Re: 'KATS have nine lives!

From: Matthew b Milam <matmilam_at_world.std.com>
Date: Mon, 3 Apr 1995 19:30:55 +0059 (EDT)

How stupid is Ted Truner?

How is SWAT KATS violent?

I can see little kids going around shooting each other in planes.

On Mon, 3 Apr 1995, Andy Hill wrote:

>
> On Mon, 3 Apr 1995, Dana Uehara wrote:
>
> > Andy Hill writes:
> > > Turner entertainment has asked Hanna-Barbera for SWATKATS interstitials,
> > > stuff like "Secret Files of the SwatKats" and the promotional bumpers,
> > > for an unknown purpose. They may be shopping the show around to other
> > > networks, something I'm also working on.
> >
> > For Turner to ask HB for this stuff looks really suspicious. One thought
> > that comes to mind (at least my mind, anyway) is that Turner might *not*
> > want HB to shop around for other networks (in other words, Turner keeps
> > all of the promotional bumpers, etc. so HB *can't* market the show
> > elsewhere without Turner's knowledge and/or approval).
>
> There are a lot of strange things happening that no one is speaking
> out on, every time that Christian tried to get any kind of response to
> his questions, everyone passed the buck trying to keep their job. Turner
> basically phoned in the cancellation, but AFTER that, three scripts had
> their voice tracks laid and sent to storyboards. I've been told that SAG
> contracts would've paid the voice cast for the 3 eps regardless of
> whether they did them, so this was the reason for having them lay the
> tracks. Maybe, but this doesn't explain why they'd bother with the 'boards.
>
> It's been suggested to me that I contact Margaret Loesch, President
> of Fox Kids Network - the fall schedule for action-adventure is extremely
> weak this year, and I hear they are shopping around. I've a letter going
> out this morning to her, and she's basically going to get "first refusal"
> before I send similar ones to ABC, CBS and the new networks.
>
> H-B is wholly owned by Turner, so they can't do anything
> unilaterally, but has anyone noticed a pattern developing here? CNN just
> restructured, it seemed an odd thing to do - and gave off the impression
> that they weren't making money. When the executives were questioned about
> it, they just had the "no comment" response. Whenever Turner has done
> anything that can be regarded positive in the past, you couldn't stop him
> commenting. TBS is running Scooby-Doo for an hour in
> the afternoon strip slot, and their programming seems entirely supported
> by two or three advertisers in the SMFTV slots. Hanna-Barbera had
> SWATKATS pulled out from underneath them, fine, but why so many layoffs?
> Odd behaviour if the "World Premiere Shorts" and "Jonny Quest" are as
> good as the hype makes out. Turner has lots of cash, but he seems to be
> getting a bit edgy when it comes his wholly-owned enterprises. He's even
> starting to advertise "The Cartoon Network" on Fox - odd thing to do for
> a man that brags he doesn't have to advertise anywhere but his own
> networks, nor does he have to get 85 percent clearance for new shows -
> he's already got the outlets himself. Yeah, right.
>
> I don't know if I already said this, but for 'toon fans - there is
> something abominable called the "DIC code", which is at the moment a
> voluntary set of standards developed by the people at DIC for their own
> crews. Essentially, it boils down to some really scary rules prohibiting
> shows that contain anything resembling a firearm, prohibiting any action
> imitable by kids, and ensuring that a "positive message" is delivered.
> Ted Turner's favourite program is "Captain Planet", and I've been hearing
> things like "he cancelled (SWATKATS) because he suddenly realized how
> violent it actually was". Turner has evidently embraced this DIC thing
> for his Kids programming, but I don't know for certain if this played
> any role in the cancel order - I'm trying to find out from some folks.
>
> Andy (sorry for the novel guys, but part of the reason shows like this
> vanish is because the fan group doesn't know any of the behind
> the scenes stuff, and always assumes cancellation is their fault.
> Wrong. Turner's actions here have puzzled many industry people
> too.)
>
>
>

Received on Mon Apr 03 1995 - 19:20:18 PDT