News post: US SCI FI Channel under new ownership

[B5LR]

<font size="+1">US SCI FI Channel under new ownership</font>
<font size="3">B5 channel's parent company bought for US$10.3 US billion</font>

It was announced today that USA Networks Inc., owner of the US SCI FI Channel which airs B5 and will air B5LR, has been bought out in a multi-US-billion dollar deal.

Vivendi Universal bought the entertainment network for US$10.3 US billion, giving it a vital avenue to distribute its TV and film assets such as Jurassic Park within the US. It was soon announced that the interactive elements of USA Networks such as HSN.com and Match.com will be part of a newly renamed USA Interactive.

It is to early to tell how, if at all, this will affect the SCI FI Channel. As the comissioner of the telemovie, and potential comissioner of a series, its long-term stablity is necessary and important to the B5 franchise.

For further reading, check out Videndi Universal and USA Networks' websites. You can also more on the deal at at Yahoo! News.


[This message has been edited by AntonyF (edited December 17, 2001).]

 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

pleaz tell me that TNT is not involved in any way.... pleaz

------------------
I have no one to envy...
I envy you having me to envy...

"love to stay, can't, have to go, kiss kiss, love love, bye" G'Kar

 

[AntonyF]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by mercurius420:
pleaz tell me that TNT is not involved in any way.... pleaz<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

No, they're not involved. Do you want to be told anyone else is not involved? Microsoft, McDonalds or Nike perhaps?




------------------
"You're going to die screaming and I'm going to watch."
-- Charlie, The Long Kiss Goodnight.

 

[KoshN]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by AntonyF:
No, they're not involved. Do you want to be told anyone else is not involved? Microsoft, McDonalds or Nike perhaps?


<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Havas/Sierra?

------------------
KoshN
-------------
Vorlon Empire

"To Live and Die in Starlight"
pilot movie for "Babylon 5 - The Legend of the Rangers"
January 19, 2002 at 9PM & 11PM EST, January 20, 2002 at 5PM on The Sci-Fi Channel (US).
http://www.scifi.com/b5rangers/

 

[Modane]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by mercurius420:
pleaz tell me that TNT is not involved in any way.... pleaz

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

no they're aren't even close to being the parent company in AOL/Time Warner and it isn't AOL/Time Warner who but the Sci-fi channel so TNT isn't even close to being involved with this.

------------------
No one here is exactly what he appears.
G'Kar - Andreas Katsulas

Nothing's the same anymore.
Commander Sinclair - Michael O'Hare

Babylon 5

 

[Londonium]

My guess is this will have little effect on the B5 franchise or whether LOTR goes series.
People tend to cringe when someone says the word 'big corporation', but unless Vivendi Universal is completely stupid, they will let Scifi channel make its own decisions about its programming.

------------------

 

[Adam]

Dont worry about anything. They bought USA networks to get a better profit. They will just leave Sci-Fi alone. They probly like Bonne Hammer as Pres. of Sci-Fi

------------------
Webmaster for B5:A2
Babylon 5: Armada II
A MOD for Star Trek: Armada II
http://www.tgu.org.uk/users/babylon5/

 

[WarpPig]

Whilst I doubt that the Vivendi deal will have any real impact on B5's future, it's interesting to note that Vivendi is a European outfit, based in France. Given B5's considerable support and fan base in Europe, chances of a new series MIGHT have just risen, if only by a tiny fraction!

Warpy

------------------

 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

If anything, this may inspire even more vertical integration within the company. There is already a preference at the USA Networks for series produced by Studios USA. Add in Universal.

On the other hand, since Vivendi owns properties such as the Universal Studios theme parks, it means that Sci Fi Channel properties might get an extra promotional platform for their shows at those parks.

(I was just at the MGM Grand in Vegas and saw Stargate SG1 merchandise in the gift shops)

"Vertical integration" is one of the watchword business trends in entertainment.

------------------

 

[Chris Springob]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by WarpPig:
Whilst I doubt that the Vivendi deal will have any real impact on B5's future, it's interesting to note that Vivendi is a European outfit, based in France. Given B5's considerable support and fan base in Europe, chances of a new series MIGHT have just risen, if only by a tiny fraction!
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I've heard people make statements that B5 is more popular in Europe, but among people I know personally, Americans seem to be more familiar with the show. What is this based on? Does anyone have any ratings numbers that support this?


------------------

 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Here is a relevant quote in today's Wall Street Journal:

>>Combining Vivendi will give USA a strong studio in its corner supplying programming. "Just as Fox tends to supply its own networks with relevant movies, Universal and USA and Sci-Fi will have the same relationship," Mr Jackson says.<<

{Note: Michael Jackson will be in charge of the combined TV operations of the new venture. He comes from Channel Four in the UK. In the article, he is noted as developing such programming as 'Queer as Folk' for that channel}

I'd like to also add that the alleged popularity of B5 in Europe has never been proven to me. I know it was on there, but I haven't seen evidence that it was any more dominant there than in the U.S. Has any European broadcaster agreed to broadcast LOTR yet?

------------------

 

[Kribu]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by SavantB5:
Has any European broadcaster agreed to broadcast LOTR yet?
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Would any broadcaster try and make arrangements about airing a movie that is advertised as a "pilot for a potential series" before there is any info about that potential series?

Wouldn't it make sense for a broadcaster to wait until confirmation of a series (or confirmation that there won't be a series, although I very much hope this won't be the case) before they decide to buy and air the Rangers movie?

As for B5's relative popularity in Europe - obviously I have no idea just how dominant it has been elsewhere but I would say it was received well here in this quaint little corner of Europe known as Estonia.

And just look at the posters on this board - a rather significant portion of us are from outside North America.

------------------
"Isn't the universe an amazing place? I wouldn't live anywhere else." - G'Kar, B5: Rangers
Kribu's Lounge | kribu@ranger.b5lr.com

 

[hypatia]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by SavantB5:

I'd like to also add that the alleged popularity of B5 in Europe has never been proven to me. I know it was on there, but I haven't seen evidence that it was any more dominant there than in the U.S. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I think there have been several indications, and I'm not even trying here: I think JMS himself has referred to the popularity of B5 in England at least (can't remember if it was more than that, sorry). And, as has been mentioned, soem of the marketing has actually seemed to be more extensive in the U.K. than here in the U.S.A.

But I'm not looking this stuff up, so I could be remembering incorrectly.

I'm just posting to avoid grading my finals, anyway!

------------------
Galileo:
"I do not believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense,
reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use."—Galileo

hypatia@b5fan.b5lr.com

 

[silmaril]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Chris Springob:
I've heard people make statements that B5 is more popular in Europe, but among people I know personally, Americans seem to be more familiar with the show. What is this based on? Does anyone have any ratings numbers that support this?
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>


I can't speak for all of Europe, but up here in our cold corner (Norway) B5 is the standard that is used to describe new series. "The best since Babylon 5", "Nothing like b5" and "Compared to b5..." are all commonly heard quotes in sci-fi communities.

Several of my frieds, and myself, preordered the DVD from Amazon.com months ago and since we don't have any channels running the series anymore the DVDs are our best hope to see it again. (As VHS is not a good option anymore these days).

I just hope the sales are good enough


[This message has been edited by silmaril (edited December 18, 2001).]

 

[Jomar]

Babylon 5 has had a good following in Canada, sufficient pressure was put on SPACE to acquire the series for a 4-time run.



------------------
I always seem to be diagonally parked in a parallel universe.

 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

SavantB5 wrote
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, arial">quote:</font><HR>
{Note: Michael Jackson will be in charge of the combined TV operations of the new venture. He comes from Channel Four in the UK. In the article, he is noted as developing such programming as 'Queer as Folk' for that channel}

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Is Michael Jackson the man who moved Babylon 5 to 2 a.m. Sunday night Monday morning? There is a very tiny audience at that time.

------------------
Andrew Swallow

 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by AndrewSwallow:
SavantB5 wrote
Is Michael Jackson the man who moved Babylon 5 to 2 a.m. Sunday night Monday morning? There is a very tiny audience at that time.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Do you know what the ratings were prior to the move? That's important to know.

This sounds like they weren't holding up and they moved it to do less damage. Shows normally don't get moved if they are delivering high ratings.

------------------

 

[Kribu]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by SavantB5:
There's a lot of "product" coming out of the U.S. that's being sold to them. I just can't imagine B5 standing above clutter like that.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Star Trek in any of its incarnations has never been shown on any Estonian TV channel. Same goes for newer shows, such as Farscape or Andromeda.

We got Babylon 5 though.

And I just can't believe that the only reason for it was that it may have been cheaper than some of the other shows.

I'd rather guess that it was a combination of it being cheap (that's just an assumption, mind you) and that it proved to be very popular in Finland, as I've understood. After all, Finnish TV showed all of B5 and Crusade (Crusade right after it was produced) and the movies - and this year aired the movies again because of huge popular demand. It's not something they usually do - air something again after such a short break.

Considering that both we here and the Finns have very few TV channels (4 here, 4 in Finland at the time), choosing B5 above other possible candidates would show that it was for some reason considered the best option.

As for buying the rights for that movie - sure, it should stand on its own. But given the possibility that there may be a series as well, I would still guess that a network/channel would rather wait a little before making the investment.

You yourself say that European channels have a lot of US shows and they just have to pick wisely. The wise thing, as I see it, is to wait for now. After all, there's planning involved - if they just buy the movie, they won't want to sit on it and wait for the possible series because they have a schedule to make.

Because there are fewer channels, things over here - in Europe generally, especially the smaller countries - don't get aired in reruns as much as they seem to do in the US.

A channel might want to show the pilot and the series following it immediately, not show the pilot and then wait for months before being able to air the series, if there is one - showing the pilot again means that it will take up one extra slot that could be used for showing something else.

------------------
"Isn't the universe an amazing place? I wouldn't live anywhere else." - G'Kar, B5: Rangers
Kribu's Lounge | kribu@ranger.b5lr.com

 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Originally posted by Kribu:
Would any broadcaster try and make arrangements about airing a movie that is advertised as a "pilot for a potential series" before there is any info about that potential series?

I would say "Yes". If I'm not mistaken it's also supposed to be an action film that is supposed to stand on its own feet whether it becomes a series or not.

I've casually followed Bruce Boxleitner's career since B5 and he's been in several movies that actually got shown in Europe before the U.S.

The reason I'm skeptical about B5's position in other countries is that back at the height of B5's popularity (September 1996 when Z'Ha'Dum aired in the UK before the U.S.), I went to London for vacation and heard all the hype about how popular B5 was in the U.K. When I got there, I was disappointed to see very little evidence of that. Even the Forbidden Planet store was hyping other shows, particularly X-Files, far more than B5 at the time. I came away thinking it wasn't that much different than in the U.S.

From the perspective of a buyer at any of the European TV networks, they have a wealth of U.S. TV shows to pick from for their networks ranging from the Sopranos to West Wing to Buffy the Vampire Slayer and very few "slots" for American series. There's a lot of "product" coming out of the U.S. that's being sold to them. I just can't imagine B5 standing above clutter like that.

As for videos and such, the UK has always been a different market for such things. Cable and satellite penetration is very low compared to the U.S. and people have always been more likely to buy and rent videos their than in the U.S. Every marketplace has unique characteristics like that.

------------------

 

[virgo]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Kribu:
A channel might want to show the pilot and the series following it immediately, not show the pilot and then wait for months before being able to air the series, if there is one - <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Well, in Estonia they showed "The Gathering" and then some 5 years later they showed rest of the Babylon 5 (series, no movies). So you can except all kind of strange things from channels.

------------------