Push Farscape to your local, Tribune-owned stations

[SabaceanBabe]

:woohoo:

Part of this post is a "repost" of something I posted an hour or so ago as a part of the write a letter to your local station thread (http://www.watchfarscape.com/forums/showthread.php?t=31908) (and just how many times can you use the word "post" in one sentence?).

I just got off the phone with Ann Sutton, who was acting as the representative for the Post-Newsweek broadcast stations. What a nice, nice lady! We talked for about 20 minutes and I didn't get nearly as tongue-tied as I expected.

She checked out www.farwhat.com ('cause she really likes the name of the site) and was magra-impressed. She knows Mort Marcus of Debmar Studios very well and said she'd be talking to him about us. She was floored by our grass-roots effort to get Farscape into national syndication, very impressed that we've been picked up by KSTW in Seattle (she said the station manager had actually interviewed with her for a position in her station, WJXT, a few years ago, so she has met him), was equally impressed that WB11 in New York City was interested in picking us up and said that we should focus our efforts on the Tribune stations.

In her opinion, if we get all of the Tribune-owned stations to pick up Farscape, then we're in. She also said she'd be talking us up to her people and anyone else she could think of that might help our cause. (I think I talked her into checking us out at her local Blockbuster, too.)

So, to that end, write letters or send emails to:

Tribune Broadcasting
435 N. Michigan Ave.
Chicago, IL 60611

Contact names:
Marc Schacher, VP Programming
Patrick J. Mullen, President

To further that end, we also have all of the Tribune-owned stations in the U.S. listed here, along with their web addys, so even if you don't send them any snailmail, send 'em an email (or three :ewink: ) to let them know what you want.

Tribune-owned stations:
WPIX-TV New York (www.WB11.com)

KTLA-TV Los Angeles (www.KTLA.com)

WGN-TV Chicago (www.WGNtv.com)

WPHL-TV Philadelphia (www.WB17.com)

WLVI-TV Boston (www.WB56.com)

KDAF-TV Dallas (www.KDAF.com)

WBDC-TV Washington, DC (www.WBDC.com)

WATL-TV Atlanta (www.WB36.com)

KHWB-TV Houston (www.KHWBtv.com)

WBZL-TV South Florida (www.WB39.com)

KWGN-TV Denver (www.WB2.com)

KTXL-TV Sacramento (www.FOX40.com)

KPLR-TV St. Louis (http://wb11tv.trb.com/)

KWBP-TV Portland (www.WB32TV.com)

WXIN-TV Indianapolis (www.WB11TV.com)

KSWB-TV San Diego (www.KSWBTV.com)

WTIC-TV Hartford (www.FOX61.com)

WTXX-TV Hartford (www.WTXX.com)

WXMI-TV Grand Rapids (www.WXMI.com)

WGNO-TV New Orleans (www.ABC26.com)

WNOL-TV New Orleans (www.WB38.com)

WPMT-TV Harrisburg (www.FOX43.com)

WEWB-TV Albany (www.WB45.com)

Remember, your demographics are important so they know you're a valuable member of their audience (you know, buying the stuff that's advertised on tv) and, maybe even more important, Debmar Studios is going to have a big presence at NATPE next week, so if you can do this before the conference is over, it may have an even bigger impact. Obviously snailmail letters may not make it in time, but email certainly will.

Scape on, people!

ETA: Also, Ms. Sutton loved the letter I wrote her (no, I'm not trying to pat myself on the back :rolleyes: ) so I'm putting the text here for you to use as, I dunno, inspiration? to write your own missive. In fact, she didn't realize until we actually spoke that I wasn't in the industry and didn't work for anybody affiliated with Debmar or Henson, which tickled her even more and made her apologize for "stalking" me (she looked up my home phone number from the information in my letter, lol).

Dear [insert contact person's name here]:

I just wanted to ask that you please pick up Farscape for your 2005 fall season for those stations you own. Farscape is being offered for the first time in syndication by Debmar Distributing, Inc. at the upcoming NATPE conference/convention and words cannot express how much I'd like to see this amazing show air on any of the local stations in [insert your local area here].

If you haven't heard of Farscape before now, you can learn more about it at www.farscape.com or www.farwhat.com. The first site is owned by the Jim Henson Company, Inc. (producers of the show) and the second is a fan-operated site owned by SaveFarscape.com.

On the Sci Fi Channel, Farscape had an average of about 1.3 in the ratings, which, given the Sci Fi Channel's market share during the time of Farscape's original run, is darned good. It will draw an even greater audience in syndication and it has probably the most loyal following in television today. People like me (xx-year-old professional [gender], household income $xxx,xxx, married, no children, college-educated, etc.) brought Farscape back from cancellation with the very successful miniseries that aired this past October, Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars. The Peacekeeper Wars drew an aggregate audience, during the baseball playoffs no less, of about 7 million viewers. And yes, in case you were wondering, I am a typical Farscape viewer.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,
me
my address

[UTChick]

I just email Philadelphia - which follows a snail mail letter I sent last week!! Wonder if I'll get a response....

[harveywhispers]

Awesome! I will get this uploaded to the front page for you!

[stlscape]

SB - I edited the first post to correct the St. Louis info.

[aeryncrichton]

Not so good news from LA: I got this letter today from KTLA (which is in the above list as a Tribune station).

KTLA has already purchased new programming for the fall to replace shows that have been canceled. So, unfortunately, KTLA does not have plans to purchase the Farscape series since our current Sci-Fi programming (Andromeda) will be discontinued by the production company this fall. You might wish to contact UPN (Channel 13) as they have carried the Star Trek franchises over the years.

[harveywhispers]

Bump - Email those stations!

[Frag_You!]

If I'm gonna send a snail-mail to WPIX-TV, aka WB-11 in New York, exactly who should I send it to? The station itself? Or to someone in particular at the station?

[Egraine]

The only local affiliate well mannered enough to even reply to our requests was the WB. They said they would be taking a serious look at it. FOX didn't respond, neither did UPN. :(

[SabaceanBabe]

If I'm gonna send a snail-mail to WPIX-TV, aka WB-11 in New York, exactly who should I send it to? The station itself? Or to someone in particular at the station?

Ms. Betty Ellen Berlamino, VP/General Manager
WPIX-TV, WB 11
220 E 42nd St
New York, NY 10017

:D

[Frag_You!]

Whoo! Thanks, SB. You rawk. :D

[Stargate2077]

WGN-TV Chicago (www.WGNtv.com)

I have said this already in the larger syndication thread, but it is worth repeating. Of all of the Tribune stations, this one is the most important because it is a superstation. A superstation means that it is seen in multiple DMAs in the US. For example, while WGN's local DMA is Chicago, IL, I saw WGN on cable in Memphis, TN. Therefore, if WGN acquires Farscape for its station, it will be seen in multiple DMA markets, some of which might not have a local station with Farscape.

[harveywhispers]

I have said this already in the larger syndication thread, but it is worth repeating. Of all of the Tribune stations, this one is the most important because it is a superstation. A superstation means that it is seen in multiple DMAs in the US. For example, while WGN's local DMA is Chicago, IL, I saw WGN on cable in Memphis, TN. Therefore, if WGN acquires Farscape for its station, it will be seen in multiple DMA markets, some of which might not have a local station with Farscape.

I agree.

I added it to the initial list without even knowing if it was/would be one of the stations that the parent company would/could look into getting Farscape for. Worst case scenario, we send a thousand emails & catch the attention of the programming staff...have them asking...have them looking for Farscape in the future. :D

Email RIGHT NOW!

[harveywhispers]

Still a darn good idea, as we HAVE to get the non-Fox cities covered!

[jondbrien]

I have emailed and lettered the WB56 in Boston which is a tribune station.

[harveywhispers]

bump

[zahncrelnik]

I went to WGN-TV Chicago (www.WGNtv.com) and used their form
to email the letter (Thank You, SabaceanBabe for writing that. and I did fill in the 'blanks')

I hope they already know how important Farscape would be to their
program schedule.

[SabaceanBabe]

If WGN picked us up, that would be HUGE!!

[harveywhispers]

If WGN picked us up, that would be HUGE!!

That would be beyond huge!

[Frag_You!]

Well, it may not be the answer I wanted, but I did get a response from WPIX-TV in New York. I'll type the response up here; sorry for any typos in advance. :D


"Dear Mr. Richard,

Thank you for your letter regarding "Farscape". We are certainly aware of the success of this series, and did consider it for our fall line-up. Unfortunately, we will be losing "Andromeda" in the fall, so we don't have anything to pair with "Farscape". As with most shows, they seem to work best as part of a block of shows from the same genre. We just didn't feel we had a proper companion show to pair with "Farscape" and decided to pass on the series.

WNYW-TV/WWOR-TV has since picked up "Farscape" to premiere on one or both of those stations in the fall. The final schedules will probably not be completed until mid-summer. I'm sure they will release to you their scheduling intentions as soon as they are finalized.

Thank you for thinking of WPIX-TV as a destination for clearly one of your favorite shows. And, thank you for taking the time to write. It is always great to hear from our viewers.

Sincerely,

Julie O'Neil
Program Director"



All in all, a really nice letter. Glad to see both the Fox and UPN affiliates in town picked it up, and I'm almost shocked that this lady from WPIX actually told me as such. She's definitely getting a thank-you letter from me.

And bonus points for actually signing the letter. :P

[harveywhispers]

Well, it may not be the answer I wanted, but I did get a response from WPIX-TV in New York. I'll type the response up here; sorry for any typos in advance. :D


"Dear Mr. Richard,

Thank you for your letter regarding "Farscape". We are certainly aware of the success of this series, and did consider it for our fall line-up. Unfortunately, we will be losing "Andromeda" in the fall, so we don't have anything to pair with "Farscape". As with most shows, they seem to work best as part of a block of shows from the same genre. We just didn't feel we had a proper companion show to pair with "Farscape" and decided to pass on the series.

WNYW-TV/WWOR-TV has since picked up "Farscape" to premiere on one or both of those stations in the fall. The final schedules will probably not be completed until mid-summer. I'm sure they will release to you their scheduling intentions as soon as they are finalized.

Thank you for thinking of WPIX-TV as a destination for clearly one of your favorite shows. And, thank you for taking the time to write. It is always great to hear from our viewers.

Sincerely,

Julie O'Neil
Program Director"



All in all, a really nice letter. Glad to see both the Fox and UPN affiliates in town picked it up, and I'm almost shocked that this lady from WPIX actually told me as such. She's definitely getting a thank-you letter from me.

And bonus points for actually signing the letter. :P

Awesome!

[SabaceanBabe]

That's great that WWOR has it. I've even heard of them/gotten them on cable here in central Ohio. :D

[spocks2]

I went to WGN-TV Chicago (www.WGNtv.com) and used their form
to email the letter (Thank You, SabaceanBabe for writing that. and I did fill in the 'blanks')

I hope they already know how important Farscape would be to their
program schedule.

Is that the same form as you get here?:

http://wgnsuperstation.trb.com/about/station/

[spocks2]

I emailed both WGN addresses, and here's the response I just got from wgntv.com:

"WFLD-Channel 32 picked it up.

Thanks for writing.

George"

That's FOX Chicago.

[uisceboo]

:kick::bump:

We aren't done with this until Farscape airs everywhere, not just on cable susperstaions, but on boradcast. Who wants to see Farscape on free TV? With just an antenna? Go for it, people! :D

[harveywhispers]

:kick::bump:

We aren't done with this until Farscape airs everywhere, not just on cable susperstaions, but on boradcast. Who wants to see Farscape on free TV? With just an antenna? Go for it, people! :D

Frell Yeah...can't let those potential Scapers have ANY excuses! :D

[uisceboo]

I was thinking, people with "rabbit ears" and basement apartments are really important. They will catch some Farscape, but with a snowy picture and lines, get frustrated, and go out and buy the whole series on DVD so they can watch it clearly!

:tv: :D