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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Mistwell" data-source="post: 625316" data-attributes="member: 2525">The reasons for sci-fi fans being more vocal than non-sci-fi fans have been well documented, but I will briefly repeat them.  1) Sci-fi fans are also more computer literate and more internet savy (and yes, I can back that up with lot's of pretty rock solid statistics, there are a HUGE number of sci-fi fans active on the internet than disproportionate to their numbers).  The organization for all these protest movements has all taken place through the internet. It is only natural that such protest movements would therefore be bigger;2) Sci-fi fans stick up for one another more than fans of other genres (like I did, by writing numerous letters to executives about the cancellation of Farscape despite the fact that I don't actually watch Farscape);3) Pychologically I think you can show that sci-fi fans are much more rabid than fans of other genres based on the tendancy of sci-fi fans to view themselves as social outcasts more often and therefore more apt to obsess over what social structures they do embrace in their life.4) Sci-fi shows are more serialized in nature, which means that anyone who is still watching it near the end of the show has a lot invested in the show, and a lot more to loose when the show gets cancelled (not being able to see how it all turns out).  Therefore, they will be more vocal than shows which are generally not serialized (and there are more non-sci-fi shows that are not serialized).Anyway, my point is that the number of vocal sci-fi fans bears no relation to the overall viewers of sci-fi shows. I believe because of the nature of sci-fi, and the people it attracts, you will naturally have a more vocal audience than other genres.You are incorrect.  Here are the possibilities:1) The Neilsen ratings are underrepresenting the ratings for Firefly;2) The Nelisen ratings are exactly correct for the ratings for Firefly;3) The Neilsen ratings are overrepresenting the ratings for Firefly.That's it.  There are not other possibilities.  And since we both agree for purposes of this discussion that the Neilsen ratings are flawed in some way (and if you did not admit that, then there is no disucssion), then it really is a 50-50 chance that it is either over or under representing the viewers for the show. That's it. This is not a shades of gray question.Everything you have said aboud how vocal sci-fi fans are, and that I have said about why that vocalization bears no relation to the number of fans and actually the rabidness of the fans would increase the Neilsen ratings aritifically for sci-fi shows, is pure speculation. We really are guessing at random.  Neither of us has sufficient data to even come up with a correlation. We are just fans with opinions.  So, again, we are back to 50-50.My whole point is that you should be a LOT more sure about your claim that the Neilsen ratings are under representing the number of sci-fi viewers before you "fix" the Neilsens.  You very well may result in a new system that cuts out all sci-fi as we know it, as opposed to just a few shows here and there.  You do not have enough data to take such a risk on behalf of all sci-fi fans.</blockquote>

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