ATTN JMS: Future of B5 On Space...

[B5JMS Poster]

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From: Gareth Jones <garethj at cableregina.com>
Date: 14 Jan 2000 19:21:35 -0700
Lines: 34

I was on Canada's Space:The Imagination Station's bulletin board today
and one of the stations minions, when asked about the future of B5 on
Space, responded that it will be on for a while - possibly even the next
two years.

Given that Space plays B5 (currently) three times per day, has played
all the movies as many times as they could, has held B5 Marathons,
regularly advertises it, includes B5 shots in almost all generic teasers
(for example - their nightly movies on space), and is fervently behind
the show resulting in fabulous ratings for them, do you get any personal
validation from something like this?  I believe that Space has *PROVED*
your vision works, that showing B5 as a daily strip (not once or twice a
week on saturday mornings...) is the *right* way to do it.

Personally, I didn't "get" b5 from the pilot.  All I saw was a silly
takeoff of Deep Space Nine with some fool with big hair.  It wasn't
until visiting a friend and he sat me down and watched three episodes of
season 1 (in a row) that I got hooked.  That was all I needed.  Someone
to explain to me the concept of the arc and then show it to me in a
couple of shows.  After that I became a rabid fan.  Even going so far as
to subscribe to US Superstations on cable so I could get WSBK and watch
it when the local affiliate in Regina dropped it (at a incremental cost
of about $20.00/month on my cable bill - gotta love the CRTC and CanCon
Rules...)

One final question - assuming you read this...  Have you done as well
financially as you hoped you might from B5?  I remember you saying that
you own a piece of the *net* profits from B5.  Has it shown a *net*
profit yet?  I'm not asking for your tax return or anything like that
(that would be rude and I'm hoping or trying not to make this question
rude) but more a general idea.
(ps - I've tried to do my part "helping" you.  I now own too much B5
stuff [according to SheWhoMustBeObeyed])


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From: jmsatb5 at aol.com (Jms at B5)
Date: 16 Jan 2000 01:19:17 -0700
Lines: 34

>Have you done as well
>financially as you hoped you might from B5?  I remember you saying that
>you own a piece of the *net* profits from B5.  Has it shown a *net*
>profit yet? 

No, nor will it ever.  That's how Hollywood bookkeeping works.  We know,
because e were told, that when the show was still first airing on PTEN, it was
a mandate that ALL PTEN shows had to show a profit every season in order to be
renewed.  That was a hard and fast rule.  

Each year, we got renewed, because we made a profit for WB.  Once, in a meeting
with the execs after year 3, they complimented us on how much money the show
had made for WB.

Then they turn right around and, for purposes of net participation, pump out
balance sheets that show we'll forever be in the red.

Net means nothing because they can continue to charge anything and everything
against the revenue, and you can never show a profit on paper; it's only if you
own a piece of the gross that actual money appears.

 jms

(jmsatb5 at aol.com)
B5 Official Fan Club at:
http://www.thestation.com
(all message content (c) 2000 by
synthetic worlds, ltd., permission
to reprint specifically denied to
SFX Magazine)




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