Doug has updated a petition maker on how television works

[evilmorwen]

someone set up a change.org petition to revive red dwarf? and Doug (or Doug’s agents) has told them not to? and they didn’t understand the subtlety of the message and kept it up?
https://www.change.org/p/revive-red-dwarf-s-90-minute-special/u/33913275

Topic

[Technopeasant]

I mean, he said it won’t make a difference. I don’t read anything where he suggests its harmful.

[Warbodog]

[Technopeasant]

I mean, signatures won’t do diddly squat for those either.

[Quinn: Clochebusters World Champion]

I’d argue these things are less about direct cause and effect, i.e. the petition doesn’t directly lead to the desired outcome, and more about adding to the overall discourse and providing a central point for all who wish to to voice their support for whatever the cause is. 

It’s just one part of the ongoing public dialogue.

[Warbodog]

It just seemed an amusingly lightweight and inappropriate use of the system, but maybe it’s the sort of thing fans use for all the time anyway, I don’t know.

[Quinn: Clochebusters World Champion]

It just seemed an amusingly lightweight and inappropriate use of the system, but maybe it’s the sort of thing fans use for all the time anyway, I don’t know.

Oh I totally agree. It feels overblown in a way. But it keeps the conversation going, gives people something to share and comment on and out their name too etc 

[Podey]

It feels well-intentioned but with a foundational misunderstanding of how this stuff works. It reminds me of a friend I have who regularly reacts to the news of RD being cancelled with “why don’t they just take it to Netflix or Disney+?” etc.

I do feel Doug’s response is largely supportive, though. He is giving them a dose of realism in pointing out it won’t make a difference but there’s nothing I detect in there asking them to take it down or not to do it,

[evilmorwen]

> We’ve passed 3k, £600 in contributions and still aiming for that 5k milestone.

[Jonsmad]

“Someone set up a change.org petition to revive red dwarf? and Doug (or Doug’s agents) has told them not to? and they didn’t understand the subtlety of the message and kept it up?”

Yes. It’s hard isn’t it. This happens often in my music world, people petitioning to get Madness a Brit Award. Without the understanding of how things work within an industry, just the idea that people power is just and only a question of being a few clicks away, when not everything is a public poll like a big brother phone in.  I saw it an eye rolled too, because there is money being taken to promote the page etc. No one doubts that the fan or fans involved are right along with us, the collective that would like what the cast and Doug want, which is this next special to happen. But we just know this kind of drum banging will peter out. It was the contribution to promote that changed my goodwill on this.  Other than that, it’s nice to show fans still care. I thought Dougs message was the best kind of Polite response. 

[sleepey]

Government Response

“We have no plans to revive Red Dwarf’s 90 minute special at this time. The Government is committed to the arts and will continue working with the Home Office to monitor the situation closely.”

[Warbodog]

Okay, but what does Reform say about it?

[Nick R]

Okay, but what does Reform say about it?

Their policy is to kick all immigrants off Red Dwarf. That’s Rimmer (immigrant from Io), Lister (immigrant from Earth (or possibly from a test tube on Starbug)), Kryten (immigrant from another spaceship), Kochanski (immigrant from another universe), and the series VIII resurrected crew (immigrants from different atoms).

Cat and Holly can stay, though, being born on/built into the ship.

[Quinn: Clochebusters World Champion]

They’d probably want to put all the migrants on Red Dwarf and then fire it off into deep space 

then we can have series viii but the tank is an asylum seeker hotel 

Everything else is the same 

[Jenuall]

“Garbage World” is just any foreign country to a Reform supporter

[Nick R]

[Dave]

Reform are the ones throwing rocks at the Dirty Deadies

[Technopeasant]

It just seemed an amusingly lightweight and inappropriate use of the system, but maybe it’s the sort of thing fans use for all the time anyway, I don’t know.

People use Change.org for serious things? News to me.

[Technopeasant]

The original Reform Party (e.g. the Canadian one) was almost literally founded because our Tories weren’t pro-Apartheid enough. True story.

[Ridley]

You… Change.org peoplehttps:

[RunawayTrain]

The bit about contributions put a real sour taste in my mouth, until I read this from the (currently) most recent update:

“I have not made any posts asking for money or contributions, these (and I have been under the assumption) have solely been done voluntarily and a change.org feature, this money is not seen by me or anyone involved with Red Dwarf, it is used to promote the petition by Change.Org.
It can’t be turned off and is optional/voluntary. Not mandatory.”

Quite sad that people may have donated without knowing exactly where the money is going, not that I blame the person who set up the petition, it just isn’t a great situation.

[Quinn: Clochebusters World Champion]

I’d argue it’s clear it’s for Chnge.org to promote the petition, but I’m also aware there’s a lot of people that would likely see this as a direct contribution to get the show made, simply because those kinds of fund raisers exist and a lot of people won’t pay too close attention to what is being asked of them

especially if they’re giving £20!!

[Rudolph]

Okay, but what does Reform say about it?

Reform’s problem with Red Dwarf is brown dwarf Craig Charles.

[Warbodog]

^ Which I want to clarify was a quote from the Daily Mirror about Series 1, for anyone who didn’t know/forgot.

[Technopeasant]

Okay, but what does Reform say about it?

Reform’s problem with Red Dwarf is brown dwarf Craig Charles.

They give Danny a pass then?

[Author]

Replies