I will admit: In my corner of the universe, I have never once met a family with one of the fabled "Nielsen boxes" in their living room. These are the families that have been determining the shows you and I get to watch for years. But never once have I laid eyes on one.
But Community is a show with a fervent and active fanbase. And I would imagine that of all the Community fans out there, a few of us must know some "Nielsen Families."
Here's what I'm proposing: This Thursday, arrange to get together with one of these Nielsen Families (I know, it's typically poor etiquette to invite yourself over to someone else's home -- but desperate times call for desperate measures. Consider buying/making dinner or dessert and make a whole evening out of it). Sit down and watch the Christmas episode of Community with them. See how it engages them. If they like it, introduce them to the rest of the series via DVD and now Hulu Plus. Get them caught up as quickly as possible, because if enough Nielsen Families tune into this episode, our favorite show's hiatus likely won't last for long.
Leave comments about your plans for this Thursday. I'd love to see a real measurable change in the ratings. And when the dust settles, we can point to the power of the Community community and show the networks that their antiquated ratings system does not have a place anymore.
