Michael Moore close to deal for Nov. 1 PPV event for F9/11...Variety

[Career Prole]

Michael Moore's dream of getting "Fahrenheit 9/11" onto television the night before the presidential election is close to fruition.
Documaker is producing a three-hour pay-per-view event that will run Nov. 1, the night before Election Day.

"The Michael Moore Pre-Election Special" will consist of a screening of "Fahrenheit 9/11" bookended by interviews with politically committed celebrities who'll talk about the charges leveled in the movie and the importance of voting in the presidential election of 2004.

TV sources said In Demand, the largest pay-per-view distributor in the U.S., will transmit the special between 8 and 11 p.m. EST (5 and 8 p.m. PST) and charge a fee of $9.95.
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117911649?categoryid=14&cs=1&s=h&p=0

(If you want to read the article here, you need to be a subscriber or watch an ad first...anyone have an alternate source?)

[tedoll78]

1. Oh god yes..

This is what I've been hoping for!

He can announce it next week, promo the hell outta it for the following 2 weeks, and get as many people as possible to see it.

We need a fingers-crossed emoticon around here.. :)

[Fluffdaddy]

2. NO !!! It needs to be Free or almost Free to Fight this.................

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x1020830

[libertad]

3. That's really great for those with access to In Demand Pay Per View, but

if he really wanted to make a difference, he'd get a deal on network television. I guess some anti-Kerry bunch is getting their documentary aired on "regular" television the night before the election.

[Career Prole]

7. The problem, according to the article, is the DVD distributor

Columbia TriStar, "has the right to block any small-screen broadcast so close to the Oct. 5 DVD release.

So the deal with In Demand contains several points meant to assuage Sony's fears.

For instance, In Demand will be restricted from doing any marketing and promotion of the special until Oct. 24. Calling it "the Michael Moore Pre-election Special" instead of "Fahrenheit 9/11" is another way to differentiate it from the DVD."

On the bright side though, those DVD sales are through the roof.
The nice lady on CNN tells me DVD sales are at around two million units already.
:kick:

[libertad]

12. Then he should just produce a "Special" for TV that is not called F9/11

and has other material and similar material to F9/11.

[Career Prole]

19. It's a bit more complicated than that, Libertad. Remember the

Super Bowl commercial? When they say "free" TV they're referring to price. There's no relationship to freedom of speech. :eyes:

[Fluffdaddy]

4. Sinclair Broadcast Group is in the bag for Bush, This has to be Free for..

More to see it.

[ikojo]

5. Although a great number of people have cable not all

can afford it let alone pay per view!

NOOOOO it must be on network television commercial free the way Schindler's List was when it was first shown on the networks.

If we want to remain free...F 9/11 must be on free TV.

[Career Prole]

20. Free TV isn't free at all, Ikojo...I'm not talking about costs either.

We tried getting an ad on during the Super Bowl. We had the money, but they ("free" TV) refused us, remember?

[Fluffdaddy]

6. I love MM for all his movie did. But He have to be willing not to.........

To cash in on a PPV event. Come on Mike suck it up for the cause

[Career Prole]

10. It's not MM's doing...the DVD distributor has the right to keep it off the

small screen. It was just released on the 5th, for pete's sake! He went to DVD as soon as possible after the theatrical release, he's going to PPV small screen as soon as possible after the DVD release, and it will eventually be free of charge on TV. It's not Michael Moore's fault...it's show-biz.

[Fluffdaddy]

13. "eventually" be free of charge on TV. Does no help us on Nov 2nd

The Right-wingnuts are are getting the Sinclair Broadcast Group to run their BS on 1/4 of TV set in the US. And that's "FREE" TV, in the last few days before the election, this could hurt us.............Hurt us Big.

[Career Prole]

15. MM doesn't own free TV...conservatives do.

Buy the DVD and offer to loan it to your undecided friends...free.

[BillZBubb]

8. I think Moore has made a real blunder (politically).

It's pretty easy for me to criticize someone else's decisions about making money, so I realize what I'm saying is not entirely fair.

That said, I think MM should have released the F911 DVD for a nominal charge of something like $5 retail. The PPV event will essentially be preaching to the choir. It won't have any measurable impact on voters not already committed to Kerry.

If he was practically giving away the DVDs, I think a lot of curious middle voters would pick it up to see what all the hoopla was about. That would help us.

Moore has already done us a great service. So, my comments aren't meant to demean the man in any way.

[Fluffdaddy]

9. I know Moore is on our side. But someone needs to give him a call.

"Moore has already done us a great service. So, my comments aren't meant to demean the man in any way."

Yes I agree 1000%. But This PPV is bad PR wise.

[Career Prole]

11. Michael Moore isn't selling the DVD so he can't name the price.

Columbia TriStar is the homevid distributor.
Jeebus...some folks sure are demanding.

[Fluffdaddy]

14. The times call for being demanding

[NYCGirl]

16. Moore doesn't manufacture these things in his basement;

he has no say on the price.

[Career Prole]

17. Fluffdaddy, do you know what it took to get F9/11 out when it got out?

MM's doing everything humanly possible to get the film seen by as many people possible prior to the election.
If you knew of a more effective way to do it, by all means you should have let him know.

[Sydnie]

18. Glass is half full

It took moving mountains to get this film to the theaters in the first place. Once it proved to be a success, it took moving more mountains to get it to DVD before the election. Now, arranging a PPV for those that might want to see the movie but don't want it to be part of their collection is a stroke a genius really. It is half the price of the DVD to watch the PPV, you can invite your friends to see it with you and only pay one charge (cheaper than a theater ticket BTW), and even those that would never have been caught standing in line to see it publicly might be motivated to see it in the comfort of their own living rooms.

This is quite a feat in an industry that has "windows" of when a film will make it to DVD after a theater release.

My hat is off to MM for all that he has done. I would not question any act he is taking to make it available to the public. And the night before the election too. That's powerful indeed.

Go on MM, do what you need to do. It's worked so far to our advantage. I trust you.

[Career Prole]

21. There ya go! There's the optimism!

Thanks, Sydnie!
It's working, and it'll work. You'll see!
As for the homevid action, voila!
'Fahrenheit' Burns Home-Video Sales Records
:kick: