The Reagans - Not to air on CBS.

[quade 3]

Well, I guess this is further proof that the "liberal" media really does run things eh?

Quote

CBS STATEMENT REGARDING "THE REAGANS"

"CBS will not broadcast THE REAGANS on November 16 and 18. This decision is based solely on our reaction to seeing the final film, not the controversy that erupted around a draft of the script.

Although the mini-series features impressive production values and acting performances, and although the producers have sources to verify each scene in the script, we believe it does not present a balanced portrayal of the Reagans for CBS and its audience. Subsequent edits that we considered did not address those concerns.

A free broadcast network, available to all over the public airwaves, has different standards than media the public must pay to view. We do, however, recognize and respect the filmmakers' right to have their voice heard and their film seen. As such, we have reached an agreement to license the exhibition rights for the film to Showtime, a subscriber-based, pay-cable network. We believe this is a solution that benefits everyone involved.

This was not an easy decision to make. CBS does tackle controversial subjects and provide tough assessments of prominent historical figures and events, as we did with films such as 'Jesus,' '9-11' and 'Hitler.' We will continue to do so in the future."

Just not one about Reagan . . . .

Talk about bending to pressure. I can't think of a single instance in where the Democrats have ever been able to force a protrayal of say, JFK, RFK, Johnson or anyone else off the air.

Yikes.

CBS -- "We bend to pressure. We censor. You don't get to decide."

Whatever happened to "I don't agree with what you say, but I'll defend your right to say it"?

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[lummy 4]

I heard it on the TV this morning but only heard something about Republicans and Conservatives objecting to the movie so CBS pulled it. What specifically were they objecting to?

I promise not to TP Davis under canopy.. I promise not to TP Davis under canopy.. eat sushi, get smoochieTTK#1

[TheAnvil 0]

LOL. They decided to pull this off the air for many reasons.

1) Reagan is dying of Alzheimer's while his wife watches. What a time to release a film about him.

2) The film apparently misrepresents Reagan and his wife in a negative light. See reason #1 and think 'class'.

3) In light of reasons #1 & #2, how do you think many democrats - who are decent people - would feel about the film?

The difference between JFK & RFK films which might have represented them in a poor light - I don't know to which specific film you are referring - and this one is that they were DEAD when the films were released. Not dying a horrid death of Alzheimers. I haven't heard of any JFK films deliberately making up quotes about him to make him out to be incompassionate, inconsiderate, foul mouthed, or senile either - all of that was done in The Reagans.

I'm actually eager to watch this portrayal of the man I consider America's greatest 20th Century President after all I've heard about it. If it turns out as most who have seen excerpts of the film portray it, the true character of the leftists who wrote/promoted it will be exposed. If not, some on the right owe them a big apology - I seriously doubt this to be the case.

Vinny the Anvil
Post Traumatic Didn't Make The Lakers Syndrome is REAL
JACKASS POWER!!!!!!

[Deuce 1]

Q, I think its mostly cause these people aren't dead yet.

[quade 3]

So, then you hold the film until after eveyone is dead and can't defend themselves?

Hey, I'm not saying the folks that made this portrayal did it objectively or without even a hint of malace. What I'm saying is that once CBS agreed to the pitch and terms of the producers, then CBS should have the fortitude to stand behind their decision to run it.

They simply folded under pressure.

Is the program unflattering -- maybe -- hell probably, but that's not the point. The point is that this is a very slippery slope of censorship driven by not even the government, but some wankers over at the RNC.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[Shark 0]

It's will still air on Showtime.

Quote

They simply folded under pressure.

Unlike our country.

[quade 3]

Yes, Showtime, I'm sure the rating numbers are comparable.

Hell, why didn't they just sell it to the Independent Film Channel?

On second thought, it'll probably get MORE viewership (though not all in one airing) now that it's been buried. I mean, I really had no intention of watching it before all this started, but now it's a -must see- even though I don't subscribe to Showtime (does anyone?).

Didn't the RNC learn anything from O'Reilly and his lawsuit against Franken?

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[jfields 0]

Quote

the man I consider America's greatest 20th Century President

Vinny,

Next time, warn me before you say things like that. I spewed tea all over my monitor and had a seizure at the same time.

Use NSFD or something. Jesus!

[Deuce 1]

This reminds me of the Dixie Chicks debate. In a commercial enterprise, you gotta make money. If the audience wasn't into the message of the miniseries, it gets pulled.

If it was a controversy that generated interest, I think they'd have gone ahead and run it. I'm willing to bet they focus-grouped it, and they were screwed, so they bailed on it. Beating up on a guy with alzheimers is just bad commercial decision making. Plus, he was a popular guy, and people want to probably remember him in a positive way.

I think its all about dollars.

[bodypilot90 0]

What I'm saying is that once CBS agreed to the pitch and terms of the producers, then CBS should have the fortitude to stand behind their decision to run it.


well if cbs feels they would be unable to sell the show to advertisers after seeing the finished product then it would affect the profit of the Time slot. From the few clips (sound bites) I have heard it was not well done at all and not a true depiction at all.

[meltdown 0]

It's not censorship. Censorship is when the government won't let them air it. They decided, after feeling the heat, not to air it. The decision was made by CBS, not uncle sam. It's funny that when liberals get criticized, they scream censorship. However, when they decide to slander someone with alzheimers, it's free speech. This is NOT CENSORSHIP!

[billvon 2,434]

>From the few clips (sound bites) I have heard it was not well done at
>all and not a true depiction at all.

Doesn't matter if it's a true depiction or not - it's all in what sells. Heck, I've seen accounts of the Jessica Lynch thing that make her into a great american hero. They sell better than the real story.

[quade 3]

Quote

If the audience wasn't into the message of the miniseries, it gets pulled.

I dunno. I've seen a lot of stinkfests on TV over the years and controversial ones usually get played just because of the reasons I went into in my last post.

My guess is it went down something more along the lines of the RNC muscling CBS with a threat of not giving them as many ads in the next year. It's an election year and that's a big money maker for the networks. The RNC could -easliy- do this by passing up network ads in favor of local ads. No real hit to the RNC, but a huge hit to CBS. Money talks.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[billvon 2,434]

>It's funny that when liberals get criticized, they scream censorship.
> However, when they decide to slander someone with alzheimers, it's
> free speech.

It's not an issue of censorship - CBS is a free entity and can put whatever they want on their channel. It's just an example of a TV network caving into pressure from conservatives. That's not censorship, just pressure from a group that doesn't want a hero of theirs shown with the wrong spin.

[Deuce 1]

Quote

Money talks.

Absolutely. And it wasn't going to make them any money.

As for the media buys, politicians are going to do what it takes to win. If the RNC needs to get at a demographic that CBS is hitting, they are going to buy. Those "ethics" aren't going to slow them down a bit if it's going to cost them an election.

When this thing airs on Showtime, I'll be curious to see how it's recieved. I wasn't going to watch it before, and I'm still not going to. I will enjoy the reactions of the press to it, though.

[meltdown 0]

***
It's not an issue of censorship - CBS is a free entity and can put whatever they want on their channel. It's just an example of a TV network caving into pressure from conservatives. That's not censorship, just pressure from a group that doesn't want a hero of theirs shown with the wrong spin.
________________________________________________
You are absolutely correct. But, there is nothing sinister about it. It's no different than a corporation caving from the pressure brought to bear by a union. Business people have to make tough decisions. CBS doesn't give a rat's ass whether or not Tom Delay is gonna watch - but they probably give a shit whether mainstream conservatives watch, since they make up about 1/2 of the country. People and organizations have always used what leverage they have for whatever their goals might be, and they always will. It's called freedom.

[TheAnvil 0]

Was it Jasmine Tea? I like Jasmine - that would be a waste.


So as not to PW - I don't think this is censorship. I think it is smart marketing on the part of CBS.

Vinny the Anvil
Post Traumatic Didn't Make The Lakers Syndrome is REAL
JACKASS POWER!!!!!!

[quade 3]

Quote

I don't think this is censorship.

There's an old saying that one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter. And speaking of tea, what was the Boston Tea Party if not a terrorist act against a legitimate government?

Censorship by the RNC or incredible political & financial pressure by the RNC -- same thing. It's all in the CBS eye of the beholder.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[billvon 2,434]

>But, there is nothing sinister about it.

Didn't say it's sinister at all. Money (and power) talks, and in this case, conservatives used that power to prevent a show that shows one of their heroes in a negative light from being aired. No different than a tobacco company stopping a TV show on the hazards of smoking by using their political/financial influence, or Pepsi threatening to pull its support from an event because someone there publically disagrees with Pepsi's politics.

>People and organizations have always used what leverage they have
> for whatever their goals might be, and they always will. It's called
> freedom.

Absolutely. And it's good to see people admitting (finally!) that the media is controlled as much by the conservatives as by the liberals. Like you said, they make up half the country; they have half the influence.

[harryskydives 0]

of censorship driven by not even the government, but some wankers over at the RNC

This is not censorship. CBS does what they do for $$$. They realized that putting words, that Reagan did not say, in his mouth, and portraing him in an negative way, especially since he was not like some of the scenes in the move. Would not make them money. I am sure you will be able to see the movie a few years after his death.
PS I will be looking forward to the movie " The Clintens" a few years after Bills death. I susspect it will also lack a true historical picture.

Don't run out of altitude and experience at the same time...

[Shark 0]

This is funny. Do people actually watch these programs for their so-called historical value? Personally, I could care less where they showed it, if at all. I'll be doing something more enjoyable... like skydiving or hangin' out on dropzone.com.

[jfields 0]

Quote

They realized that putting words, that Reagan did not say, in his mouth, and portraing him in an negative way, especially since he was not like some of the scenes in the move.

If the movie hasn't been released or aired, how do you know exactly what it contains? I'm not defending it, but wondering how you are attacking it sight unseen.

[harryskydives 0]

how you are attacking it sight unseen.
I understand that 8 minutes of trailer has been shown. I got my spin from the radio talk shows. Like shark I will probally not watch it unless they add some skydiving. Ron's youngest son did a tandem that was televised.

Don't run out of altitude and experience at the same time...

[billvon 2,434]

>Do people actually watch these programs for their so-called historical value?

You bet. Heck, more people nowadays get their news from late-night comedians than from any sort of media news outlet. For most americans, watching Roots on cable will teach them more about the slave trade than they ever learned in school (or from any other source.)

[kiltboy 0]

Quote

There's an old saying that one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter. And speaking of tea, what was the Boston Tea Party if not a terrorist act against a legitimate government?

I wouldn't call it a terrorist act as an act of civil disobedience. A bunch of ungrateful colonists rebelled against the idea of paying for a war that was fought to defend the colonies from the French. Then they dressed up as native americans to try and pass the blame on them, muttered something about no taxation without representation and had a revolution.

David