More good news from TNT

[B5JMS Poster]

This is a message from the maintainer of B5JMS.

Below is a forwarded message from TNT.  Apparently the chances are now
higher that TNT will not only fund a fifth season, but air it as well.  I
expect a surge in US Visa applications... :-)

IMHO it is only prudent to thank TNT for their support of the show.  It may
help making the 80/20 chance into a 100/0...

B5JMS Poster.
Maintainer, B5JMS and B5JMS-DIGEST lists.
<b5jms-owner at majordomo.cs.columbia.edu>

------- Forwarded Message

From:	TNT at turner.com
Date: 97-06-21 06:41:13 EDT

Thanks for your support of TNT and Babylon 5--we're really looking forward
to airing it. The head programmers here, in particular, are huge fans of the
show, having complained themselves for a couple of years about its
invariably late- nite programming here in Atlanta, so they are just as glad
about the acquisition as any die-hard fans out there (and there are a lot of
them--I'm being deluged by B5 fans with many sweet "congratulations" and
"thanks yous").  Look for the show to start airing sometime in January 1998,
at 6 pm ET weekdays, and in complete sequential order, uncut, but not
letterboxed (sorry, but letterboxing is just too irritating for the average
non-fan viewer) .  By the way: no sign of "Crusade" on TNT, but there is a
80/20 pro- chance that we, instead of Warner Brothers Distribution, will be
airing a fifth season of B5.  AND you guys can look forward to the two new
B5 movies, the series prequel "In The Beginning..."  and a pure-action movie
called "Third Space" (which JMS says has more special effects in a 2 hour
film than were contained in the whole first season).  The tentative premiere
date for the first film is January 4th, 1998 at 8 pm ET, to be followed by
the 2 hour pilot "The Gathering at 10 pm ET (by the way, the head programmer
here says that she doesn't believe the pilot will be reedited/ reworked, as
a lot of fans have asked--sorry).
 
Also, since I'm getting messages from around the world, I wanted to let
everyone know that B5 is exclusive to TNT Domestic (US) right now; there are
no plans to make it available for Canada, TNT Europe, TNT Asia, or TNT Latin
America.  Don't worry too much, though--I'm sure that Warner Brothers knows
of the desire of fans worldwide to see any new Babylon 5 episodes or movies,
and I'm sure they'll make accomodations for you to see them, either by
selling the movies/episodes to TNT Asia, TNT Europe, and/or TNT Latin
America, or to foreign syndication, or at the very least to a videotape
distributor.  I don't work for Warner Brothers Distribution or Home Video,
though, so I can't tell you what their plans are; all I can tell you is
what's going on in my sphere of knowledge, and that sphere pretty much
begins and ends with TNT Domestic.

But if I find out any more info in regards to international distribution of
B5, I'lll be sure and include it in subsequent messages to B5 fans, in which
case you'll find out fairly quickly, since it seems my messages are widely
posted.  Anyway, thanks again for writing and showing your love for this
series, and your support of TNT--we really do appreciate each one of ya, as
I'm sure JMS does!

Take care!  

Dean Treadway @ TNT Programming 


------- End of Forwarded Message

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