The following is the text of a letter my daughter has handwritten to Fox. She is “very annoyed” (her words) that the network runs the fairly gruesome “Bones” at 8 p.m. and not the American Idol results show, which is on at 9. (Idol is on at 8 on Tuesdays.) LR Daughter is sending this letter to Fox, and has given me permission to reprint it here, in full.
AN OPEN LETTER TO FOX
BY LR DAUGHTER, AGE 10 1/2
LOST REMOTE
March 21st, 2007
Dear Fox,
As you know, the American Idol result show is on Wednesday nights from 9:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. This is a family show, and most kids my age watch it. We have an early bed time, especially this time of year when we have MCAS testing. (Ed. Note: that’s the Massachusetts state standardized testing.) We all want to watch the result show, it’s our favorite. But, there is a small problem.
You have Bones on from 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Wednesdays. I have to go to bed at 8:30 p.m., and so do my friends, especially with the testing. Since we can’t watch this live, we have to record it. You lose ratings and we fast-forward through the commercials. You get paid money for these commercials and they are on very often. If we fast-forward, we don’t watch them.
Sometimes we don’t even record it, we can just find out who won the next morning on the internet. Then we aren’t seeing the commercials altogether.
I know no kids who watch Bones.
Could you please put American Idol on Wednesdays at 8:00 p.m. instead of 9:00? Adults who watch Bones can always stay up later than the kids who watch American Idol. Could you please switch the times of Bones and American Idol on Wednesdays? We would really appreciate it!
Sincerely, 5th Grade American Idol Fans.
(Note: I had absolutely no hand in this at all, I swear. Her Mom did help with some of the language, but it was her idea, and she presented me with the letter which I asked if I could reprint. But I am more than a little proud to see my little girl try to hit the network where they live – right in the “we’ll fast-forward through your ads and get the results online instead” wallet. They grow up so fast!)