A Reply from a CBS Affliate VP of Broadcast Stations on Reagan Mini-Series

10/27/2003 | Babsig

[SerpentDove]

CBS is in their own grave, yet they keep digging.

[wolficatZ]

Lipton did not dump the Chicks. The Dixie Chicks/Lipton tv commercial has been airing frequently on the networks recently.

[marlin]

here is the reply i got from wcco in minneapolis -

Dear Craig,
Thank you for your e-mail about the upcoming mini-series "The Reagans." This program, still in post-production, will be a four-hour saga dealing with the lives of Ronald and Nancy Reagan from the time of their wedding to beyond Mr. Reagan's Presidency. There has been recent discussion in the public arena and commentary and assumptions have been made by individuals who have not seen a single frame of this film. While in any biographical drama a degree of theatrical license is unavoidable, we wish to assure you that CBS and the producers of "The Reagans" have made every attempt to be fair and accurate.

As broadcasters, it is our job to put forth programming that informs, entertains and, hopefully, stirs meaningful discourse about the events of our time in a responsible and truthful manner. We invite Americans to watch "The Reagans" and make their own personal judgement as to whether or not we have succeeded in our efforts.

Once again thank you for writing and we hope you continue to watch WCCO-TV,
Jennifer Kasel
Communications Coordinator
WCCO-TV

looks to me like the affiliates got a script

time to get a rope and hang them all

marlin

[longtermmemmory]

who advertises on your local 11:00 news? all politics is local. Local advertisers do not have the same money/deep pockets to ride out a storm that big boys. Car dealers especially want to be your personal friend (at least until you leave the lot)

[longtermmemmory]

we invite americans to trust nevil chamberland and see if we do infact have peace in out time with Mr. Hitler.

[Inspectorette]

Here's the response I got from my local here on the Central Coast of CA:

Having received your email and concerns on the upcoming movie on CBS it is important to note that the affiliation agreement that most stations have with the Networks, that agreement is not as lenient as one might imagine. While we do have some discretion in programming, there is, per our contract with CBS, a very limited preemption policy of only a couple of hours per year. I have forwarded your concerns to Betsy Frank, my CBS contact. We have already used our allotment of preempt time this quarter in that we will be airing the Annual Christmas Parade on KCOY, Christmas morning. This is a repeat of the live coverage of the Christmas Parade on December 6, 2003 on KKFX. Most of the community have asked us each year to rerun the parade so that they have an opportunity to see the parade and their participation on television.

I am sorry that you feel that since we cannot preempt this movie, that you will no longer be a viewer of KCOY. In our local content, we endeavor to be a good citizen within our community. To be censored by our local viewers due to what we have limited control over disheartens us and the efforts we make within our community. I hope that you will reconsider KCOY and what we offer with our local news, community commitment and genuine interest in bringing all of our viewers the best we can possibly produce within our market.

There was also a smarmy little comment by the original addressee of my e-mail (the Gen. Mgr. of the station didn't have a working link):

"It's interesting that this movie is being pre-judged before anyone has seen it!" "

Whattabuncha arrogant jerks! Stupid, too. Whining "censorship" because someone tells them they're not going to watch their stupid TV channel!

[longtermmemmory]

even if they cut the aids lie and the anti-christ comment, they will have it in there for the european version.

[Pagey]

If this show airs, I hope you will consider watching and forming your own opinion about how President Reagan was treated.

No, I did that when it was announced that B.ull S.h_ts spouse was given the role as Ronald Reagan. Here is a random sampling of the comments I sent to several CBS executives this past weekend. I was really feeling it on Saturday A.M., he smiles. The made up dialogue and false scenes that Matt Drudge has revealed on his website only reinforced my original complaint. You and your advertisers will never receive any of my hard-earned money again. Blatant Lies, and Slander just don't go over very well w/ me. There's a special place in purgatory for people like you. Making a mini-series with lies about about Reagan,while he fades into oblivion w/ alzhiemers disease, puts me at Dis---Ease! I hope this turns out to be a total 'bomb' of a mini-series and I plan on reading Mike Deavers book on Reagan every night this airs on TV. Unfortunately for you, I don't watch 60 Minutes and haven't for years. The only program I do watch on CBS is E.L.R. because as a man,I love Patricia Heaton.( Please keep kicking Ray's _ss Debra!) Only half of voting age American DumbocRATS will watch your filthy mini-series and 'barely half of that group' will actually watch it each day. I find it fascinating that you've intentionally and effectively alienated a rather large portion of potential viewers, by making a mini-series that tells blatant falsehoods. I await the day in the near future to see the horrible ratings too. I don't doubt that B.S. ( and her RAT sycophants) contributed to the dialogue and false scenes themselves too. I know from 8 years of hell not to underestimate a Demoncrat,which is what your network represents best.

Then I went to a wedding in the afternoon and had a great evening.

[Wondervixen]

I think the appropriate counter response would be to inform this stuffed shirt that if he takes the word of the leftists that it is a flattering representation and airs it, he'd best be prepared for the serious backlash of angered viewers when it turns out to be an insult!

Ah, but then, I'm sure the commie libs that convinced him it was flattering will come forth and pick up the slack for lost viewership and revenues that his trusting them cost him.

[Pagey]

This is all just a big publicity stunt to get ratings

Oh, I tend to doubt that in this case. Please see post # 68.Here's part of what I wrote:

Only half of voting age American DumbocRATS will watch your filthy mini-series and 'barely half of that group' will actually watch it each day. I find it fascinating that you've intentionally and effectively alienated a rather large portion of potential viewers, by making a mini-series that tells blatant falsehoods.
BTW, I don't believe for a moment that this was leaked intentionally to Matt Drudge. If there was no Internet, do you actually believe any program on TV, 'E.T.' or any other, would've acquired, much less read the transcript outtakes on TV? You can't possibly believe that.

[Becki]

The little I've heard suggests that he is presented quite favorably. Thank you for contacting us. John Cottingham Vice President of Broadcast Stations Media General Broadcasting Group

All they have to do is listen to the parts that have already been broadcast by Drudge. Or he could contact Micheal Reagan, who has seen actual parts of it.

They are not trying very hard.

I would like to know what parts of it he thinks are favorable?

Becki

[Pagey]

bttt

[ATOMIC_PUNK]

http://www.viacom.com/pdf/dl3Q03.pdf

STATISTICAL INFORMATION

Third Quarter 2003 – Continued

Viacom Major-Market Media Presence

Rank Nielsen Market TV Stations Radio Stations Outdoor

1 New York WCBS WCBS (AM), WFAN (AM), WINS (AM), WCBS (FM), WNEW (FM), WXRK (FM) x

2 Los Angeles-Riverside- Palm Springs KCBS, KCAL KFWB (AM), KNX (AM), KCBS (FM), KLSX (FM), KROQ (FM), KRTH (FM), KTWV (FM), KFRG (FM), KXFG (FM), KRAK (AM), KVFG (FM), KEZN (FM) x

3 Chicago WBBM WBBM (AM), WSCR (AM), WBBM (FM), WCKG (FM), WJMK (FM), WUSN (FM), WXRT (FM) x

4 Philadelphia KYW, WPSG KYW (AM), WIP (AM), WPHT (AM), WOGL (FM), WYSP (FM) x

5 San Francisco-Oakland- San Jose KPIX, KBHK KCBS (AM), KFRC (AM), KFRC (FM), KITS (FM), KLLC (FM), KBAY (FM), KBAA (FM), KEZR (FM), KYCY (AM) x

6 Boston WBZ, WSBK WBZ (AM), WBCN (FM), WBMX (FM), WODS (FM), WZLX (FM) x

7 Dallas-Ft. Worth KTVT, KTXA KRLD (AM), KOAI (FM), KRBV (FM), KVIL (FM), KLLI (FM), KLUV (FM) x

8 Washington, D.C. WPGC (AM), WARW (FM), WHFS (FM), WJFK (FM), WPGC (FM) x

9 Atlanta WUPA WAOK (AM), WVEE (FM), WZGC (FM) x

10 Detroit WWJ, WKBD WWJ (AM), WXYT (AM), WKRK (FM), WOMC (FM), WVMV (FM), WYCD (FM) x

11 Houston KIKK (AM), KILT (AM), KHJZ (FM), KILT (FM) x

12 Seattle-Tacoma KSTW KYCW (AM), KMPS (FM), KBKS (FM), KYPT (FM), KZOK (FM) x

13 Tampa- St. Petersburg WTOG WQYK (AM), WLLD (FM), WQYK (FM), WRBQ (FM), WSJT (FM), WYUU (FM) x

14 Minneapolis-St. Paul WCCO KCCO (AM), WCCO (AM), WLTE (FM), WXPT (FM) x

15 Cleveland WNCX (FM), WDOK (FM), WQAL (FM), WXTM (FM) x

16 Phoenix KOOL (FM), KZON (FM), KMLE (FM) x

17 Miami- Ft. Lauderdale WFOR, WBFS x

18 Denver KCNC KIMN (FM), KDJM (FM), KXKL (FM) x

19 Sacramento- Stockton-Modesto KMAX KHTK (AM), KNCI (FM), KSFM (FM), KXOA (FM), KYMX (FM), KZZO (FM) x

20 Orlando-Daytona Beach-Melbourne WJHM (FM), WOCL (FM), WOMX (FM) x

21 St. Louis KMOX (AM), KEZK (FM), KYKY (FM) x

22 Pittsburgh KDKA, WNPA KDKA (AM), WBZZ (FM), WDSY (FM), WZPT (FM)

23 Baltimore WJZ WJFK (AM), WLIF (FM), WQSR (FM), WWMX (FM), WXYV (FM), WBMD (AM), WBGR (AM) x

24 Portland, Oregon KUPL (AM), KVMX (FM), KINK (FM), KLTH (FM), KUFO (FM), KUPL (FM) x

CBS'S OWN MURDERER'S ROW HITS THURSDAY GRAND SLAM HOMERUN

CBS Ousts NBC From Thursday Leadership in Adults 18-49

CBS Wins Thursday in Adults 18-49 With And Against First Run Regularly Scheduled Programming on NBC For The First Time Since Advent of People Meters

'CSI' Has Its Most Watched and Highest Rated Episode of the Season in Adults 25-54 and Adults 18-49

'CSI' Scores With 27.6 Million Viewers Against the World Series

'Survivor: Pearl Island' Also Tops Fish/Yankees with 20.19 Million Viewers

'Without a Trace' In Its Closest Competitive Position To A First-Run 'ER' In Viewers, Adults 18-49 and Adults 25-54

 

 

In a historic first that further reinforces the changing of the guard on television's most competitive night, CBS won Thursday in adults 18-49 with and against regularly scheduled programming on NBC for the first time since the advent of people meters, according to final Nielsen ratings for Oct. 23.

 

      Coming on one of the most competitive Thursdays of the season that included Game 5 of the World Series, CBS won the night in households (12.8/20), viewers (20.90m), adults 25-54 (9.3/21) and adults 18-49 (7.5/19).  CBS trailed NBC by –2.8 rating points in adults 18-49 on premiere Thursday. 

 

As CBS posted its first win in adults 18-49 in at least 16 years, conversely NBC delivered its lowest household (10.2) and adult 18-49 (7.4) ratings for a Thursday night of regularly scheduled original programming since Nielsen began metering homes in 1987.

 

SURVIVOR: PEARL ISLANDS was first in households (11.7/18), viewers (20.19m), adults 25-54 (9.3/22) and second in adults 18-49 (7.5/20).  At 8:30PM, SURVIVOR was first in households (+35% ahead of NBC), adults 25-54 (+55% ahead of NBC), adults 18-49 (+23% ahead of NBC) and had +7.58m more viewers than NBC. 

 

SURVIVOR was up at 8:30 PM by +18% in households (12.6/19 from 10.7/17), +21% in adults 25-54 (10.2/23 from 8.4/21), +29% in adults 18-49 (8.5/22 from 6.6/18) and added +3.44m viewers (21.91m from 18.47m) from its 8:00PM delivery.

 

At 9:00 PM, CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION dominated its time period in households (17.0/25), viewers (27.58m), adults 18-34 (7.8/21), adults 18-49 (10.1/24) and adults 25-54 (12.6/27).  CSI is the night's top rated program in households, adults 18-49, adults 25-54 and the night's most watched program.  CSI posted its most watched episode and best adults 18-49 and adults 25-54 delivery this season.

 

At 10:00 PM, WITHOUT A TRACE (9.7/15, 14.72m) was in its closest competitive position to a first-run ‘ER’ in viewers (14.72m vs. 18.01m, -3.29m), adults 18-49 (4.7/12 vs. 8.3/21, -3.6 rating points) and adults 25-54 (5.9/13 vs. 9.5/21, -3.6 rating points).  

For additional information please contact the Diversity Department at:

51 West 52nd Street
New York, NY 10019
Fax: 212-975-9174
Email: Diversity@cbs.com Diversity@cbs.com

CBS Affiliates

Local CBS Affiliates ALL

Affiliates (local stations) with Websites

[gcruse]

What do I think? When I lived in Canada, one of my biggaest gripes was the practice of prior restraint. That is what you call it when the government would prevent a newspaper from printing something. It happens there quite a bit. I am uneasy supporting an effort to stop something from being broadcast.

[BJungNan]

It wasn't Chevy, it was Pontiac. Two distinct divisions.

It is still GM, right. And they should not be sponsoring this movie. I'll have to think about this. It was tough choice between the Ford and the Chevy. The Chevy was actually a bit more. I may just save the money and make a statement.

[nutmeg]

ping!

Please FReepmail me if you want on or off my infrequent ‘miscellaneous’ ping list.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the information!

[MeekOneGOP]

Thanks, AP. bttt to come back here and fire a couple of letters off to Can't Be Seen ...

[steve8714]

Did that. Hey didn't you direct Dune?

[steve8714]

They are totally arrogant...but their greed will override any principle. The Busches were Republican until Prohibition.