NBC is preparing a buzz blitz for Journeyman in the wake of an interest report that found the quirky time travel drama as well as fellow freshman Life, scraping bottom as far as internet static is concerned.  Journeyman has the advantage of being part of a NBC's quirky-show-friendly Monday line up, which includes the smash hit Heroes, but unfortunately none of the buzz has crossed over yet.

Part of NBC's plan to bring viewers to Journeyman rests on the shoulder of the Bionic Woman.  Bionic Woman is currently the top rated show for Internet buzz.  NBC will be making the pilots for Bionic Woman, Journeyman, and Life available through cable On Demand services free of charge.  The idea being that the proximity of Bionic Woman, and the choose your time access, will cause genre fans to give it a whirl.

One factor that may not be properly registering in NBC's marketing plan is what a term like “Internet Buzz” really means.  The fact of the matter is, if Isaiah Washington had joined the cast of Journeyman, and hundreds of thousands of illegal downloaders had made it their mission to shred the pilot around the globe, it might be higher up the buzz meter, but that still wouldn't mean more people were going to watch.

Gauging what “Internet Buzz” is comprised of still seems to be a challenge for the television industry.  In a day and age where non-television “Internet Buzz” is centered around videos of polio-stricken transvestites, dancing midgets, and homemade CGI UFOs, it's really hard to say if “Internet Buzz” is as sought after as good old positive reviews.

“Internet Buzz” is measured in many ways, but the key indicators are search traffic and keyword saturation.  The companies that measure this mysterious quantity swear there is more to the formula than that, which is no doubt a ploy to keep network execs from knowing they could hire a high school kid for minimum wage to gather the same data in a couple of hours.

NBC definitely has the right idea in making the pilot accessible to all, but perhaps the viewers pulse would be better read by looking at recent attempts to bring time travel themed television shows to the masses.  Last year, ABC attempted a stylish time travel thriller, Day Break, and the result was a ratings crash and burn of epic proportions.

To be fair, indications are that Journeyman possesses a more durable hook than Day Break, and has a crack writing team to back it up.  The question of whether or not a lack of “Internet Buzz” will hold it back will be answered with the show debuts September 24.


- Jon Lachonis, BuddyTV Senior Writer
Source: Mediapost
(Image Courtesy of NBC)