From: THC8650@TNTECH.BITNET ("Troy H. Cheek  The /|\tari Cowboy")
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv
Subject: SFAN cover letter
Date: 9 Apr 92 21:18:00 GMT

An open letter to all fans of science fiction:

Hello!  I am Troy H. Cheek, the world's youngest living first generation
Trekkie.  I have a problem I think you can help me with.

I find myself in possession of information regarding a letter-writing
campaign to designed to aid the start of the Science fiction, Fantasy, and
Adventure Network, hereafter referred to as SFAN.

SFAN would be a cable TV channel, similar to say, Lifetime or The Family
Channel, showing movies, old series, original programming, and anything
else that would be of interest to your average fanatic.

There has been much confusion, so there is one thing I want to make clear:
SFAN is in no way connected with the Sci-Fi Channel, hereafter referred to
as SFC.  Unlike SFC, SFAN is being spear-headed by Mike Kelley, an actual,
real-life fan of science fiction.  Unlike SFC, SFAN has hired Walter (Mr.
Chekov) Keonig, Bjo ("I saved Star Trek") Trimble, and Mike (Mr. Worf) Dorn
(still negotiating) onto its staff.  Bjo is heading this letter-writing
campaign.  Unlike SFC, SFAN has already secured the rights to air shows
like the Star Trek animated series.

SFC is not available in any area.  It has been listed as "coming soon" and
"available next month" or "will be offered in the upcoming year" in many
areas for a considerable time now.  If you don't think it's worth the
trouble to support SFAN because SFC is coming to you without any effort on
your part, please think again.

SFC has been missing deadlines for FOUR YEARS.  SFAN has been in the
planning stages for only part of that time, yet is almost ready to roll,
and I believe it is the best chance for fans everywhere to get the
programming they want.  One major thing is holding it back, though.  Many
cable programming distributors don't believe there will be enough interest
in an all science fiction network for them to make money, so they aren't
planning on offering it.  Those who do believe have been burned repeatedly
by SFC's broken promises.

And if the distributors don't offer it, the local cable companies can't buy
it and you can't see it.

Hence this letter-writing campaign.  Among the information I have are the
addresses of 5 cable distributors who control about 40% of the choices
offered to our nation's cable systems, along with the addresses of at least
one company that has been donating equipment to this effort.  What I'm
asking is that you take these addresses and write to them.

It doesn't matter if you don't watch much television, or don't have cable,
or don't have the time to enjoy 24 hours a day, seven days a week, high
quality entertainment.  What matters is that you see this as something the
world would be better with than without.  Remember, none of the hundreds of
thousands who wrote asking that the first space shuttle be named
_Enterprise_ ever thought they would get to ride it, but they thought it
was worth fighting for anyway.

Yes, I am an idealist.  I actually believe that this can work.  All it
needs is the help of people like you who love science fiction.

The information I spoke of will be following shortly.  Please look through
it.  If you don't find it of interest, at least pass it along to someone
you know you might.  Time is of the essence.

Yours,
Troy H. Cheek
TTU P.O. Box 8766
Cookeville, TN  38505
Phone: (615)372-4078
THC8650@TNTECH.BITNET