Ok so the compounding factors in why #WynonnaEarp is ending on Syfy: a thread to why I think that asking them to take us back is moot. Ultimate you do you and you can polite no chill whoever you want, all you want but I will be focusing any of my efforts elsewhere.

Syfy is a subsidiary of NBCUniversal which means they ultimately call all the shots. In the last year or so they’ve been doing a mass shake up company wide, like most media brands, to step forward into the “future of media.”

Which means restructuring, reorganization and cost cutting. Specifically, targeting traditional linear tv to shift resources to direct to consumer business aka, streaming.

With streaming and cord cutting, cable networks are less valuable. They make less revenue for the companies that own them and that in this case is NBCU. The reality is it’s cheaper to produce and air reality tv than it is scripted shows on cable.

(Doesn’t mean scripted shows aren’t meanful to loyal viewers trust me, I am a soap fan and look at this fandom.) But they can make a cheap show like Wipeout while focusing their bulk of spending on Peacock, their new steaming service, and it’s growth.

This is the future of media according to the industry.
Not only that but why pay for 3 execs to run multiple facets of a network per network when you could pay just one person to oversee a whole division encompassing all of that.

I don’t know if you’ve noticed but some notable names and faces we associate with the show and it’s supporters are no longer around at Syfy/NBCUni. Chris McCumber left NBCUni after 19 years with the company. Joshfromsyfy got a new job with Viacomcbs. And so on.

Nbcuniversal laid off 50 people the first week of February alone. (The week they announced our cancellation.)When they say restructuring and cutting costs, they aren’t kidding.
Links:
https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/nbcuniversal-future-tv-business-1234728069/

https://deadline.com/2021/02/susan-rovner-nbcuniversal-entertainment-content-restructure-50-staff-layoffs-bruce-evans-dan-shear-1234685734/

Syfy doesn’t own Wynonna outright. They pay a portion for the show’s production and also pay a licensing fee but IDW holds the IP (intellectual property) rights as well as international airing rights.

Since they don’t own the show they can’t produce it on their own or distribute it anywhere outside of the US. (Which is why nobody should be mad at SYFY for not distributing outside the US cause it’s a legal/ownership issue. I get it. It sucks but it’s not on them.)

Because of the money problems at IDW to deliver a S4 and a bad streaming deal with Netflix (a different story for a different day), IDW had to bring on a co-producer, Cineflix Rights, to start selling the rights to the show internationally to potentially bring in more money.

They couldn’t start doing that until the deal with Netflix expired in the summer of ‘20

This meant potentially more money to produce more show but less money for Syfy since there were more producers to have to share in the profits with. And Syfy was only mostly benefitting from ad revenue from live same day airing outside of that anyway.

Ratings: while it’s true that WE is a media darling and this fandom has worked their asses off for people’s and audience choice awards, our ratings have never been *insert favorite big 4 networks’ show or CW show of your choice here*

Unfortunately, they’ve been on a slow but steady decline since the first season. Which again ties back in with less ad revenue for Syfy.

You’re sitting there thinking “but outdated ratings system” and that’s true, I agree with you there, (supposedly Nielsen is trying to update itself by 2024) and networks like Syfy do have other means to track other outlets internally, it again comes down to ad revenue.

Links:
https://tvseriesfinale.com/tv-show/wynonna-earp-season-four-ratings/
https://tvseriesfinale.com/tv-show/wynonna-earp-season-three-ratings/
https://tvseriesfinale.com/tv-show/wynonna-earp-season-two-ratings/
https://tvseriesfinale.com/tv-show/wynonna-earp-season-one-ratings/

The basic point of this thread is not to discourage fighting for a season five cause I’m totally here for that. Heck I just filled out a Viewers Voice survey yesterday where I was super loud to NBCUni that letting go of us was completely not cool.

It’s also not to stir up any drama and I won’t be sitting here arguing with anybody about it in the comments.

We’ve saved our show before we can do it again. But to point out that while we love this show and are in it for the beautiful shit show it is and the wonderful things/people it has brought us, no matter what catchy fan supporting slogans large companies cheer at us...

corporations will always throw fans under the bus for easier money and their own bottom line. The whole point of business really. So let’s show them. Like we do time and time again. Let’s prove to them there IS money here.

Let’s tune in, be loud, fight, show up and find this shit show a new home. (But don’t forget or feel guilty for taking a break or dealing with real life if need be.) I’m ready for a new start with this break up. #WynonnaEarp #FiveForWynonna