CBS waffles on 'Reagan' miniseries, sells it to Showtime

Hollywood Reporter ^

[rs79bm]

NEW YORK -- Just three hours after CBS Entertainment chief Nancy Tellem insisted publicly on Tuesday morning that the network had not canceled the embattled "The Reagans" miniseries, CBS issued a statement saying that it had done so. It also has licensed the film to Showtime, its pay-network arm.

"This decision is based solely on our reaction to seeing the final film, not the controversy that erupted around a draft of the script," the statement said. CBS said the show "does not present a balanced portrayal of the Reagans for CBS and its audience. Subsequent edits that we considered did not address those concerns."

Earlier Tuesday, Tellem had said to a gathering of industry executives: "There has been no decision as of yet to take 'The Reagans' off the schedule." Asked what the network was examining, she said told an International Radio & Television Society breakfast, "There are lots of considerations ...We're editing it. We're taking this very, very seriously." At press time, a CBS spokesman had not returned calls seeking comment on the discrepancy between Tellem's remarks and the official decision to yank the miniseries.

In its statement, CBS said the decision was not based on a desire to avoid tackling tough topics on broadcast television. "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," the network said.

CBS said it wanted to, however, give the miniseries a venue, because "We ... recognize and respect the filmmakers' right to have their voice heard and their film seen." The network said that a pay network carries "different standards" than a "free" over-the-air service available to everyone.

Conservatives have launched a major assault on CBS for airing the two-part, four-hour miniseries, which is scheduled to debut on Nov. 16, saying it contains historical inaccuracies that unfairly portray former President Ronald Reagan in a negative light. It's uncertain if moving the film to pay cable -- which has historically aired more controversially movies -- will ameliorate all of their concerns.

[rs79bm]

Can you believe this garbage almost made it on the network?

[MEG33]

Yes..and it would have ,except for the uproar,I believe.

[TheGrimReaper]

I wonder how Showtime will market this piece of crap....

The movie that is so full of lies, CBS won't even touch it!.... only on Showtime!!

[Izzy Dunne]

CBS said the show "does not present a balanced portrayal of the Reagans for CBS and its audience."

It's OK - the network itself made this decision.
I'm sure the pressure had nothing to do with it.

[rs79bm]

CBS Statement:

"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."

[My2Cents]

"This decision is based solely on our reaction to seeing the final film, not the controversy that erupted around a draft of the script,"

Yeah, right.

Take a bow, everyone. We won one for the Gipper!

[longtermmemmory]

How does viacom sell it to viacom?

CBS (viacom) sold this to Showtime (viacom)?

Hallmark is STILL selling these lies to the FRENCH!

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Now, Showtime is the next target.

[ElkGroveDan]

Why should Showtime get a pass?

Sounds like its time to turn up the heat on them.
http://www.sho.com/site/util/contact.do

[ElkGroveDan]

Why should Showtime get a pass?

Sounds like its time to turn up the heat on them.
http://www.sho.com/site/util/contact.do

[Roughneck]

"This decision is based solely on our reaction to seeing the final film, not the controversy that erupted around a draft of the script,"

Bull Sheets! I know I wrote Hallmark about CBS, CBS is in it for the bucks, if the final film was not good enough for network, why pass it on to Showtime?

Wonder what they will say when the public cancels their subscriptions to Showtime? How will they spin that little jewel?

[auzerais]

Can you believe this garbage almost made it on the network?

What is now worse is the fact that if CBS had aired this movie, it would have been shown once and forgotten.

However, now SHOWTIME will probably repeat this trash 3-4 times per week for several months and then the worst part begins:

Within months VIACOM will distribute DVDs of this flawed history of the Reagans to every Blockbuster and Public Library in the country.

Then the Leftist NEA will gleefully require every gullible Jr&Sr HS student to view this flawed view of the Reagans as part of its "History Curriculum" for the next 20 years!

[LibertyGirl77]

"We ... recognize and respect the filmmakers' right to have their voice heard and their film seen."

Uh . . since when is this a "right?"

[Eric in the Ozarks]

The great majority just responded, "we're not listening."

[longtermmemmory]

By that standard ALL scripts are "drafts". The fact that they were driven by painic to endit parts before going back to the uncut version for showtime, really makes this as big a lie as the "smearplay".

[PeoplesRep_of_LA]

Can you believe this garbage almost made it on the network?

From the makers of Survivor 9? You bet, only intense pressure brought this machine to a halt. Think about this pathetic paragraph real hard people;

"This decision is based solely on our reaction to seeing the final film, not the controversy that erupted around a draft of the script," the statement said. CBS said the show "does not present a balanced portrayal of the Reagans for CBS and its audience. Subsequent edits that we considered did not address those concerns."

How can it not have to do with the "controversy that erupte" when they go onto say that it "does not present a balance portrayal of the Reagans?"

So then we were right.

Just say it Mooves, et al. Drudge's script was right, Rush was right. I was right. Everyone on FR was right. Come on, it will look alittle less pathetic to take some responsibility. Course no one ever said that saying you are canceling something hours after saying you were not canceling something looked admirable.

[Ashamed Canadian]

There's no way I'm watching this piece of crap.

[longtermmemmory]

You don't have a "right" to lie.

This was not represented as a fictinal work. This was represented as "fact". The two homosexuals who were the producers openly have their agenda regarding making homosexuals more sympathetic.

Even if the person is a public figure, you don't have the right to lie about what they said. First amendment rights and are not absolute. (strippers don't have a first amendment right to be naked, fire in a crowded theater)

However here on FR I am preaching to the choir. To the left, they can say anything to get them in power.

(seems like bashing reagan failed, I wonder what other desperate tricks will happen between now and november 2004?)

[mabelkitty]

They caved.
Nobody is going to sign-up for Showtime just to watch this, and they know it.
Let's see how many folks cancel Showtime because of this.
They should have just apologized and shut up....but, no.......

[mabelkitty]

Um, isn't that what got Enron in trouble?