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Shifting 'Reagans' to Cable Has CBS Facing New Critics
Published: November 5, 2003
(Page 2 of 2)
At around the same time Michael Paranzino, a former Republican Congressional staff member from Betheseda Md., decided to start a Web site called BoycottCBS.com. He said he spent a mere $8.95 to establish the site, which called for a viewer boycott of CBS and all the sponsors of the mini-series.
Mr. Paranzino became a sort of grassroots spokesman against the television movie, appearing on conservative cable news programs including Bill O'Reilly's on Fox News and Joe Scarborough's on MSNBC. "We used technology that was not available 10 years ago to do in nine days what used to take months," Mr. Paranzino said. "We created a genuine, national, grass-roots movement that forced a broadcasting titan to cancel one of its key sweeps weeks series."
Last Friday, the Republican National Committee entered the fray. Ed Gillespie, the chairman, held a teleconference with journalists calling for CBS to appoint a team of historians and associates of Mr. Reagan to review the film for accuracy. In the absence of such a committee, he said, the network should run a scroll on the bottom of the screen during the mini-series reminding viewers that "The Reagans" is a fictional account.
The Republican National Committee then started a petition drive on its Web site supporting Mr. Gillespie's request.
Over the weekend, Newsweek reported that CBS was considering relegating the mini-series to Showtime, which has subscribers in about 14 million homes. (CBS is available in 108 million homes.) Yesterday, after Mr. Moonves concluded that the film could not be edited acceptably to run on CBS, the network confirmed the move.
The various conservatives who protested "The Reagans" said they did not coordinate their actions. "There wasn't time," Mr. Bozell said. "It was a desperate outcry. You can expect us to say something. You can expect Pat Buchanan to write a column. But when Lou Cannon, who has a track record of being in staunch disagreement with Reagan, when Merv Griffin — who hasn't been attending our vast right-wing conspiracy meetings — speaks out as forcefully as they did, that really tells you the depth of outrage."
The film producers, Mr. Zadan and Mr. Meron, issued a diplomatic statement yesterday. "Although we are disappointed that CBS will not be airing the movie that we produced for them, from the script that they approved, we are excited that Showtime has agreed to broadcast it and the public will have a chance to judge `The Reagans' on its own merits."
Still, CBS's decision upset some in Hollywood.
"It looks so bad," said Bill Maher, whose late night show, "Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher," was canceled by ABC shortly after he remarked that the Sept. 11 terrorists could not be called cowards. "It looks like they're caving in to pressure from one side. Why not let people decide?"
But others in Hollywood seemed to see both sides of the debate.
Marshall Herskovitz, the co-creator of television shows including "Thirtysomething" and "My So-Called Life," observed that CBS took a far stronger stand when it resisted pressure earlier this year from groups upset with "Hitler: The Rise of Evil." The network made some editing trims, adding in context about the political, social and economic environment as Hitler rose to power, but still broadcast the program.
But the fact that "The Reagans" will be viewed on Showtime, albeit with a far smaller audience, softened the impact of the abrupt decision to cancel the show on CBS, said Mr. Herskovitz. "As long as we have enough programming choices, then we have a better chance of seeing a diversity of options. If Viacom decides that Showtime is a better venue than CBS, I don't think that signals the end of the Republic."
Matthew C. Blank, the Showtime chairman, said he did not know what form the film would take, but it was safe to say that Showtime would not have the same concerns as CBS. "The producers and all of the filmmakers are as anxious to work with us as we are to work with them to ensure at the end of the day we have the best possible movie," he said. "That may be a different movie than what might have been the best possible movie for CBS viewers."
Still, Republicans promise to keep the pressure on.
"Misleading a smaller audience of viewers," Mr. Gillespie said in a statement, "is not a noble response to the legitimate concerns raised about this program."
Published: November 5, 2003
(Page 2 of 2)
At around the same time Michael Paranzino, a former Republican Congressional staff member from Betheseda Md., decided to start a Web site called BoycottCBS.com. He said he spent a mere $8.95 to establish the site, which called for a viewer boycott of CBS and all the sponsors of the mini-series.
Mr. Paranzino became a sort of grassroots spokesman against the television movie, appearing on conservative cable news programs including Bill O'Reilly's on Fox News and Joe Scarborough's on MSNBC. "We used technology that was not available 10 years ago to do in nine days what used to take months," Mr. Paranzino said. "We created a genuine, national, grass-roots movement that forced a broadcasting titan to cancel one of its key sweeps weeks series."
Last Friday, the Republican National Committee entered the fray. Ed Gillespie, the chairman, held a teleconference with journalists calling for CBS to appoint a team of historians and associates of Mr. Reagan to review the film for accuracy. In the absence of such a committee, he said, the network should run a scroll on the bottom of the screen during the mini-series reminding viewers that "The Reagans" is a fictional account.
The Republican National Committee then started a petition drive on its Web site supporting Mr. Gillespie's request.
Over the weekend, Newsweek reported that CBS was considering relegating the mini-series to Showtime, which has subscribers in about 14 million homes. (CBS is available in 108 million homes.) Yesterday, after Mr. Moonves concluded that the film could not be edited acceptably to run on CBS, the network confirmed the move.
The various conservatives who protested "The Reagans" said they did not coordinate their actions. "There wasn't time," Mr. Bozell said. "It was a desperate outcry. You can expect us to say something. You can expect Pat Buchanan to write a column. But when Lou Cannon, who has a track record of being in staunch disagreement with Reagan, when Merv Griffin — who hasn't been attending our vast right-wing conspiracy meetings — speaks out as forcefully as they did, that really tells you the depth of outrage."
The film producers, Mr. Zadan and Mr. Meron, issued a diplomatic statement yesterday. "Although we are disappointed that CBS will not be airing the movie that we produced for them, from the script that they approved, we are excited that Showtime has agreed to broadcast it and the public will have a chance to judge `The Reagans' on its own merits."
Still, CBS's decision upset some in Hollywood.
"It looks so bad," said Bill Maher, whose late night show, "Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher," was canceled by ABC shortly after he remarked that the Sept. 11 terrorists could not be called cowards. "It looks like they're caving in to pressure from one side. Why not let people decide?"
But others in Hollywood seemed to see both sides of the debate.
Marshall Herskovitz, the co-creator of television shows including "Thirtysomething" and "My So-Called Life," observed that CBS took a far stronger stand when it resisted pressure earlier this year from groups upset with "Hitler: The Rise of Evil." The network made some editing trims, adding in context about the political, social and economic environment as Hitler rose to power, but still broadcast the program.
But the fact that "The Reagans" will be viewed on Showtime, albeit with a far smaller audience, softened the impact of the abrupt decision to cancel the show on CBS, said Mr. Herskovitz. "As long as we have enough programming choices, then we have a better chance of seeing a diversity of options. If Viacom decides that Showtime is a better venue than CBS, I don't think that signals the end of the Republic."
Matthew C. Blank, the Showtime chairman, said he did not know what form the film would take, but it was safe to say that Showtime would not have the same concerns as CBS. "The producers and all of the filmmakers are as anxious to work with us as we are to work with them to ensure at the end of the day we have the best possible movie," he said. "That may be a different movie than what might have been the best possible movie for CBS viewers."
Still, Republicans promise to keep the pressure on.
"Misleading a smaller audience of viewers," Mr. Gillespie said in a statement, "is not a noble response to the legitimate concerns raised about this program."
This is slander, and has no place on the left. Reagan was so convincing because he believed what he said, even when it was "Trees cause 80% of all air pollution." and nuclear missiles were recallable. He was a buffoon, not a sociopath.
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