From: spongebo@cithara.uucp (THE EYE-BALL KID)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.movies
Subject: SF TV - How YOU can FIX IT!
Date: 12 Nov 92 02:02:43 GMT
Organization: Local Testbed for network mail, we trust!

The following post in no way represents the ideas or opinions of the 
Cithara.UUP board, or it's Sysop.

Send Replies to: spongebo%cithara@comback.login.qc.ca
 
October 17th-18th I attended "Concept '92" -- Montreal's annual Science 
Fiction Convention. Among the dozens of panels were several concerning 
the treatment of SF in the media. Those who attended bemoaned the lack of 
Science Fiction, particularly on TV. Apart from STAR TREK, and the 
original British version of RED DWARF (there has since been an attempt at 
an American version which from all reports was such an embarrassing 
failure -- predicted by the fans -- that the network who commissioned it 
have shelved both the pilot and any plans for future episodes!), there 
was NOTHING catering to the Hard Sci-Fi/SF audience.
 
People groaned about the abortion that was "Mann and Machine", and 
groaned even louder when they heard that Canadian networks weren't 
picking up the eagerly awaited BABYLON-5 pilot.
 
In other words, a good time WAS NOT anticipated by all.
 
Having some experience in the Canadian Television industry, and being 
something of a fan myself, it occurred to me that if the Moral Majority 
can get shows canceled, then surely Science-Fiction Fans -- who outnumber 
the before mentioned lobbyists by ten to one -- can get more of what THEY 
want on Television.
 
When a production company pitches an idea for a series or movie to a 
network, the network looks at one thing: statistics. How well did the 
last Sci-Fi show do? What are the demographics? They don't ask "How good 
is it?" They're not interested. They have a series of boxes they fit 
everything in to, and if they have a spare box they go with it. Sitcom, 
Police-drama, talk-show, reality-based-drama, etc., etc.
 
And "Sci-Fi".
 
The question of whether it "IS" Sci-Fi is never raised. That's how we got 
stuck with a dog like MANN AND MACHINE: a police-show with Italian 
furniture "Hey, it's Sci-Fi!".
 
Canadian Networks are even more gutless and unimaginative than their US 
counterparts. In Canada they don't even look at the package! If they HEAR 
it's Sci-Fi they say "Needs lots of special effects, too expensive," or 
wait to pick up something from the US -- AFTER it's been successful down 
there. Witness the situation with THE REN & STIMPY SHOW -- A CANADIAN 
production, that Canadian Networks won't carry!
 
That's right, fans, network executives are illiterate cowards -- the 
first to tow the line! So what else is new?
 
Well, if you're like me, you're probably sick of people telling you what 
to watch on TV. Remember, WE pay for those programs -- our dollars buy 
the products that generate the advertising revenue that is payed to the 
TV Networks to put programs on air that will sell those products that we 
buy. I think we're getting screwed.
 
YOU CAN CHANGE THAT! If you watch TV, you CAN make a difference. How? 
LOBBY THE B*ST*RDS!
 
That's right. If you write a letter, they have to read it. If you send 
them a fax, they have to read it. If they get enough faxes and letters 
they will do something about it, or answer to their shareholders.
 
I have included a form letter which you MUST detach from the rest of this 
post before either faxing or mailing it to your Television Executives. 
Feel free to modify it as you wish. Also enclosed are names and 
addresses. If you have a FAX-MODEM you can create a file for each letter 
and fire them off. If you have a printer, you can do the same: print them 
out, and mail them tomorrow morning. If you mail ONE letter per day, you 
will cover the major North America Networks in one week. Canadians should 
mail/fax to Canadian Networks first, Americans, to the US Networks.
 
Why bother?
 
BECAUSE these SOBs are telling you what to watch! And you might be 
interested to know, THEY are also lobbying to make you pay for their 
signal on your cable!
 
Well, I'm mailing my copy. If you give damn you'll do the same. Following 
are some names, addresses, telephone, and Fax numbers for the key 
Canadian and US networks.
 
REMEMBER: you will have to fill out this form letter with YOUR OWN DATA, 
or the effort will not count! Good luck!
 
CANADIAN NETWORKS:
 
CTV: Arthur Weinthal, 42 Charlse St. East. Toronto, Ont, M4Y 1T5, Tel: 
416-928-6000, Fax: 416-528-0907
 
CBC: Ivan Fecan, 1255 Bay St., 4th Floor, Toronto Ont. Tel:416-975-6838, 
Fax:416-975-6980
 
GLOBAL: Michael Spivak, 81 Barber Greene Rd., Don Mills, Ont, M3C 2A2 
Tel:416-446-5415, Fax:416-446-5398
 
WIC Ltd:1960-505 Burrard St. Vancouver, BC V7X 1M6 Tel:604-687-2844, 
Fax:604-687-4118
 
UNITED STATES:
 
ABC ENTERTAINMENT: Robert Iger, 2040 Ave Of The Stars, L.A., CA 
90076-4785 Tel: 310-557-7777, Fax: 213-577-7925
 
NBC ENTERTAINMENT: Warren Littlefield 3000 W. Alameda Boul. Burbank, CA, 
91523-0001, Tel:818-840-4444, Fax: 818-840-7681
 
FOX BROADCASTING: Peter Chernin, 10201 W. Pico, L.A., CA 90064-2606. 
Tel:310-277-2211, Fax:310-203-2954
 
CBS ENTERTAINMENT: Jeff Sagansky, 7800 Beverly Blvd. L.A., CA90036-2188, 
Tel:213-852-2345, Fax:213-655-7631
 
 
-------------------------- CUT HERE -------------------------
 
 
The Date
 
(Your Name                                                      
Your Address
Your Post Code
Your Telephone Number -- if you like!)
 
(Their Name
Their Address
Their Telephone Number
Their Fax Number)
 
RE: Programming Policy
 
 
Dear (Name of Executive/Sir or Madam),
 
I am a concerned viewer -- concerned that your programming is dictated by 
"demographics" that seem to have no place whatsoever for ME.
 
Why? Because I am a Science-Fiction fan. According to YOU the only 
program I watch is STAR TREK. You may be interested to know that there 
are millions like me on this continent, all equally frustrated with YOUR 
"demographics". I would be happy to watch more Science Fiction if your 
network provided it. Unfortunately your network is completely ignorant as 
to what "Science-Fiction" constitutes.
 
It may come as a surprise to you, but Sci-Fi is NOT a bunch of special 
effects, nor does it require "cute children", or a "spaceship". It's 
about PEOPLE and IDEAS -- NEW IDEAS. A glance at your scheduled 
programming suggests this is something you know very little about.
 
If you (or the people that supply your programming) spent any time 
examining the genre and it's millions of fans, you might realize the 
potential audience (for something that was NOT a simple-minded 
"super-hero" series, NOT a cop-show with "weird machines and Italian 
furniture", NOT the "revitalizing" of The Bionic Woman, NOT a pathetic 
action show geared to malevolent children, and NOT the wholesale theft of 
someone else's successful TV show "molded" to your "target audience") to 
be PHENOMENAL.
 
Why is STAR TREK successful? Because it's different. And because it's 
almost all we have! Your ignorance has dictated this -- and your "market 
research" sucks!
 
Let me suggest that you take some time to rethink your programming 
policy. Take as long as you like -- I can get STAR TREK on another 
network.
 
sincerely,
 
(YOUR NAME)
 
 

Spongebo - THE EYE-BALL KID (:::::-)

spongebo%cithara@comback.login.qc.ca
comback.login.qc.ca!cithara!spongebo