Sarah Palin Meeting With Networks Over Alaska Documentary

Fox News ^ | Thursday March 4, 2010

[Bigtigermike]

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is meeting with television executives this week to pitch a documentary about her home state, FOX has learned. Despite several media reports that the project was a reality show, Fox411 confirms that it is a documentary that will focus on the people, geography and wildlife of Alaska. A source close to Palin says the show has absolutely nothing to do with her personal life or her family. Palin is teaming up with “Survivor” creator Mark Burnett and Robert Barnett to produce the project, sources tell Fox. The group is in Los Angeles this week meeting with network heads about the documentary, and there is already “great interest” in it. In total, the group will meet with six different networks."

[Bubba Ho-Tep]

Live for the Moment- More of a documentary than reality show

Right. They take people with handicaps or other problems and take them off to have adventures. Not a reality show at all.

Are you smarter than..., Amnesia, et al - Game Show

Game shows are the original reality shows.

Many Award show productions

Not much different than a reality show.

Global Frequency- SciFi TV series

Uh, no. It was another pilot that wasn't picked up by the WB network, who had ordered it. It later leaked onto the internet.

Are we there yet- Movie

Actually, it was a sitcom that never got past having a pilot shot.

40 Year Old Virgin- Movie

You're joking, right? His credit on that movie? "Thanks" He's right next to Michael McDonald with that credit. McDonald, as you remember, appeared on the TV in the electronics store where Steve Carrell worked. Most likely Mark Burnett's role in the production was also to give his permission for something he owned to appear or be referenced in the show.

Also, his very early career they don’t have on IMDB, he started out making documentaries

Actually he got his start when he participated in the Raid Gauloises in 1993 and convinced the French TV crew to let him have their footage. He cut that and sold it. That led to more adventure race productions, which led to "Survivor."

[Bigtigermike]

This is Amazing, now the narrative is that Sarah is doing must be doing somthing wrong by having the wrong producer and wrong production according to the so called experts at FR or haters or whatever you called them, simply amazing!

[Friendofgeorge]

OldDeckHand will be beside himself.

[mnehring]

Well then if you are going to be that loose with definitions, I’ll call documentaries just a form of reality show as well.

What does it matter anyway? Just another reason to attack Palin? Have a problem with the color fingernail polish she uses too?

[RichInOC]

So it wasn’t going to be a reality show. Althought I myself liked the idea of putting Ricky Hollywood and Andrew Sullivan, among others, out on the North Slope for Survivor”, a documentary sounds like a neat idea.

You want to know when I’ll take the negative coverage on the Palins seriously? When I have at least a minimal confidence level that it bears some sort of relation to the facts. This story did not help.

[Bubba Ho-Tep]

Look, the guy makes reality shows, game shows and awards shows. He’s very successful at it. No problem. Just don’t pretend that he’s the God of Serious Documentaries, because he isn’t.

[RonDog]

It appears that Governor Palin is emulating THIS GUY:

From www.coopersjd.com:

Death Valley Days is a long-running American radio and television anthology about true stories of the old American West, particularly the Death Valley area.

It was created in 1930 by Ruth Woodman and ran on radio until 1945. It ran from 1952 to 1975 as a syndicated television series.

The 558 television stories, which had different actors, were introduced by a host. The longest-running was "The Old Ranger" from 1952-1965, played by Stanley Andrews...

-- snip --

... Following the departure of Andrews, Ronald Reagan became the host.

-- snip --

...Death Valley Days is, judging from sheer number of episodes broadcast, by far the most successful syndicated television Western, the most successful television Western ever in the half-hour format, and arguably the most successful syndication of any genre in the history of the U.S. television market (Baywatch had a larger international market among U.S.-produced syndicated programs).

Presented by:
Stanley Andrews (1952-1965)
Ronald Reagan (1965-1966)
Robert Taylor (1966-1969)
Dale Robertson (1969-1972)

[Moorings]

I'm glad I decided to wait and get more information on this project by Sarah. I say the thread from yesterday with a bunch of posters gleefully proclaiming "I told you so".

Now that the picture is clearer, the new issue for these posers is her choice of a producer for the show. What a bunch of nitwits!!

[jonrick46]

It is ironic that Ronald Reagan hosted a TV series called Death Valley Days, a radio and television anthology dramatizing true stories of the old American West, particularly the Death Valley area. It was created in 1930 by Ruth Woodman and broadcast on radio until 1945. The TV series played from 1952 to 1975.

[jonrick46]

You beat me to it! I scrolled up and there you were. It proves that my fellow FReepers are on the same page!

[ConservativeMan55]

bttt

[RonDog]

LOL!

Alaska is the NEW "Old West."

[Christian_Capitalist]

I had hoped and expected that it would be something more like this, than a "reality show". The initial reports may have been just an attempt to smear Palin as being "unserious". A Palin-hosted documentary on Alaska would be wonderful, IMHO.

Alaska is simply the biggest, most beautiful, most breathtaking of any US state. Having an opportunity to showcase its treasures would really allow Sarah Palin to absolutely shine, methinks; while at the same time giving TV audiences in the Lower 48 more of a sense of "knowing her", like a neighbor.

[Christian_Capitalist]

Just to repeat for all the Palin haters- this is NOT a Osbornes type reality show about her family, this is an Earth type show about Alaska that has nothing to do with her family. She is promoting the State she loves, not self-promotion.

Exactly. This has the potential to be a great showcase for Alaska -- and, thereby, a great platform for Sarah Palin.

C_C gives it two thumbs up. (Without even having watched it yet).

[Christian_Capitalist]

Very cool.

[Non-Sequitur]

It appears that Governor Palin is emulating THIS GUY...

Of course she is.

[tarheelswamprat]

You should also include Reagan’s hosting of General Electric’s “GE Theater” in the 1950’s. It was a variety show format which had many episodes showcasing the outstanding accomplishments of Americans across a wide variety of endeavors, e.g. science, agriculture, manufacturing, engineering, etc..

The focus of Reagan’s end of show commentary was always on the inherent goodness and benefits of the traditional American values and “can-do” attitudes which characterized the pioneers who built this country. Also, since it was sponsored by General Electric, there was a recurring theme of “electricity - it’s what makes things happen” which was emphasized to make the point that abundant energy was necessary for progress and prosperity.

This approach would dovetail perfectly with a modern documentary highlighting the pioneer history of Alaska and the taming and development of that wild land and its many resources, including energy. If done properly it could be a tremendously successful and influential venture, and Palin would be a natural to host it.

[jonrick46]

Good post! I think Sarah Palin is following in the footsteps of the Great One. She is on her way towards becoming the next Great Communicator. She is appearing on TV, giving speeches and talking to citizens across the country. She is in an unique position. And she is in God’s grace.