:: a toe in the water... ::

:: Monday, September 30, 2002 ::

From Maayan:

For those who would like a little recap, this is the story so far. We won't beat the TV industry at its own game. They have hundreds of millions of dollars at their disposal, and... we don't. What we do have are demographics and a story that sells. Bearing that in mind, we've taken the time to develop a plan to match objectives and resources.

OBJECTIVE: Bring Farscape back for a new season, on a new network.

STRATEGIES: We have devised strategies to reach our objective.

Get the SCI FI Channel to release the rights to the first 88 episodes of Farscape.

Encourage other networks to pick up Farscape.

Raise Farscape's ratings to 2.0 come January.

TACTICS: Tactics serve to implement strategies.

We're taking advantage of the experience of marketing professionals and legal advisors on our staff to devise a comprehensive marketing plan (go here for more information). The definitive plan will be presented to the Webmasters' Association this weekend, and a spending schedule (as well as disbursement protocols) will be devised for the fund. It's not something we want to rush. It's worth taking the time to do it right.

Part of our team is also involved in coordinating the rallies on October 5th. That involves readying up professional buttons and flyers for distribution.

The Guerilla Radio project works with radio stations in major markets to promote FS through drive-time giveaways of The Best of S1 package.

Our research group is collecting data on Nielsen demographics (cable vs non-cable households), and conducting various statistical analyses. Such numbers will be useful when dealing with advertisers and networks. Also, there is no such thing as too much intel. The group has also been investigating intellectual property and copyright issues, and will soon post a summary of their findings.

Two charity fund-raising events are in the works. (At this stage, the charities in question are Make-A-Wish and Save The Children.) Notwithstanding the fact that this will raise our profile in the media, those are worthy causes, and other fandoms such as The X-Files have had successful experiences with such schemes -- and a lot of fun in the process.

We keep the pressure on SCI FI to release the first four seasons of Farscape by maintaining a constant stream of letters inundating their offices.

We target UPN and other networks, both by appealing to them directly, and by making ourselves known to their regular advertisers.

We issue monthly press releases, to keep the media in the loop.

We keep the site running and updated. We're just about to put up a primer for Farscape newbies.

Hopefully, this little recap helped put the To-Do Lists back in context for you. If we have increased their frequency, it's because we need to hit all the advertisers by January.

If you're ever too busy to take on a list, don't let that discourage you. Just pick up with the next one. Don't limit yourselves to the list, if you have time on your hands, and the impetus to act. We encourage fans to take initiative, be it placing flyers in their local bookstore, writing to their local newspaper, or posting flyers on campus, or any other idea they decide to implement on their own. If you want to report your efforts to us, that's fantastic, but don't worry too much about the campaigners. Worry about the show. Don't stop yourself from doing something that counts.

We also keep appraised of other organizers' initiatives. That's what the Webmasters' Association, which meets once a week, is for. Our staff is large, but we also have lives. It's necessary to spread the load, and learn some patience when we don't reply to a post or an email as speedily as some would like us to.

We didn't attract CNN's attention because we were a well-oiled machine, but because we were a spontaneous, but organized, grassroots movement using the technology at our disposal to make ourselves heard. And that's how we'll keep media attention.

This way to the newest Farscape Monday To-Do List.

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:: fialka 8:36 PM [+] ::

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FARSCAPE FRIDAY TO-DO LIST - 09/27/2002

We're asking you to write seven letters this weekend. Two are familiar, but we need to keep a steady stream of mail coming in, so don't let up now. The other five are the first set of advertisers. We've written a sample letter for you to crib from, but it really is better if you can take the time to fashion your own. There's some lovely watermark stationery adapted from the Wanted posters, should you wish to use that.


1) One letter to the SCI FI Channel:

Right now we need to shift the focus to asking Bonnie Hammer for reruns. Tell them we understand they can't afford to make another season, but at least make it available for people to watch. Ask them to consider selling the rights to the back 88 should another station wish to pick up the show. If they love it as much as they say they do, and they're as sorry about this as they say they are, letting the story finish elsewhere is the least they can do.

Bonnie Hammer
President
The Sci-Fi Channel
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020
Fax: 212-413-6531
Fax: 212-413-6522


2) One letter to UPN:

Lots of rumors floating about, most yay, a couple nay. We'll go with the yays. Be extra nice. They're the good guys. Tell them why you love the show, mention how well it would go with Enterprise and Buffy -- a nice bridge between the space show lovers and aficionados of the deep yet wacky -- and don't forget to list your demographics. Oh, and if you never did the UPN poll, now's a good time to remedy that.

Kevin Levy
Senior Vice-President, Schedule & Aquisitions
United Paramount Network
11800 Wilshire Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90025
Fax: 310 575 7210


3) Five letters to sponsors:

These five advertise on Enterprise, which has a similar demographic to Farscape. There'll be five more on Monday. If you've only got time to write to one, make it Blockbuster. We're working with them to ensure they stock all their outlets with the "Best of Season One" DVDs and so far they've been very responsive.


Jim Notarnicola
Executive VP and Chief Marketing Officer
Blockbuster
1201 Elm Street
Dallas, TX 75270
(214) 854-3000 phone
(214) 854-4848 fax

Blockbuster has also put up a poll asking which TV series you'd most like to own on DVD. This may have nothing to do with our request, but it sure can't hurt. Vote just once though -- we don't need to spam, Farscape *is* superior .


Pam Roy, Marketing Dept
Pizza Hut Corporate Office
7100 W. Jefferson Blvd
Fort Wayne, IN 46804
260-436-7100
260-436-0762 (fax)


John G. Middlebrook
General Manager, Marketing and Corporate Advertising
Pontiac (GMC)
Mail Code 482B38-A68
PO Box 200
Detroit, Michigan 48265-2000
313-556-5000 (main switchboard)


Kenji Kitatani, Ph.D.
Executive VP, Business Planning
Sony Corporation of America (mention Playstation in your letter)
550 Madison Ave
New York, NY 10022
212-833-6800


Orlando Ayala
Group VP, Worldwide Sales, Marketing, and Services
Microsoft (X-box)
One Microsoft Way
Redmond, WA 98052
(425) 882-8080
(425) 936-7329

======Sample Letter=======

As a sponsor of UPN's "Enterprise", you are probably aware of the recent cancellation of SCI FI's hit show Farscape, the international viewer response, and the rumors that the show may be picked up by UPN.

Media coverage of the Save Farscape campaign continues to grow, with articles appearing in national newspapers daily. A global rally is scheduled for October 5th, and CNN-Headline News plans to cover the event. As a result of the remarkable viewer and media response, the remaining eleven episodes which begin airing in January will draw unprecedented numbers, yet the airtime will be sold at prices based on the summer season's ratings. This could open an excellent window of opportunity for your company to gain access to a similar demographic, one which would remain loyal should the show then move to UPN.

Farscape viewers are an educated professional audience with a great deal of disposable income. As an added bonus, 48% of Farscape viewers are female, unusual for a science fiction show and closer to the percentage one would expect from shows such as The West Wing. As Renay San Migel of CNN-HLN said recently, Farscape is an advertiser's dream.

In addition, Farscape viewers have shown themselves to be an intensely loyal audience. This would also be an excellent time to contact UPN about the possibility of continuing to advertise on Farscape should the show move there. Any company willing to show support for the program now would be perceived as sympathetic, and therefore appealing, to a high-tech and educated demographic. I will be buying a new (..........) within the next calendar year, and in such an instance I would certainly buy a (..........), in thanks for your support.

As mere viewers, we know that we can only do so much. We hope that through seizing this opportunity to reach more viewers for less money, your dollars and our voice could pave the way together for this quality show to continue on UPN. Please look into this opportunity for your own benefit, but also to show that you recognize in us an audience you wish to keep reaching in the years to come.

Yours sincerely, etc

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:: fialka 7:08 PM [+] ::

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Comment, comments, who's got my comments...

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:: fialka 3:47 AM [+] ::

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something interesting I ran across while not writing my thesis proposal:

Henry Jenkins wrote the seminal work on participatory fan culture back in 1992 (Textual Poachers; NY: Routledge). Ten years on, Jenkins is urging academics to re-examine and challenge his original ideas in the light of changes in fan culture wrought by the internet and the blog revolution.

Food for thought, which I need before tonight's strategy meeting.

And how was your day?

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:: fialka 4:57 PM [+] ::

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Where Do We Go Now? A Plan, from the folks at savefarscape.com


First off, thanks to everyone who has helped with the campaign so far. The efforts this community has produced in just two short weeks has been phenomenal. It's already brought us, and the show, to the attention of the national and international press. We've engaged momentum. Now we've got to keep it going.

This is going to be a long campaign, and we're all going to need help if we want to be able to continue working to save Farscape and still have a life. There are lots of hands out there, lots of people asking for something concrete to do and some amount of time to do it. We'd like to make it easier for widespread fans to be coordinated so that we can focus our efforts.

What we're going to suggest now is A Plan for anyone who wants to work with savefarscape.com. We don't speak for the campaign as a whole, though we do hope everyone finds the To-Do Lists helpful, and tries to do at least that much. We've done really well on an ad-hoc basis, so this is not a change so much as an attempt to give a little more support to the people who did so much work last week.

The Concept

The idea is to work in circles, teams. Crews. At this point we've 'appointed' people to oversee various projects, based on the work they've already done. It's up to that person to collect a crew and structure it any way they like. The only thing we'd ask is that at least three people be completely informed of everything the crew is doing and be able to make decisions at all times. That way if one person is busy or unavailable, the whole project doesn't have to wait.

Each group will liaise with the website staff and SaveFarscapeAnnouncements so we can update the world on what we're doing. Once a week, someone from each crew will come to an online meeting where we'll discuss where we are and where we think it's best to go next. That designated representative then updates their crew. We'll start small and feel our way through, see how it works, but the long-term plan is to invite the fandom at large to attend.

So, sometime this week, there will be a list of crews and what they're doing published on FMD, and anyone who's interested in helping with one project or another can contact the crew leader. I'd like to stress again that these are guidelines for our projects, not rules for everybody. Mostly it's a way for us to get the most work done in the best way possible, by allowing folks to "specialize" in what they do best/want to do.

We are not trying to set ourselves up as some kind of absolute authority over the entire campaign, but we do hope that by co-ordinating ourselves we can help all the different groups stay pointed in the same direction. If you are doing your own project, you're not obliged to come to us for approval, but it would be good if you sent an announcement to SFA so we know what's being covered, and by whom. And we'll try to support you any way we can.

For example, a date has been chosen for a global rally, which is being organised by savefarscapecentral.com. We'd like to put a project in place that will happen on that weekend, something small that people who aren't in a rally town can do themselves. Hopefully, this will help SFC publicise their rally project and incite more of the media to cover the rallies themselves.


The Goal

A goal has been set: a 2.0 rating. But we're not all Nielsen families, so we must find another way to make ourselves matter. What we need right now is as much attention concentrated on Farscape as possible. The media, the networks, and the public, all watching US. And therefore watching the show. The only way we'll get our show back is to have a lot more people watching in January.

CNN picked up on the campaign as being about the internet and the revolt of viewers, not the cancellation of a show. We need to keep that in mind, playing that angle to sustain media interest. But we also need to get the show SEEN and it's not on right now.

The Plan

Point 1 -- The letter writing campaign. This is an offshoot of the Farscape Friday To-Do List. As far as SCI FI Channel is concerned, we need to shift the focus to demanding reruns. We want to go on contacting UPN and Showtime (and others if research shows it's plausible) and asking them to pick up the show. And we want to alert the sponsors to this potential huge audience they can have for cheap in January if they make enquiries about airtime now.

So every week, in addition to the ongoing letters to SFC and selected networks, we're going to target 10 sponsors. We'll have sample letters and addresses ready to go to make it easier for busy people, but we encourage you to write your own letters if you have time. We've targeted the sponsors in groups. First are those already advertising on Farscape. Next are those advertising during Enterprise and Buffy on UPN. Last, sponsors advertising on Stargate or other SFC shows, but not on Farscape.

We've scheduled UPN before the second SFC group because we think it's important to keep a gentle pressure on them. If sponsors start calling, they'll be heard much more easily than us. We will also research sponsorship on Showtime and see if it's worth hitting them as well.

Thanks to everyone who registered for the demographics database -- this is why we needed the data. And again, if you haven't registered, please do so. After the pure quality of the show, our demographics are the best reason for another network to buy Farscape.


Point 2: How do we get people to see the show if it's not on the air?

Blockbuster came out with the Best Of Season 1earlier this year, and they also rent the regular DVD/video releases. (The Best Of rents 6 eps for the price of two movies, not a bad deal.) We have a crew organising an ongoing Watch Farscape campaign to kick off on Oct 5, in support of the rallies. We're going to ask people to go to their local Blockbuster with flyers -- "You want to know what the fuss is about? Rent it here." Since we're drumming up business for them we doubt Blockbuster will mind very much, but the team is going to research all the logistics, get any necessary permissions, and find out what people have to do to get their local Blockbuster to order some DVDs/videos if they don't currently stock them. The team will be passing out the final plans through SFA at the end of the week, and if feasible, will continue to run this project until 422 airs at the end of March.

Netflix is an online DVD rental service, which already does stock all available DVDs. You pay a flat monthly fee, and you get up to three rentals out at any time, for as long as you like with no penalty. It's an excellent service and we highly recommend it. We're going to try to get them to give us a link on the relevant pages, and hopefully a small advert right on the main page. In return, we'll happily encourage prospective watchers to join their service to get Farscape DVDs.

People are already talking about having Farscape Friday parties, and we can't encourage that strongly enough. Not only will you make converts, but you'll make friends to blab Farscape with, and that sure can't hurt. We're presently looking into the copyright implications of trying to set up tape trees for people who can't copy tapes for friends, cost of tapes and postage reimbursed. More on that when we find out.

Point 3: "I Am Farscape" This is especially for January, but if you have a Farscape Friday party, there's no reason why you can't make a head start.

We don't get counted, us little folks who aren't Nielsens. So we have to MAKE them count us.
We're going to adapt the "I Am Farscape" posters into stationery with demographics and a watermark image which people can use to write a short letter. Alternately, the original posters can be sent as a simple, strong, visual statement (and yes, for those who've been asking, we will include some of the other characters ). Again, we're not saying you HAVE to use one or the other, but we can say the more people that do, the better -- it makes a huge statement of unity.

Every week, after Farscape airs, we will fill in our demographics and the episode title, and send it to SFC, Showtime and UPN. We're going to put this call out across electronic fandom, via the media, flyers -- as widely as we can. If FS got a 1.4 million share for 411, can you imagine if even 10% of that audience did this?


Point 4: Everyone who can write, do it. Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper. Write articles for internet press, etc. Talk about the campaign on your blogs. Keep us in the public eye. We'll have samples for you to use for ideas and to pick up the appropriate jargon. Remember, it's the internet campaign that interests the media, not the cancellation itself. CNN, etc, everyone's interested in a group of rabble rousers coming from the internet to revolutionize the way television is sold -- The Little Fandom That Could.

What we're talking about here is more than Farscape: it's television and how it's run. Some of the media personalities liked the show and have a personal spark to add, but the debates outlined above are mainstream topics. What is television and why does the industry so often fail the best products of the medium? What do producers and networks owe us, the audience, when we agree to listen to a story? With the establishment of so much original programming in the cable market, are the Nielsens even relevant anymore? These, and others, are questions many agree it's time to ask.


What we've outlined above is not all we will do, and it's certainly not all YOU can do. We encourage everyone to continue to submit ideas to the boards. You can hash ideas out there, and formulate plans with others. This works better than emailing Red or other savefarscape.com staff members personally. We all check the boards frequently, so if you throw an idea out there, we'll see it and if it seems viable we'll give you all the help we can.

More on Friday...

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:: fialka 5:08 PM [+] ::

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Let's start with a laugh

Go here.

Come back when you're done giggling. The Plan should be hatched by then.

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:: fialka 1:07 AM [+] ::

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Before you give up...

Read these words. I wish DK had been able to say all this in chat. I'm delighted he finally had an opportunity to say it somewhere.

We are so not over. So not over. Take a day, take a weekend. Do the laundry that's towering in the corner (speaking for myself? Nah.). Spend some time away from all this. The letters we sent last week are still arriving. Breathe. Rest.

But before you do that, read this, and prepare to roll up your sleeves. On Monday we're going to have a sustained, carefully targetted game plan to take us through the next three months. A framework to hold all those wonderful ideas that have been pouring into our inboxes all week. We're going to have A Plan.

Our show needs a 2.0 rating to negotiate a 5th season? Fine. We're gonna get it for them.

= = = = =
Transcribed by feldman
INTERSTELLAR TRANSMISSIONS, SEPT 20TH 2002

Host: [voiced over Sousa's "Stars and Striped Forever"] What makes America great? Is it the fact that we have the freedom of choice? Is it the fact that we could just go ahead and tell our elected officials what we want to do because hell, we voted them in in the first place? It could be the same thing with science fiction television programs. And of course this goes back as far as 1968 when Bjo Trimble led that grass-roots effort to save Star Trek and have NBC realize that there were viewers for the show on a Friday night, and in the end result a third season. Added to the fact that if it weren't for Bjo and that grass-roots effort, well, we probably wouldn't have a Star Trek mythos, but then again that could be wishful thinking. And at the same time that's most important, two weeks ago Farscape was cancelled by the Sci-Fi Channel and in the end result all hell broke loose in a grass-roots effort that has just about rivaled Bjo Trimble's Save Star Trek Campaign about 34 years ago. It's unbelievable what's happened and joining right us now on a broadcast of interstellar transmissions we have David Kemper for the balance of the hour. He is the Executive Producer as well as Head Writer for Farscape. David, live from Australia, welcome to the broadcast of Interstellar Transmissions.

DK: Thank you very much. How're you doing?

Host: We're doing great, thanks. We'd feel a lot better if the Sci-Fi Channel didn't--how can we say this?--didn't take advantage of that little escape clause because your show was I think the only Sci-Fi Channel original program that was renewed for an unprecedented two season. And I can only name about maybe five television programs overall that have been renewed for two or more seasons and yet they decided to go ahead and pull the plug with no reason whatsoever, without so much as a by-your-leave and everything just goes crazy from there.

DK: Well, you've got to remember in all fairness they do have their reasons. They're not reasons that we all like, but they do have their reasons. Their rational is in, a way sound, from a network perspective. I worked at a network for ten years, so I can understand it, ash, I don't agree with it. In this case, I think, it's wrong. But their rational--they have reasons, they can list them. I think they have, also, he-men.

Host: Well I though it was interesting they had put together a huge ad campaign that put back-to-back Stargate SG1, which was coming off of a Showtime network in it's original run, and comparing the adventures of Rich Anderson, who's playing the Colonel on Stargate to the adventures of Ben Browder's character. So what was the expectation of the ad campaign when the series premiered that generated, I guess, a sense of disappointment?

DK: Well, first of all, we weren't wild about the campaign. The shows are different. Normally in television, when you're dealing with a lot of shows and you have seven nights and three hours, on a bigger network, of programming, you can mix and match audiences that would watch Cheers and then watch Frasier. You put Frasier behind Cheers and maybe you've got something. But it's a smaller channel, they don't have as much product to pair us up with. We kept waiting over the years for something that would be perfect to go before or after Farscape and a lot of things that got put in, Lexx and Black Scorpion and Invisible Man, they never gelled. The audiences aren't the same. And so the audience, Stargate brings a huge audience to the Sci-Fi Channel by virtue of where it used to play but they may not be the same people that are watching Farscape. So trying to say "they're one and the same show, if you like one, you're going to like the other"--I think an expectation was built up in their minds that "this is a sure thing, this is a fit, look, hero and hero, huh, what could be better?" when in fact the shows, both good, are completely different. So the audience for one may not stick around to watch the other. That doesn't indicate a failing, that simply means they're not the same audience. I think that internally, they were hoping "goodness, these numbers, every single person from one show is gonna watch the other and we'll be rich rich rich". It doesn't work that way.

Host: Quick question, looking forward to the future, ADV the people who are distributing the Farscape video in America at least have announced for their display for [HipCon?] 2002 they're going to be hyping Farscape the animated series, being a 26 episode anime. Do you know anything about this?

DK: Personally no. I'm doing the live action, heh-heh, I did a live-action actor one. I know that there are things that go on within the Henson Company, which is my parent organization, but I am not up yet on all the [bee-ulds?]. I suppose I'll know everything shortly, but I've been busy doing the work. We're still post-producing the episodes here. We've got a lot of work to do to go on [gnawing?] of the last 11, what stand to be the last 11 episodes of Farscape at the moment.

Host: [re-intro and thanks to Tracy Gilbert of Henson for setting up the interview] And we do have a number of people who do have some questions for you, David, so let's go ahead and go to the first one. We have Andy calling from Cape Kroll, Florida, you're on a broadcast of Interstellar Transmission, what's your question for Dave Kemper tonight?

Andy: I'd like to tell David that I am a huge huge fan of the show, I've been a fan since Day One. I've personally turned 23 people onto the show. We love the show. We're flying out to the convention in Burbank, I'm wondering if he'll be attending?

DK: Well, I've got an answer and then a question for you.

Andy: Okay.

DK: I don't know if I'll be attending this year. It's real close to Thanksgiving, and for four or five years I haven't been able to spend Thanksgiving with my family. And I have lots of family in Detroit, and I never get back there, because I've been in Australia. So I'm still debating which part of the country I'll be sitting in when the turkey gets rolled out. I've got a quick question for you.

Andy: Sure.

DK: If you turned this many people on to the show, which I think is fabulous, just my question is, when you watch the show do you watch it alone, or do you watch it with people?

Andy: I was in the chat room last night when you were talking about this and um--

DK: Yeah.

Andy: I watch it alone. As a matter of fact I got people hooked on it via videos.

DK: Okay, because a lot of our fans, we know, watch in groups and that, we were talking, I've been talking about this and Sci-Fi, we were all aware of it, you know that will hurt our demographics and the Nielsen. It's almost like a party show. People do get together on Friday night. That's one of the things that ends up hurting a show sometimes. You know, we're not Cheers, we're not on NBC, so we don't have the audience access that West Wing has. We're a niche cable channel and if you lose 10% of your audience, not really lose them, but they're watching with someone else, it makes a huge impact on the ratings. So I was just curious and as long as I've got you on the line I thought I'd ask you.

Host: [cuts off Andy before he can ask another question and re-introduces Kemper] Let's go to Princeton, New Jersey where Kevin is on the line. Kevin, you're on the air now with David Kemper.

Kevin: Hey Dave, how're you doing tonight?

DK: I'm good, how are you?

Kevin: Or this morning, their time.

DK: Right now it's about 9:45 here a Saturday morning.

Kevin: Yep, see that's what I thought. Dave, first of all, thanks for the show.

DK: Later on I'll tell you guys what's going to happen, you know, later tonight for you guys. It's just one of those night you won't want to spend inside, you know. Well we had all the Farscape people, we had a barbecue at Rowan Wood's house last night and I can tell you how the night turns out, okay?

Kevin: Great. Dave, one of the things that a lot of people are asking is, "what do we do now?" A lot of people have been really busting their butts in the last couple weeks to make it known that the show is popular, make it known that people want to see the show. But at this point, you know, people are like "okay, what do we do now?" And the other question is what about alternative networks, there's a lot of rumors going around about one specific network that is interested--

DK: Which network are you hearing?

Kevin: UPN.

DK: Yeah, that's a pretty good network. Personally, I've written for Star Trek in various incarnations. I know all those guys, I'm in touch with Brannon Braga all the time. And Star Trek, he's head of the network of course, that does the show. If I was a fan I'd start calling UPN and say "gee, wouldn't Farscape go great after Enterprise?". Umm, what can the fans do? Well my question is, "hey, what can we do?".

We were all at the barbeque last night and we were all sitting around a table and a lot of the actors a lot of the producers, directors, the creative people, and Claudia, we were joking and Claudia goes "okay, so what TV show am I gonna be on next?" and we all played the game about which bad TV show we were all gonna end up on, calling each other saying "I hate this job! I hate this job!" <{> So, hell with you, what do we do?!? What do the fans do? This is something that Ben first suggested which I put in the chat yesterday which I think is great. Sci-Fi Channel said that we were under performing, that's part of the reason that they got rid of us, and to me, I gotta be honest, it makes no sense. We're just barely below the ratings that we did last year--

Kevin: Give...example...Nielsen ratings?

DK: --in comparison now to a show that gets a higher audience. Maybe, you know, there are certain factions within Sci-Fi, it's not a uniform decision, I'll just say that. There are people who love the show and are disappointed by the decision, there's other people, you get into a battle and some people want to free up the money that it costs to make Farscape so that they can make their own shows, put their stamp on things. That happens at every network, whenever there's a transition. This network only has two original shows, one home-grown--Farscape, and one that they got from somewhere else, so there's not a lot of places to cut it. You want to get money back and the ratings are a bit higher for Stargate so you cut the other one, with barely an understanding of how the fans love the show, without looking at the fans. What can you do? You know, the last caller was saying--it was a huge--23 people (I'm tired, I'm sorry). You get so many people watching the next 11 eps that we blow the ratings through the roof. That's in January, guys, that's three months from today. So a lot can happen.

If we come back in January with a couple eps that are sky-high in ratings--and the critics love us, I've talked to a lot of critics and they're shocked--the ratings go through the roof, something's gonna happen. Because that's what it's about. And so, that would be my goal, is just to sit back, [spend an arn so laughing?]. Because we do have a lot of fans and maybe they tape it and maybe the Nielsen ratings aren't in the right houses, you never know. We know there's more people that were undercounted, so does Sci-Fi, that always happens in a small cable channel. Just get people to watch the show. Use your energy and thoughts and resources to get people to watch the show. And if they watch the show, I would suspect there'll be more show, because it's "give the people what they want" at the bottom, and when the people speak even the most recalcitrant ears sometimes get the wax pulled out.

Host: Indeed on that. Kevin, thank you for your call by the way. And with that, obviously since ratings is the bottom line a question we got as an email from Lauren in Pompano Beach, Florida, which is not too far down the road here: "Would that lose momentum of the campaign if we wait too long for that? Considering the fact that if the ratings are high enough, this whole Save Farscape campaign might just be a moot point?"

DK: Well, this is real interesting. I had a discussion with the Sci-Fi people and I said "take a look at what's happening. this is insane." I mean, it's really flattering by the way, all the core people from Farscape were together last night, and we're a bit, well, we're humbled. I mean that, really. We just "can you believe it?". Because we're in Australia, the show doesn't even air here. So we don't walk, Ben Browder and Claudia and Anthony and Gigi, they don't get to walk down the street and have people go "hey! you're Chiana!". It's not on the air here. So you don't get the feedback loop. Now, we're getting the feedback loop and we're going "who are these people?" I mean they really love the show. We were just making the show like a little community theatre. We'd get together and we'd paint a set and someone makes a costume and then a couple people write some lines and other people say them and we're kinda stunned that people are going "wow, it's our favorite show!". And we're not stupid, we just didn't know it was this big.

Now, can people sustain this momentum, is there an outlet for it? I said to Sci-Fi "put us back on in re-runs at ten o'clock. there'll be so much buzz that new people are going to tune-in and get hooked on the show". They're gonna tune-in and say "what's this fuss about?". They said, "well the repeats of Stargate are getting higher ratings than the repeats that you would get at ten". And I said, "but you don't want to be the all Stargate network. here's an opportunity to have new people sample our show, so even if for the next four weeks our rating and re-runs are down a bit compared to what Stargate will get you, you might be getting new fans who'll stay with your whole network, which aggregately over time, is a benefit". And there was a bit of deafness there. And I thought, my goodness, if I'm at a network, and I was for a decade, I was at CBS, and this kind of groundswell is happening, I'm treating these fans like they're my best friend. I'm saying to my advertisers "see these loyal people out there, see these Farscapers, these 'Scapers?". I want these people in my camp. I want to do anything I can to get these damn people.

If they called us and said "we're gonna run some special Farscapes, would you people come on and do commentary before and after, even though they're re-runs?". We could think of a million ways to make re-runs into an event. We could do live DVD commentary from Australia over the broadcast. We could turn the sound of the broadcast down and let the actors and the producers and directors talk over the images that our fans know. We could turn this, with creative thinking, we could turn this into such momentum. But I'm not getting the creative thinking. And the creative thinking is down here in Sydney at the moment. And I think there was an underestimation of the groundswell and that's what the fans can do, is they can say "oh why the hell isn't it even on in re-runs right now?".

It's almost like the fans voice--well look, it's a business so sometimes if they get rid of a product, if Coca-Cola drops a product and the fans scream it's just not economical for Coke to make the product, we all have to be aware of that. Just because it's our favorite show doesn't mean it's gonna get back on. But boy oh boy, those re-runs exist and they have 'em and we're willing to do things. It's kind of like "let's go, let's go, let's do something". And I think that's where the energy should be focused.

Host: Exactly. {Re-introduction of DK] Fans are waiting on the line to speak with you, let's go to Kyle out of Boston, Massachusetts. Kyle, you're on a broadcast of Interstellar Transmissions, what's your question tonight for David Kemper?

Kyle: Hello Mr. Kemper, just wanted to say that your show has made a big difference on people and prior to it being cancelled I had never written or called a company before. I guess I should get to the question.

DK: Thank you very much.

Kyle: It seems from all the stuff that, I've really over the last couple of weeks gotten into researching this stuff on Sci-Fi and trying to make a difference, that it really seems the network is gearing more toward just getting rid of their science fiction programming in favor of getting something that think would, quote-unquote, go to a broader audience.

Host: Exactly, exactly. In fact, I understand that the Sci-Fi Channel is looking right now--I just got this information from Sci-Fi--apparently they're submitting this, they want viewers to submit their dreams for possible analysis on an upcoming original reality series "The Dream Team". So apparently it's not so much the Sci-Fi Channel as much as it's the New Age Channel.

Other Host: Hey, I've got a dream: how about they put Farscape back on Sci-Fi?

Host: Exactly, exactly.

DK: [through laughter] Well, let me jump in. Cause I'm just thinking this through. One of the things, this is one of our arguments. Look, I lost a lot of sleep and I'm hoarse from being up, you know, these weird hours Because you guys are in Florida, same time zone and I'd be up at three, four in the morning when it would be two in the afternoon there having, yelling. Our audience, to my knowledge, and I'm easily easily corrected by anyone including Sci-Fi and I don't have a problem with that, but our audience is the best demographics that they're gonna get in terms of women, in terms of the prime groups that they would want, that advertisers would want to sell to.

Host: Oh definitely across the board, yeah.

DK: Yeah, so to say "I want to broaden my audience", well it goes back to the--I won't get into specifics because it's not fair at this point--the marketing campaign that was supposed to be in January of this year I rejected and Ben Browder rejected. And it basically equated Stargate with Farscape. Not to get specific. But to say "it's the same thing, if you like one, you're gonna love the other". No. Farscape is a love story. It's not even science fiction. The reason people are passionate, it's not your father's science fiction. It's weird. We're totally--we are a completely dysfunctional group of people and we all belong on a boat in the middle of the ocean where no one can be contaminated by us. But, fortunately, we've been able to make a television show together. And it's different.

And if people who--if we were airing at Fox, they might say "oh yeah yeah, it's science fiction but you've gotta watch it, it's got character and love and romance" but because we're at a place, and Sci-Fi's aware of this, with the name 'Sci-Fi Channel' a lot of non-sci-fi fans who will watch Buffy and say "oh, Buffy's not sci-fi", they won't watch us, because we're here. And that's not a slam against Sci-Fi, that is the name. So they're trying to broaden, they want to reach more people. My attitude is, you've got, we're not a bunch of 14 year old boys staring at the poster going[???]

We have middle-aged people, the letters I get are from mothers and housewives and grandmothers and there's a woman in [Maine?] with six kids and two grandkids and we have this group of people that I think Sci-Fi should be building upon. And instead at the moment, they're shunning them and saying "well we'll start over and try to find some way--" Oh. That's the Farscape phone ringing, I'll just turn it off. Um,

Host: Actually if it means much we're running out of time.

DK: Okay.

Host: And I feel bad about this, though I do want to ask you this.

DK: I'll come back if there are questions on another day.

Host: I'll tell you what, I'm thinking about that for next week if that's okay because obviously we want to make sure that, we gotta keep on top of this situation until there's a rightful conclusion, whether or not Sci-Fi doesn't appreciate you or what.


DK: Well Tracey at Henson, and she'll make everything happen for you.


Host: Very well. Our apologies to all the other callers who tried to get on here, obviously didn't with time constraints. David Kemper thank you so much for being on our broadcast of Interstellar Transmissions tonight and talking to the most important group of people that matter to Farscape, the fans. Crackers do matter

DK laughs.

Host: And I'm not saying this just cause we're from Florida.

---

:: fialka 4:16 PM [+] ::

---

We're back and Kemper's got us--

Interesting stuff in DK's InterstellarDimensions interview, supplied by Free Pilot. Though the sound quality is not great, listen carefully. This is very much what we've been needing to hear.

UPN, folks. Have at 'em.

---

:: fialka 3:34 AM [+] ::

---

It's 5am here, and I'm too tired to think

Been up all night every night for two weeks, working on LA time. So I'm going to let Makiko speak for me.

Yeah, what she said. And what I've said already, below.

---

:: fialka 4:59 AM [+] ::

---

and after a tiring night...

A smile for your morning coffee


Felt like staying in bed with the covers over my head this morning, but I did some blog surfing instead. Hard not to feel like whatever you do, it's just not enough, but keeping up with friends also matters. And I do feel better, to see that the people I know best in the fandom are all still hanging in solid.

But yeah, it was a hard night last night, and a frustrating one. And a little bit scary. Between the disinformation from SCI FI, the no information from everywhere else... I see people bailing all over the place and I have to ask: What did you expect? That the mouse would roar and the elephant would immediately fall to its knees and beg our forgiveness?

The mouse is still roaring and people have heard. Look around. There are articles, blurbs, CARTOONS everywhere. Ads in the Hollywood Reporter, a trade magazine, being upgraded by the magazine itself. Even the industry insiders are behind us.

So, where do we stand? Well, the elephant hasn't changed its mind yet, but it has heard the roar and it's frantically trying to cover its nether regions while the media kicks it in the butt. Farscape is on everybody's lips and it won't be quickly forgotten. But here's the really interesting bit: it's not the cancellation that's news, it's us. The members of a small fandom taking on the corporate elephant via the internet.

And winning. Because as discouraging as the last couple of days have seemed, we are. We may not have the show back yet, but we've got the attention of half the frelling planet. Not bad for an itsy-bitsy spaceship show with a teensy-tiny online fandom. The time to walk away and say we tried and failed isn't even close to hand. Not when we've got them running scared.

Yes, scared. See SCI FI madly spinning numbers to make it sound as if the show failed because it didn't out-perform Stargate, yet fail to mention it was still the second highest-rated show on the network. If they hadn't bought Stargate, with its pre-packaged audience (garnered by five years on a cable movie channel with a much wider distribution network), it would still be the first. And if they're going to keep killing their second-best shows, I'd hate to see what they're going to leave themselves with.

The simple truth is Michael Jackson doesn't like Farscape. He ordered SCI FI to offer less than the contracted amount and Henson cannot make up the difference. David Kemper would rather let the show hang from a cliff for now, than settle for a forced, half-assed resolution that we're all going to hate. And frankly, I'm with him. As long as the story remains unfinished, we can fight for the chance to tell it well.

And I will. That's what I remembered when I was surfing my friends' blogs. Who is at fault is not the question. The real question we need to ask ourselves right now is only this: Do you love the show? Do you want to know how the story ends?

If the answer is yes, then don't do what SCI FI is expecting us to do, is banking on us doing. Don't give up because *they* say we should. Until DK tells us to stop -- which from what little we've been able to find out does NOT seem to be the message they wanted to deliver last night -- keep pounding SCI FI Channel.

Because you know what else? Even if it isn't going to help, doesn't it feel GREAT to annoy the frell out of them right now?

---

:: fialka 12:37 PM [+] ::

---

Earlybird Friday To-Do List

As most of you probably know, the chat at irc.scifi.com #farscape has been rescheduled for tomorrow night.

Absence of information doesn't mean absence of action, however. We may not have precise news, but as far as we've been able to gather we are still where we were two days ago, and the Save Farscape campaign is still on track.

One request we'd like to put out -- we're trying to sell the show to UPN and Showtime by showing massive viewer support, but it might not be in our best interest to tie up their phones and fax machines right now. Although we've been told that the Showtime request to use their website interface is just a dodge to keep us out of their hair, we do think it's probably best to let them get on with business. Snail and email only to those places would probably serve us better than all-out attack. There's no reason to stop using the Showtime interface, however, just in case they really are counting that. Go to: http://sho.com/util/custhelp.cfm . Select Technical, and use Farscape as the subject. Works for international IPs as well.

As for the To-Do list, we know you're all dying to deluge Michael Jackson. So here it is: Free the Farscape 88. Posters once again available at:

Have at 'em.

Michael Jackson
The Sci-Fi Channel
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020

Phone: 212-413-5000
Extensions = the first letters/numbers of the last name
Fax # 212-413-6531, 212-413-6522, 1-212-413-6503

Programming Phone: (212) 413-5821
Comment Line: (212) 413-5577
New Comment Line: 212-413-5679

email: mjackson@usanetworks.com

---

:: fialka 4:49 AM [+] ::

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Something to do while waiting for chat

Pssst. Put down the coffee. Now go here.

---

:: fialka 12:01 AM [+] ::

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Message from Maayan:

I just received the following from Ricky Manning:


DK, me, and POSSIBLY Ben want to address the troops in #Farscape --
10 am Thu 19 Sept Sydney time, which is
5p Wed 18 Sept Pacific time, 8p Eastern time.


Ben might not make it, and they might be a bit late, but it's definitely happening.

Spread the word, please.

---

:: fialka 3:21 PM [+] ::

---

The Emergency Wednesday To-Do List

My inbox is full of emails and forwards of emails, demanding that the Farscape people come forward with information. All I can say is, when it's possible for them to do so, I'm sure they will.

Actually, I can say this as well: The To-Do lists are made from information gathered nightly from sources closer to this than we are. What we hope to do is point people in the direction that looks like it will be most effective. They're not all you can do, and we're not the only ones trying to gather information. Use them if they make sense, ignore them if they don't. That's all we can do until we have some concrete news.




Emergency Wednesday To-Do List - "A Home for Farscape"

If you've been following the Save Farscape campaign, you might already have heard about the CNN-HN broadcast with Ben Browder on Tuesday night. While it's hard to make any accurate assessment of the situation, based on his statement that it looks like there will be no season 5 on SCI FI Channel, we've pushed our original Wednesday homework back to Friday. What we need now is an instantaneous response, directed at UPN and Showtime. We need to show them how many viewers they stand to gain by picking up the show.

Maayan has adapted the posters to say Wanted: A Home For Farscape Season 5. Go here. Print a poster. Add a letter if you like. Send. Overnight if you can.

As the seer said, "Don't lose hope yet."

We're not.

from the folks at SaveFarscape.com

===============

UPN

Todd Lituchy, Sr VP, Sched & Aquisitions
United Paramount Network
11800 Wilshire Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90025

Phone: 310-575-7000
fax: 310 575 7210
E-mail: feedback@upn.com


SHOWTIME

Matthew Duda, Executive VP, Acquisitions and Planning
Gary Levine, VP, Original Programming

Showtime Networks
10880 Wilshire Blvd. Stes. 1500 & 1600
Los Angeles, CA 90024

phone 310-234-5200

---

:: fialka 4:53 AM [+] ::

---

"Save Farscape" lives

Some people have noticed the savefarscape.com addy is experiencing problems. Don't panic -- the site is still up and running at http://farscape.wdsection.com -- the problem is only with the referral.

Today's mini-homework: please continue to spread the word about going to register your stats. No names involved, just demographic information. We need the most accurate picture of the online fandom as we can get, and we need it by midnight, EST. And many thanks to the 1,700 of you who went to register yesterday, bringing the total to just under 3,000 (now if you all continue to drop your I Am Farscape posters on Bonnie Hammer, too...wow!) We're also looking for the person who designed the counter -- if that's you, or if anyone who knows where to reach him/her please drop me a note.




Great things are happening all over the internet -- now that we've gotten on top of the To-Do List homework (yup, we've got A Plan for Wednesday), I went trawling around via links provided by friends. We've moved out of the realm of cult entertainment and into just about every nook and cranny imaginable -- we've even got a blurb on a site devoted to designing Mac icons.

And look what you see when you go to buy the FS DVDs at Amazon.com (scroll below the pretty covers). Is that cool, or what?



Then there's this, excerpted from Matt Roush's new column Ask Matt:

I can't get personally involved in such campaigns, but I would never discourage fans from writing Sci Fi or other networks. There's no guarantee that a dedicated campaign will pay off, but I'm sure that an apathetic response to the cancellation would ensure Farscape's extinction. Look what happened to Babylon 5, which was able to eke out several TV movies and who knows what else. Farscape may have a future beyond Sci Fi — on another network, in another format (big screen, anime, TV movies) — but the way to see that happen is not to lose faith in the show or in its creative personnel.

Yo, Matt! Can I give you a hug?

---

:: fialka 1:18 PM [+] ::

---

Beware the Yahoo!Singapore article

By now you've probably all seen or heard of an article that appeared on Yahoo!Singapore stating that the "big meeting" is over and we've lost our fight.

Before everyone gets their knickers in a twist, I'd like to refer you all to three salient points:

1) the article was supposedly pulled off the Associated France-Presse wire. However, a search of that website shows no such article. Nor does a search of Reuters or any other reputable source of news.

2) Look at the dateline. The article was filed at 3:33pm on Monday, September 16th. That would make it 1am Sunday morning in New York.

3) Does anyone really think that the first place on the planet to carry such news would be Yahoo!Singapore? If anything, the article is most likely a confused rehashing of last week's events. We all also know that what's printed in the media isn't necessarily the truth. IGN, anyone?

I understand the frustration of having no news but please, let's not start grabbing at things and driving ourselves into a frenzy. Or worse, giving up. It's over when DK tells us to stop. If you're not planning to stick around that long, at least wait for a piece of news from an unimpeachable source.

And now, because the "I Am Farscape" campaign is set to continue with another set of targets, we'd like to ask you all to do something constructive. If you haven't already registered your stats at http://farscape.noidea.us/fanscape/ please take this time to do so. We need the stats for Wednesday's To-Do list.

And please, feel free to pass this announcement around. Keep cool, keep calm, keep printing those posters and sending them to Bonnie Hammer. (http://divinecollective.bitchenvy.com/IAmFarscape.html)

Thanks very much,
Fialka, Cofax and Maayan
ListMods, SaveFarscapeAnnouncements

---

:: fialka 3:22 AM [+] ::

---

For distribution everywhere you hang out:

=====

The Monday To-Do - "I AM FARSCAPE"

For two days starting tomorrow, Monday, September 16th, we are asking all 'Scapers to take part in "I Am Farscape" - an international action in conjunction with the rally in New York. CNN-HN is also rumoured to be doing an update segment on Tuesday, and we'd like to give them and other media some good visuals to pick up.

What is "I Am Farscape"? Well, just that. It's a campaign to make the audience demographics tangible to the folks at SCI FI using their own "I am SCI FI" campaign, and to pave the way for a later push involving the show's advertisers.

We know this is very short notice, but if you live in a major city, please try to get a group of friends together to do this. We've made posters for your use (and many thanks to Maayan and Arne for the fabulous design). Print out as many as you think you can use. Fill in your demographic information with a big black marker (check the list of advertisers at the end of this announcement and mention as many as you can. Please put your age and gender by your name as well) Then go to high-trafficked areas in your city and plaster walls, street signs, lampposts and the like. We want a big visual spectacle, folks, so think in wallpaper terms. Ellie has also designed a fabulous flyer that you can hand out to people if they ask what on earth you're doing. {grin}

One word of warning: many cities have places where it is illegal to post flyers. Do be careful not to post at any of those. We're not encouraging anyone to get arrested.

In addition to this (and especially for those of us abroad) we're asking everyone to print a poster, fill it in, tape or glue a photo of yourself in the top right-hand corner and mail it to:

Bonnie Hammer, President
The Sci-Fi Channel
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020

If you can afford overnight mail, so much the better, but send it regular even if you can't. And if you're on lists for other fandoms, please help by asking them to print a poster and send one too. There is a condensed version of this announcement lower down, which you can just cut, paste and forward around. Let's see if we can deluge them with our faces, make ourselves real, not some faceless 'audience'.

Press releases, for those that want to try to alert the media in their area, will be available shortly and another announcement will be made with the URL. Please, do not send releases to the media on anyone else's behalf -- leave that to the discretion of the people doing the action. The major news media will be contacted by the media team. Email them at sfmedia@wdsection.com if you have any further questions. And please, let us know what happens at SaveFarscapeAnnouncements@yahoogroups.com when you're done!

----------
Farscape advertisers:

A-1 * Ace Hardware * American Express * Best Buy * Cingular Wireless * Dell Computers * Ford * Honda * KFC * Kia * Mazda * Nautilus Sleep Systems * Orkin * Taco Bell * Visa * Volkswagen * Wrangler

==========

for distribution to non-FS boards and lists:

Subject: "I AM FARSCAPE"

What is "I Am Farscape"? Well, just that. It's a campaign to make the audience demographics tangible to the folks at SCI FI using their own "I am SCI FI" campaign.

We know this is very short notice, but if you watch Farscape (or even if you don't!) we're asking for your help.

We've made posters available at: http://divinecollective.bitchenvy.com/IAmFarscape.html (and many thanks to Maayan and Arne for the fabulous design). What we'd like you to do is pick a character and print one out. Fill in your demographic information with a big black marker (check the list of advertisers at the end of this announcement and mention as many as you can.) Tape or glue a photo of yourself in the top right-hand corner and mail it to:

Bonnie Hammer, President
The Sci-Fi Channel
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020

If you can afford overnight mail, so much the better, but send it regular even if you can't. That also goes for folks outside the US. Farscape has an international audience; you can really help us demonstrate that. Let's see if we can deluge them with our faces, make ourselves real, not some faceless 'audience'.

Last, feel free to forward this request anywhere you like. And many thanks for letting Save Farscape go OT on your forum. Your one letter might be just what we need to turn the tide.

Fialka
ListMod, SaveFarscapeAnnouncements

For further information on the campaign to save Farscape, go to: http://savefarscape.com/

We now return you to your scheduled discussion.

----------
Farscape advertisers:

A-1 * Ace Hardware * American Express * Best Buy * Cingular Wireless * Dell Computers * Ford * Honda * KFC * Kia * Mazda * Nautilus Sleep Systems * Orkin * Taco Bell * Visa * Volkswagen * Wrangler

---

:: fialka 3:46 AM [+] ::

---

Let me speak for no one but myself.

I'm hearing a lot of people calling for direction, leadership, even talking about holding elections, demanding that the people who run the blogs and sites start talking to each other and co-ordinate their efforts.

I want to assure you all that this is already happening, that it's been happening for quite some time by its own natural process as people find each other and make connections to those they didn't know before.

I wouldn't call it a committee. I certainly wouldn't say We Are The Leaders. What I would say is that a lot of sharp minds from various blogs and websites have been brainstorming all week, trying to come up with concrete ideas to keep everyone facing in the same direction and to sustain momentum for a long campaign without wearing people out. Networks are forming to get accurate information out as quickly and widely as possible. The Save Farscape Announcements list, for example, now has a whopping 1,279 members. (And please, as a listmod let me take this moment to beg you all *not* to send strategy ideas there. SFA is announcements only, we would all die under the traffic if it was open for discussion. The best places for strategising are the boards and lists, wherever you're most comfortable hanging out. When you've got your information collected or your action planned, send *that* in, and we'll gladly post it.)

In this crazy time, as everyone is scrambling to organise, I think it's important to remember that "Save Farscape" belongs to all of us. Ideas are coming from everywhere. No one is in charge, but people are finding each other, working together, talking, trying to share information and share out the workload so we're not duplicating each other's efforts. Not all of that is visible unless you read every single post on every single board. But rest assured, communication is good. Whatever people come up with in their various groups, when the details are worked out, you'll see them everywhere.

I'll give an example: on Friday, Maayan, Cofax and I posted a Farscape Friday To-Do List. No committee, no nothing, it was just something we three discussed and decided to do. We wrote it up and sent it out to all the big sites and boards. People picked it up off those and sent it to their own places, put it on their blogs. Within hours, the To-Do list was posted in some form in just about every venue in the fandom. (and thanks, btw, to everyone for passing the word along.)

No one has to follow that list, people just received the information and chose to post it because they found it useful. Fandom is an anarchy, and one of the definitions of anarchy is that leadership exists only in the moment that someone decides someone else is worth listening to. The only valuable leadership is that which arises via concensus. There can be many leaders in this campaign, and there are, just as there have always been many websites, and many blogs. As long as people don't start working at cross-purposes, that shouldn't be a problem. It hasn't been before. No fandom is ever in perfect agreement, but this one always seemed to get along quite well. No reason that should change now.

So.

Cofax and Maayan and I are going to continue to put out the To-Do list. These are *always* suggestions, not marching orders. The only order I think we all need to follow is DO NOT send actual crackers anywhere. To quote M from the original post: It doesn't mean that this is ALL you HAVE to do, or all you CAN do. NOT AT ALL.

Everyone is free to think up their own ways to "Save Farscape" and I hope people are, and that they'll post about what they're doing on their favourite board, or on their blogs. Believe me, if the idea is good, it'll get passed along.

We're going to keep doing this every Friday, with slight updates and additions on Monday and Wednesday. In that way, we're going to try to give some structure to the letter-writing side of the campaign, which needs to go on while we're coming up with louder, bolder ideas. If you find the To-Do list useful, pass it on everywhere you hang out. Ignore it if you don't.

I'm going to end with something I wrote in response to the Filmforce article, because I think it's apropos to be said here at this time:

This campaign is about publicly acknowledging the outstanding quality of the series, the years of intense dedication and hard work that went into the making of something even the critics agree is extraordinary. It's about letting the people in Sydney know that we understand what losing the show means to them, that it means that much to us as well. It's about giving something back to those who have given us so much. It is about fighting as John Crichton taught us to: for love, not anger.

If we save the show along the way, so much the better.

Homework to follow. {G}

---

:: fialka 8:09 PM [+] ::

---

There was an update to the To-Do List, but Blogger ate it

And at 5am, I didn't have the heart to try to recreate it. Check back here tomorrow for Sunday's homework assignment.

Till then, there's this: http://www.tachyon-tv.co.uk/news.htm and this: http://www.gamespy.com/comics/dorktower/

And a big hug to Maayan, who sent them to me, thereby averting madness.

---

:: fialka 5:39 AM [+] ::

---

The Farscape Friday To-Do List (Updated)

Maintaining effort is hard and campaigns take time. We are in this for the long-haul, but we've all got lives on the side. It's difficult to
decide what to do when you are deluged with lists of names, addresses, phone numbers, and have limited time to budget.

We -- cofax, Fialka and Maayan, if you want names -- have been assigning each other 'homework' to make things easier. Simple tasks, focused and easy to implement. We thought you might want to help with the homework.

We're calling it the Farscape Friday To-Do List. Every Friday, we'll share our homework with you. What's the focus this week? It might be the same as last week. As we get more intel, we might find ourselves with new targets to aim for. Etc.

It doesn't mean that this is ALL you HAVE to do, or all you CAN do. NOT AT ALL.

Other important actions are organized every day all across the web, and other key announcements and calls to action are sure to take place this week. If something important breaks, we might have to amend the List on a Tuesday.

But if you have only so many hours to devote to the cause, and you're feeling overwhelmed by the task (who to write, what to say?), the Farscape Friday To-Do List might help you find your way around. It helps us.


FARSCAPE FRIDAY TO-DO LIST 09/13

PEOPLE TO CONTACT:

General stuff:

Remember, a polite, hand-written letter gathers more attention than a
fax or email. Telegrammes are best, if you can afford one (about $15).
Don't forget to state your demographics: age, sex, occupation, place of
residence -- especially if outside the US, number of kids -- especially
if you watch with them. When contacting SCI FI Channel or USA Networks,
please request that they sell the rights to the first 88 episodes so
that the show can continue on another network if they are truly not
able to produce it.

This information comes from a highly reliable source with connections
to both SFC and the Farscape team and corroborates what we've been
hearing from DK and Anthony in the chat room. According to her, there
hasn't been a lot of progess but the fan response is "giving Rockne and
David encouragement to proceed, esp. when SFC is telling them their
show is shite. It's so good for them to hear it's not."

We were able to brainstorm some names to focus efforts on the most
important issues. Since people are getting tired (and possibly running
out of postage money) having a to-write-to list might be a better way
to keep the momentum going than encouraging people to write to everyone
all at once.

So today's project is these four.

We're told that in terms of letter writing, right now we need to do two
things. 1) Encourage other networks that Farscape is a good buy, and 2)
Encourage SFC that Farscape IS a money-making proposition and that it
DOES bring in "new" viewers who do not normally watch science fiction
programming.

You might also mention your appreciation for its high production
values, and how surprised you were that a show that looks this
cinema-like could be produced for basic cable. Farscape costs a lot of
money, as we all now know, but boy does it show up on the screen! I'm
also told it's best not to use the phrase 'online fan community' in any
shape or form. Use 'audience', 'viewer' or 'households'. Those are
words the brass understand.

We do have friends at SCI FI Channel, and when writing it's important
to remember who is who. There are people over there who are as stunned
and upset by the cancellation as we are. My source suggests we focus
attention on Tom Vitale, Sr VP of Acquisitions and Scheduling. When you
write, be sure to thank him for his support. Tell him what you love
about the show and encourage him to continue fighting for a fifth
season.

Tom Vitale Sr VP of Acquisitions and Scheduling
The Sci-Fi Channel
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020

Switchboard: 1-212-413-5000
If off, dial 1 then VITALE, star key, TOM, star key.
If you hit # after your message, that will place the call as priority.
Fax: 1-212-413-6524
email: tvontv@scifi.com


Michael Jackson was hired on to revamp the network and bring in viewers
who don't traditionally watch sci fi shows. Barry Diller reportedly
hates space shows, and he's someone that hasn't been contacted much.
He's also the guy at the top.

Are you someone who doesn't usually like science fiction? Stress that.
Stress the other things about Farscape that appeal to you -- the
action, the romance, the drama, the characters. The big questions it
asks about love, loyalty and what it means to be human. Tell them when
you started watching, especially if it was sometime during the S3
hiatus or later. Mention Buffy, The X-Files and similar shows that have
succeeded in crossing the genre barrier if you watch them. Especially
mention non-genre shows that you also watch. If you got SciFi channel
only to watch Farscape, be sure to mention that as well.

Basically, what we want to stress is that many of us *are* the new
"normal" audience they say the show isn't pulling in. Farscape is the
show that brought us to SCI FI Channel, is what we use to get other
non-viewing friends of ours try SCI FI Channel, and ultimately is what
keeps us coming back.

Michael Jackson
Chairman of the Universal Television Group
The Sci-Fi Channel
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020

Phone: 1-212-413-5679 or use switchboard as above.
Fax: 1-212-413-6524
email: mjackson@usanetworks.com

People have been having a lot of luck getting through to Michael
Jackson's office, which means he's definitely not getting enough calls!

Barry Diller
Chairman & CEO USA Networks
152 West 57th Street New York, NY 10019
Phone: 1-212-314-7300
Fax: 1-212-314-7399

According to my source, Barry Diller does not read his email, so I haven't
included that address.

And now, the good guys. We hope. Again, remember that the poor people
who are answering the phones are probably completely gobsmacked by the
sudden shower of attention. We're asking them to inherit us as fans, so
be as calm and polite as possible. Let's give the impression that we're
devout, not demented {g}. If you're pitching to other channels, be
sure to come at them as a fan of THEIR NETWORK, not of Farscape. As in,
"I love x, y, and z on UPN, and I think Farscape would be a great
addition to your lineup."

UPN
Todd Lituchy Sr VP
Scheduling and Acquisitions United Paramount Network
11800 Wilshire Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90025
Phone: 1-310-575-7000
Fax: 1-310 575 7210
E-mail: feedback@upn.com

SHOWTIME

We've been told that the only real way to get through to Showtime is via
their website. Hey! One less letter to write.

Go to http://sho.com/util/custhelp.cfm. This also works for those outside
the US, who cannot get in through the front door. To leave a message:
select Technical and use Farscape as the header. Sources at Showtime
state they *are* looking at these and are noting the interest.


And if any of you know Steven Spielberg personally, now might be a good
time to ask for a small favor. Apparently, Barry (Diller) has a lot of
respect for Spielberg, and could theoretically renew the show based on
nothing more than a sentence or two from him. Same is true for Diane
von Furstenburg.

Dreamworks produces Taken, which will soon air on SCI FI Channel.
They'll want to know what their potential audience is up to. Tell them
that you are disappointed in SCI FI Channel's decision, and that it's
made you reconsider watching the channel. If you plan on cancelling
your subscription until Farscape is back on the air, be sure to tell
them that.


DreamWorks SKG
ATTN: Taken
100 Universal City Plaza, Bldg 10
Universal City, CA 91608, USA
Phone: 818-733-7000
Fax: 818-733-7574



Right. Go forth and conquer! As 1812 would say: Dah-dah-dah-da-da-da-da
DAH DAH DAH.

---

:: fialka 2:18 PM [+] ::

---

Words of wisdom from Anth, chatting as we update:

Ploppy: This is an important time in the campaign. People are tired, the situation starts to feel more desperate - I want to say that it's important to stay together as a unified, happy, co-operative group
Ploppy: We need to show to the world and to each other the greatest thing about being a Scaper - the community and its values
Ploppy: Challenge yourself - with each passing day find new ways and creative ways to interact that respects and empowers everyone you are dealing with. If this happens we will all have won no matter what the outcome with Farscape.

Well said, Anthony. Well said.

---

:: fialka 9:23 PM [+] ::

---

What I did to save Farscape today:

With the CNN Headline News segment we've just taken a giant leap forward -- it'll be hard for other media to ignore the issue once something like CNN's found it worthy of coverage. So a big HURRAH! to them, and to us. We're rolling a boulder uphill but it IS rolling, and it's things like this that give us a big ole push over that nasty outcrop.

Now before Cofax thwaps me for the climbing metaphors, here's the thing that'll put wheels under that boulder (I'm sorry, sorry, I'm giddy with an actual real night's sleep and once started it's so hard to stop {g}). It's rally day, folks. On today's hit parade of things to do, spot number one:

1) RALLY IN FRONT OF SCI-FI HQ TODAY 8AM. For more information go to Save Farscape Central. Bring banners, placards, and calm quiet tempers. We want to look like a determined group, not a crazed mob.

For those who can't make it (like me, sigh) be ready to send emails at noon NY time (5pm for us Brits) to the following addresses: tvontv@scifi.com (Tom Vitale, Head of Programming), scifiweekly@scifi.com, program@scifi.com, feedback@scifi.com. Look, I even gave you links to click {g}.

A lot of people are advocating sending badges, which can be found at Save Farscape Central above. Myself, I don't think an email from an unknown source with an attachment is going to get through the firewall -- if *I* was working IT at SciFi right now, I'd be making damn sure they didn't or I'd expect to be out of a job. So I'm not going to use one. I'd strongly suggest that those who do want to send a badge should also send a second email without because it would be really sad if we sent 5000 emails and they were all trashed by IT before reaching their destination.

2) The petition now stands at over 25,000. Again, don't let this be all you do, but that's getting pretty impressive, so if you haven't signed, do it today.

3) Send at least one handwritten letter every day. Since SCI-Fi appears to be the sticking point, I'd suggest that if you only send one, send today's to Michael Jackson, President of Programming. People from abroad, if you're running out of postage money (like me) don't worry. You don't have to send everything priority for it to have force. Anything sent today is likely to arrive when everyone's at the table next week, and it will certainly be needed then. Likewise for Americans sending letters to EM-TV. Don't worry if they're in English, the important word is FARSCAPE. Actually, the important words are "Bitte annulieren Sie Farscape nicht." (Please don't cancel Farscape.) So post now both ye sides of the Atlantic, it's like paying in advance. {g}

4) Make at least one call. Again, Michael Jackson -- people were having lots of success getting through earlier in the week, which means he's definitely not getting enough calls {g} That's 1-212-413-5679. His staff are apparently quite willing to talk to us, so it might help to have a pertinent question or two pre-formed (I got totally flustered when I actually got a person on the phone!).

5) Email CNN Headline news and thank them for last night's broadcast. Tell them what's up now. They were obviously impressed by the rapid email response to the first broadcast, let's show them how many grateful fans there really are. If they keep following the story, other news shows will pick it up. You can help that along by emailing your local stations. Refer to the CNN-HN broadcast and tell them about the fan effort in your area.

6) I'm seeing lots of exhausted people starting to argue over silly things. Mama Fi says to everyone: Go get a good night's sleep. I'm especially directing this towards the people that are leading the campaign, running the chats, making the websites, trying to keep the momentum going. Sleep. This is a global effort, which means someone's minding the baby somewhere. We can live without you for eight hours, but if you guys burn out this early on we're going to be in real trouble. Do something for yourself that isn't about this. See a movie, spend an evening with family, friends, even curled up in a hot bath with a good book. Your energy level will be much better for it afterward.

This is where the old activist pulls out the ancient soapbox and starts pontificating. Bear with me here, because sometimes the biggest enemy can be our massively over-tired selves. Moya is safe, people are talking, the panic is over. The rest is going to take a while and we need to pace ourselves now that we've got things rolling. Don't let up, but in a long campaign, a continual level of pressure works better than a huge frenzy that dies down in a week as everyone burns out. Figure out how much you can do and still get to work and maintain your life and then do that, every day. Even if it's only an hour a day, that's still a couple of letters and a round of calls. If we all do that we can have a life *and* keep the pressure up as long as necessary.

Last, I've noticed my counter going through the roof since Friday. If you're stopping by, don't be afraid to give a wave.

---

:: fialka 1:18 PM [+] ::

---

Our top story tonight:

Transcript of a CNN Headline News Hotwired segment aired at 8:45 pm and updated at 9:45 pm, September 11.


...Steven: Well the Television studio executives have their eyes closed

Sophia: Or maybe they don't have access to the internet, and that's what fans of one popular TV show are asking. Renay San Migel has a story now Renay an update for us:

Renay: Well if the emails that we have been getting are any indication, maybe the Sci-Fi channel ought to think twice about canceling this show.

We have partially answered our own question from our 8:45 eastern Hotwired. What can the internet accomplish? Last hour Hotwired reported on the internet effort to save the television show Farscape cancelled late last week by the Sci-Fi network.

Well since that time we have received more than 30 emails from Farscape fans from all over the United States, and Scotland, Canada, Denmark, Germany. We think that is worth a recap for our West Coast viewers.

Tomorrow, the webmasters at Farscape.wdsection.com, which is the main Save Farscape campaign website are asking the fans to head over to the SciFi channel's website and deluge the executives with email asking them to keep the show around. Other Farscape fan sites are also keeping the pressure on the network but the big question remains -- will all of this make a difference?

Earlier I spoke with Matt Roush, senior TV critic at TV Guide. He told me that in his view the internet does make fans feel more connected to their favourite shows and they do get to bond, but he's not sure how effective it can be as a tool it can be to revive a cancelled show. He doesn't think it can hurt to stage this kind of web-based campaign. You know when you're dealing with fans of science fiction the internet is the perfect place for them. They are more technologically literate, he said, and these Farscape fans seem to be well organised.

I think our email inbox can attest to that.

Roush was impressed with the fact that news of the cancellation broke in a chat room and moved to websites quickly after that. In fact, the internet allowed Roush, himself, to report immediately on the news, he has a new website of his own, the Roush room at TVGuide.com/Roush.

There is a semi-precedent here -- ABC.com's message boards heard from fans of the nearly-cancelled "Once and Again" and it helped that show stick around for one more season before it's ultimate demise.

(Original segment: )So, Scapers unite. You have nothing to lose but your favourite TV show.

(Updated segment: )So 'Scapers, keep the emails coming here at Headline News and keep us posted on your effort to save Farscape.

That is Hotwired for this hour. Renay San Miguel, back over to you.

(Original segment:)
Steve: Do our names come up on this site?

Sophia: My goodness.

Renay: Do you know something that I don't? But no, they're just getting a lot of activity on the internet regarding this show. We've been getting emails from the fans saying 'do something about this', you know 'report on this', so...here you go.

Steve: Very cool.

(Updated segment:)
Renay: It is amazing to get the kind of feedback that the internet and email can allow you to get when you do a story like this. Immediately.

Steven: That's all very powerful but the feedback that television executives look at is Ratings numbers. How is that show doing in the Ratings?

Renay: It's number two, next to Stargate - SG-1, which they just acquired.

Steven: Well, you wonder why they are killing it then?

---

:: fialka 3:44 AM [+] ::

---

September 11th

Which it is, here.

People are asking what to do. I speak for no one but myself, but I can't help but remember this time last year. Five days spent glued to CNN while everything else in my life stopped cold. The tears and the anger and trying to put on a good face for my kids so they wouldn't be too scared. The absolute terror until I was able to get hold of all my friends in NY and DC. The despair and destruction in the city of my youth.

Farscape being cancelled is of monumental importance to me and I will do all in my power to keep it on the air...but no, this does not compare to that. It seems to me that by honouring the day, we are only showing ourselves to have perspective, to be logical, sane people, not a bunch of crazy fans.

Each person has to decide for themselves what feels right. For myself, I will not be making any phone calls or sending any faxes tomorrow. Letters will continue to arrive, and I will spend the day writing more to send. I will keep updating the blog. And I will be back with a vengeance on Thursday.


Lifted from Maayan's blog with full confidence in the source:

And now, some advice from... someone I can vouch for. Please, spread around.

SCI FI's main offices in New York are literally around the corner from NBC's Today Show studios and across the street from FOX News. If a group of 500 or more fans could assemble and protest, there's an excellent opportunity for media visibility which would absolutely not go unnoticed by The Powers That Be at the network. Some local or national TV coverage would go a long way towards impressing them (and their sponsors) that the demand for this show is real, and the best way to get that coverage is to arrange to show up in great numbers (and with clever signs, if possible).

And if someone could contact the media ahead of time so that the camera crews know when to show up...or even arrange through Farscape publicity to get Ben Browder on the phone from Australia to comment... that would be really impressive.

Late (really late) News
DK braved two hours worth of floods and shutdowns in SciFi's irc server to finally deliver this message at a little past midnight EST:

Thought I'd check in.
Ben called this morning to say someone was in here blabbing
about this and that. Wasn't me. I was at the chiropractor, trying to unkink from the wrap party last night
Anyway. Point is--
and you may be highly interested in both.
1) When someone purports to be
me or Ben, there is a way to check.
Barb and I have a secret password.
She PMs the guy nicked as "DK"
If he doesn't
She'll let you know.
Anyone in the whole wide world can log
on as me and say things that aren't true.
Don't believe it.
This IS me. I can tell you a few things.
Ben and Claudia and Lil and Andrew and Deb and Baba and I ended the
wrap party in my office and talked and cried the night away.
I got home very late/early
and my phone was ringing.
The pressure you incredible people are applying
through civil and concerned means
is
unbelievably as you may find it
< actually having an effect.
There is no anything.
But people who were once not talking
are now talking again.
My phone rings.
There is calm and there is conversation.
While people are decent and sensible
and interacting in a positive and productive
way, things ALWAYS have a chance to get done.
I am the most optimistic person you've
ever heard about. It's what I do.
I am hopeful.
I am seriously hopeful.
It is because of you.
But it is nowhere near being done.
That said,
But it is nowhere near being done.
That said,
I am hopeful.
What to do?
First -- do not listen to DK this and DK that.
If Barb hasn't given him protective status
he ain't me.
Once again,
this IS me.
Frankly, I'm so thrilled
by all of your support.
I am hopeful.
It's all the cast and crew
talked about
on a difficult last day.
I read Matt Roush's
fabulous on-line obit for us
everyone on wrap.
fabulous on-line obit for us
everyone on wrap.
We all cried.
200 plus people. I swear to you. We ALL cried.
You fans are great.
Keep it up.
Keep it up.
Keep letting the world know you want to see
more Farscape.
It's like pre-booking
your seat at a movie.
If they know you will watch
they will make the product for you.
"Hope" is a word
you will find in all of my scripts.
I give it to Crichton whenever I can.
I always have hope.
Yesterday I had less hope.
Today I had more.
You get the idea.
Specifics don't matter.
We're taking a breather today.
Nothing to write for Farscape for the first time
since Oct 17, 1997.
First night I went to be without a story or an arc
or a new character in my head.
A peaceful night's sleep.
I FRELLING HATED IT.
Keep it up.
I'll get back to you
HERE, in this room
with Barb,
If and when things progress or die down.
In the meantime
Please understand how important you are to us.
Spread the word that calm
reasoned
rational
PASSIONATE
expressions
of dismay are appropriate.
They are helpful.
They work.
I'm done, Barb.

---

:: fialka 12:26 AM [+] ::

---

Yet another email that begins 'Rumor also had it ...'

I think that's the salient point. Rumour. Yeah, there's lots of that flying about.

Personally, if it doesn't come directly from source, or from someone you know absolutely is getting it directly from source, I wouldn't give it much weight. And even so, source is not infallible. People can give out misinformation because their understanding of the situation is wrong.

Now, having said that there's some GOOD information today. Via Barbarella, who yes, does speak to source: For the moment, the primary sets are being dismantled, not destroyed. We appear to have bought DK & Co a little time, and if true this is very good news, but this is definitely *not* the time to stop. The suits are expecting it all to blow over by Wednesday. Just to show them that isn't so, a rally has been planned outside SciFi Channel on Thursday. Email Barbarella at Barbarella@lythion.com for further information. And keep the calls and faxes and letters coming, to SciFi and to UPN, Showtime and TNT encouraging them to pick the show up. Contact information can be found in yesterday's post below.

Other info from Max:

I just got off the phone with one of the people at Showtime in New York. He called me back after I rang the first time and instigated a conversation about demographics. Heh. He said that yes, they've been getting some faxes and e-mails. However, *these are not being counted*. He checked with the West Coast office and said that their official "monitor" is via the web. "The only way to really have this counted and monitored is to go to the Help/Contact" on the web site. Then click on "Ask a question" -- yes, it says Technical Help, but it will be counted. He said do not expect to see e-mails back from that, but it was the best route to gain attention quickly. So please go to http://www.sho.com and go to the Help/Contact button. Send feedback requesting the show! Your topic title should have either "Farscape" or "Programming: Farscape".

For those outside the US, like myself, this doesn't work as Showtime restricts its site views to US IPs only. (The logic of which escapes, me, but never mind.) However, you can write a message with your email addy and your city and country (so they know it's actually from abroad) and ask a friend in the States to post it through for you. Max did this for me, and I did get an email back.

So...what are you waiting for? (waves hands) Go play. {g}

---

:: fialka 4:27 PM [+] ::

---

Further contact information:

I'm putting this at the top, though we're told petitions don't carry much weight. Still, this one now has over 10,000 signatures. Don't let this be all you do, but it sure can't hurt:
http://www.ipetitions.com/campaigns/SAVE_FARSCAPE/

Once again, to send letters of support directly to the cast and crew email CrackersDoMatter@yahoo.com. Please don't email the official addresses at Homebush -- these *will* get to the Farscape people while still allowing them to do what they need to do.

Last, if you have IRC, please go to irc.scifi.com #farscape. We are trying to keep as many people in the room as possible at all times and yes, the cast and crew have been stopping by periodically (if that don't get you running over, nothing will {g}).

If you don't have IRC you can download mIRC from download.com. It's small and really easy to use. Once you've installed it, click "Add" in the connections options and type in irc.scifi.com. In the join channel window, type #farscape. Alternately you can use the interface at SciFi.com for as long as it's up.

From all I can gather it looks as if the best hope is to convince another network to pick up the show. The following have already shown interest. If you do nothing else, try to write to each of these with a letter stating your demographics, how much you love Farscape, and how advantageous it would be for that network to carry such a popular, quality show. Contact addresses are:

UPN
Dean Valentine (CEO)
Adam Ware (COO)
Todd Lituchy (Sr VP, Sched & Aquisitions)
Danielle Greene (Alternative Development, Current programming)

United Paramount Network
11800 Wilshire Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90025
Phone: 310-575-7000
fax: 310 575 7210
E-mail: feedback@upn.com

SHOWTIME

Jerry Offsay (Pres., programming)
Mathew Duda (VP, aquisitions and planning)
Gary Levine (VP., Original programming)

Showtime Networks
10880 Wilshire Blvd. Stes. 1500 & 1600
Los Angeles, CA 90024
phone 310-234-5200
fax: 310-234-5393

and on the East Coast

Mathew C Blank (Chairman, CEO)
Frank Pintauro (Sr VP, Creative Director, Original Programming)
Showtime Networks
1633 Broadway
New York, NY 10019
phone: 212-708-1600
Fax: 212-708-1217

TNT

Robert DeBitetto (pres, original programming)
Julie Wietz (exec vp. original programming)

Turner Network Television
1888 Century Park East, 14th Fl.
Los Angeles, CA 90067
phone: 310-551-6300

or

Turner Network Television
1050 Techwood Dr. NW
Atlanta, GA 30318
phone - 404/827-2599
phone - 404-827-1647
fax - 404/827-1700
fax - 404 - 885 - 4318

Contacts above and the rest of this info was supplied by Barbarella -- please read her message before firing anything off. And a big thank you to everyone who's wandering around bleary-eyed trying to get stuff done.

==Excerpts from Barbarella's Plan -- PLEASE READ before phoning, faxing, etc.===

Hello my Scaper Lovelies

As most of you know on Friday David Kemper, Ben Browder, and Richard Manning announced there would be no 5th season of Farscape.

Well I believe we can make a difference....

But we must remain intelligent, insightful, make good points, and always remain scapers.

We should do as David, Ben, Richard, and Anthony asked and always remain polite, do not threaten, do not insult. When writing its ok to show your sadness and to even show your anger to a degree but always remain scapers and don't take the low road when addressing the issues. Make good points...In other words keep your mails and faxes and telegrams and phone messages professional and intelligent and they will listen.

DO NOT send crackers, packages, doodads, toys or anything else.

David Kemper: Remember that furious people are "nuts." Angry, but civil and controlled people are "fans." Networks listen to "fans."
Remember we're dealing with a corporation and they'll blow you off if you send something they consider silly

I have dealt with both USA and Sci-Fi before personally and have found them to be very hard to communicate with..so make your points clear to them without being insulting

Its VERY important that we inundate Sci-Fi and EMTV This coming Monday thru Friday. however we should not stop until we hear something positive from them. The "Big Push" is the most important Remember 09-09-2002 thru 09-13-2002 are THE MOST IMPORTANT dates to flood SCI-FI and EMTV with our support and show them a united front. Keep bodies in the chat room at
irc.scifi.com port 6667 #farscape The official Save Farscape Central Room (or the war room as I've been calling it) because sci-fi will be visiting and we need to show we're a force to be reckoned with.

Before I move onto the ideas, I'd like to thank all the scapers who are too numerous to name that helped put all the contact info together and also helped me with the server business and keeping the moral high in the room. Many thanks from the bottom of my heart guys and the cast and crew feel the same way. Every time they come into the chat room to say hi or just look in they are ALWAYS amazed at how we've pulled together and shown our support. Keep up the good work and NEVER SAY DIE!

Now onto the ideas:

1. Hand Written Mail, Faxes, Telegrams, Phone Calls, and Priority Mail (like FedEx and UPS) to SCI-FI and EMTV. The reason I suggest the FedEx and the ups is because it looks like something important and will go to the desk of Michael Jackson and Bonnie Hammer. DO NOT PUT SAVE FARSCAPE ON THE FRONT it will go right into the trash. Put a company name or something very professional looking.

2. Rally your local area to do the same campaign with letters and hand written petitions from your area

3. Print up Save Farscape flyers with the EMTV info and the SCI-FI info listing Michael Jackson and Bonnie Hammers names. Place them in your local bookstores, comic shops, coffee shops, game shops (especially if they have the Farscape game in stock) and place petitions in those shops as well if they'll allow it. Most will not have a problem with you putting a flyer in their windows and getting a petition in their shops. There's also usually a place to place multiple flyers for people to take home (in other words print
up reams of paper its cheap and leave em there)

4. Contact your local entertainment media. Newspapers and local broadcast can be helpful

5. If you can travel to NYC or live in NYC picket sci-fi studios for the next week. (Monday thru Friday) Make Save Farscape Banners and try to get the word out about sci-fi canceling the show. Because sci-fi doesn't want it leaked yet. They never intended to tell us until end of the 4th season. So its important to inform the public. The more people that know, the more likely they are to lose viewer ship and have the public come at them full force.

6. Gather together, take contributions do whatever it takes to take out adds in magazines like Variety, E Entertainment Weekly, TV Guide, local papers, online publications, sci-fi magazines everywhere you can get it in print.

7. Target Sci-fi sponsors as well. Dell Computers is one of the more prominent sponsors for the show but sci-fi has many sponsors so target them all and email and bombard them as well

8. Hit up the other networks that might be willing to buy Farscape and run it such as UPN TNT Showtime and other stations...use the same methods mail them and phone them and fax them and telegrams them with your interest in the show. Many of these networks have shown and interest in the show and the names and addresses of the proper people to contact are below.

Post this email along with all the contact info on your web pages, bboards, groups and everywhere else you can to get the word out on what to do and how best to be heard.

In closing I'd like to say:

For those of you who have expressed their thanks, none is necessary I do this and will continue to do this because I love you guys and the scaper community and all the friends I've made among the cast and crew of Farscape.

All of you hold special places in the cast and crews hearts. Every time I talk to them they are constantly amazed by the amount of support that we show for them everyday. They do this show for you guys and your enjoyment and they've enjoyed doing it as much as we enjoy watching it. To all those that volunteered time and effort into finding out contact info and phone numbers I am eternally grateful without you we would not be able to get the ball rolling as fast as we're doing. For those that have persevered thru flooding in the room and listening to me babble on and be a cheerleader for the movement I love ya guys! A special shout out to JustRed-dammit who helped a great deal with proofing reading and helping me to put everyones contact info together for this email. And special thanks to the cast and crew for popping in the room to keep our spirits high and keep the momentum going. And lastly Keep your butts in the #farscape room this next week. We need as many bodies as we can get cause sci-fi WILL take notice of their switchboards and faxes being tied up all the time as well as the bboard crashing from the posts we've been putting up and come looking. And remember post this email and the contact list to every bboard, group, website and anything else you can think of and forward it to your friends. NEVER SAY DIE GUYS. FARSCAPE LIVES!!!!!

Sincerely
Your Fearless Leader
Barbarella

======================

Further contact info:

USA NETWORKS
SCIFI CHANNEL
AUDIENCE SERVICES
1230 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS F115
NEW YORK, NY 10020-1513
phone #s: 212-413-5000 or 212-413-5821 or 212-413-5577
email: programming@scifi.com

Hallmark makes $3.8 billion per year. they help pay for FS.
Hallmark Entertainment
P.O. Box 2116
Radio City Station
New York, NY 10101-2116

Creation Entertainment
1010 N. Central Ave. 4th Floor
Glendale, CA 91202
Phone: (818) 409-0960
Fax: (818) 409-0827

email Entertainment Tonight and beg them to do a story on this and
how many of us are working HARD to fight it!!!
email address for Entertainment Tonight:
et@pde.paramount.com)

EM is part of what cancelled FS, alongside scifi.
EM.TV & Merchandising AG Betastr. 11 D-85774 Unterföhring
Telephone: +49 (0) 89 995 00-0 Fax: +49 (0) 89 995 00-111

more addresses:

Angela Mancuso
President of Cable Programming
USA Networks, Inc.
8800 Sunset Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90069

Mr. Barry Diller
President/CEO
USA Networks, Inc
8800 Sunset Blvd, Fifth Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90069

Mr. Charles Engel
Executive Vice President, Programming
Studios USA
8800 Sunset Blvd. Fifth Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90069


The Scifi Channel
Rockefeller Center
PO BOX 331
NY, NY 10185

1-212-413-6531 -- SciFi Channel FAX

Bonnie Hammer
Senior Vice President of Programming
c/o The Sci-Fi Channel
USA Networks
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020

Michael Jackson
President of Programming
c/o The Sci-Fi Channel
USA Networks
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020

These guys own Henson:

EM.TV & Merchandising AG
Betastr. 11
D-85774 Unterföhring
Telefon: +49 (0) 89 995 00-0
Fax: +49 (0) 89 995 00-111

BBC
PO Box 1922
Glasgow, G2 3WT

BBC phone #:
08700 100 222

Scfi Programming comments and suggestions: program@www.scifi.com

British Science Fiction Association: bsfa@enterprise.net

BBC Points Of View: pov@bbc.co.uk

British Scifi channel: http://www.uk.scifi.com/htmlsite/contactus.asp

Vivendi Universal Entertainment
100 Universal City Plaza
Universal City, CA 91608
USA
Telephone #s: +1 818 777 1000 or 212-314-7300

Dell advertises for scifi a LOT. contact them about this!

Dell Computer Corporation
One Dell Way
Round Rock, Texas 78682
USA

TV Guide:
www.tvguide.com/about/contact.asp
Multichannel News
245 West 17th Street 3rd floor
New York, NY, 10011
tel- 212-645-0067

The Associated Press:
David Bauer or Bruce DeSilva
The Associated Press National Desk
50 Rockerfeller Plaza
New York, New York 10020
email address for either person: Info@AP.org

Letters Department
TV Guide
Radnor, PA 19088

Parade Magazine
Walter Scott
Box 5001
Grand Central Station
New York, NY 10164-5001

Us Weekly Letters
1290 Avenuue of the Americas
New York, NY 10104-0291
fax: 212-767-8214

Entertainment Weekly
1675 Broadway New York
NY 10019
email: letters@ew.com

People Time & Life Building
Rockefeller Center
New York, NY 10020
fax: 212-522-0794
email: editor@people.com

New York Times: letters@nytimes.com

Maureen Dowd
(LA Times journalist & Farscape fan)
LA Times: letters@latimes.com

Chicago Sun Times:
Robert Feder, Reporter of the entertainment section:)
feder@suntimes.com

Chicago Tribune:
Tim Bannon is the editor of the Tempo/Entertainment section. His
email addy: TBannon@tribune.com

A Johnson of the Chicago Tribune: AXJohnson@tribune.com
Chicago Tribune:
435 N. Michigan Ave
Chicago, Il 60611
fax#: 312-222-2598

Boston Globe:
b_mccabe@globe.com

USA Today:
editor@usatoday.com
Letters to the Editor
The Washington Post 1150 15th St, NW
Washington, DC 20071


Scifi Mags to mail to about the cancelation

Cinefantastique-Anna Kaplan is a big supporter
Cinefantastique
7240 W. Roosevelt Rd.,
Forest Park, IL 60130
(708) 366 5566

Cult Times, TV Zone, and Starburst- Ian Spelling is our guy here
Cult Times Visual Imagination Limited. PMB #469
PO Box 6061
Sherman Oaks, CA 91413
Phone 1 818 980 1727
Fax 1 818 980 6061

Dreamwatch-Joe Nazzaro is our article writer
Dreamwatch Magazine
Titan Magazines
144 Southark ST
London SE1 oUP
LA Office-
Alberto Ortega
PO Box 48438
Los Angeles, CA 90048

SFX
Future Publishing
30 Monmouth Street
Bath
BA1 2BW
Tel : (01225) 442244
Fax: (01225) 732248
Jayne Dearsley ­ Ben Browder interview
Jayne.dearsley@futurenet.co.uk

Official Farscape Magazine-these people will all be out of jobs if this happens!
Farscape Magazine
Titan Magazines
144 Southwark Street
London, SE OUP, UK
farscape@titanemail.com-this is the editorial contact and letters can get published

Sci-Fi The Official Magazine of the Sci-Fi channel
1230 Avenue of the Americas,
New York, NY 10020
(212)413-5000
Starlog Group, Inc.,
475 Park Avenue South,
New York, NY 10016

E-mails:
scifiweekly@scifi.com
program@www.scifi.com
Tom Vitale (head of programming at Scifi): tvontv@scifi.com
Fax Number: 1-212-413-6531
SciFi Channel viewer comment line: (212) 413-5000. (Ask to leave a message for Farscape on the Viewer Comment Line. May not be available after business hours)
SciFi Channel programming line: (212) 413-5821.
SciFi Channel comments line: (212) 413-5577.
(These two mailboxes fill up very fast, so if they are full please wait 24 hours and call back again!)

Western Union (for online telegrams): www.westernunion.com
Another telegram service: www.sendatelegram.com
Two Web based fax services to fax for free: http://www.tpc.int/sendfax.html
http://www.interpage.net/sub-wwwfax.html

Matt Roush (at TV Guide)
Box 500
Radnom, PA 19088 - 0500

TV Guide at TVGuide.com and
http://cheersandjeers@tvguide.com/about/contact.asp and http://www.tvguide.com/about/contact.asp
Letters Department TV Guide
Radnor, PA 19088

People Magazine People.com

Entertainment Weekly www.ew.com/ew/staff/

The Celebrity Cafe www.thecelebritycafe.com/

7 Magazine (Australian Magazine) www.sevenmag.com.au/themag/index.html

@NZone Magazine www.atnzone.com/

Allstylz.com - Urban life in the city (Toronto)
www.allstylz.com/page/main.htm

Entertainment Today www.ent-today.com/

In Style Network - www.instylenetwork.com/index40.shtml

Midwest Today Online www.midtod.com/

New Weekly Magazine - Australian Entertainmment Magazine)
www.community.ninemsn.com.au/newwekkly/

Radio Free Entertainment www.radiofree.com/manifes...its1.shtml

TV Scene Magazine Online www.b-movie.com/tvhome.html

Hollywood Reporter..... www.hollywoodreporter.com/

Entertainment Tonight....... etonline.com/

Robert Bianco, USA Today's TV Critic http://cgi1.usatoday.com/mchat/20020909005/tscript.htm

SciFi Talk and Tony Telado: scifitalk@aol.com
mailto:scifitalk@aol.com

IGN at http://filmforce.ign.com/

Cinescape at http://www.Cinescape.com

SFCrowsNest at http://www.computercrowsnest.com/index.html

EOnline e-mail: wanda@eonline.com

Hollywood Reporter at www.hollywoodreporter.com/
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/

Dark Horizons at www.darkhorizons.com

Science Fiction Weekly at: http://www.scifi.com/sfw/current/letters.html
E-mail: scifiweekly@scifi.com

For UK Folk:
www.bbc.co.uk/messageboards/
www.bbc.co.uk/radio/feedback/index.shtml
www.bbc.co.uk/pov/
(this is for comments on programming, schedules and more)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/home/feedback
08700 100 222 (24 hours a day)

British Science Fiction Association: bsfa@enterprise.net
British Sci-Fi Channel: http://www.uk.scifi.com/htmlsite/contactus.asp

On-line Petitions:
Save My Show: http://www.savemyshow.com/shows/farscape.htm
http://www.ipetitions.com/campaigns/SAVE_FARSCAPE
http://www.PetitionOnline.com/frellno/petition.html
http://www.petitiononline.com/scaper1/petition.html

Other Save Farscape Pages:
http://www.karlsweb.com/ (some great pictures to use in your letters and postcards!)
http://homepage.mac.com/chryse/Guiding%20Star/Cancelled.html
http://www.farscapeweekly.com/cancelled.htm
http://mysite.freeserve.com/TheFarscapeLoungeRPG/index.jhtml
http://farscape.wdsection.com/
http://scorpius-farscape.tv/master/savefarscape.html
http://www.underhive.com/Bamphalas/savefs.htm
http://66.168.92.67:8080/wormholepostcard02.jpg
(a wormhole postcard by Vesh)

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