can contact to hold C4/Endemol UK to account ?

Any O2 shareholders or customers out there ?