Free Babylon 5!

[Ubik]

Originally Posted by Jan

'Cause I had the same reaction to the Breaking Bad reference as it seems JMS did. We've been reduced to a punchline, and I don't like that.

Really? I think it's GOOD that B5 still has enough weight behind it to be considered a relevant pop culture reference. Breaking Bad referencing the show is great.

I'm all for getting B5 back into the mainstream though. I'd focus attention on streaming services like Netflix, Lovefilm. Broadcast TV is becoming less and less relevant (at least in my eyes). I don't even own a TV anymore.

[Jan]

Post any contacts or sites you make contact with here, okay? Thanks!

Jan

[babylonlurker]

Originally Posted by Jan

Mac, that's the whole point of this campaign. To get channels interested in airing Babylon 5. Why not the Science Channel? They aired Firefly to good ratings. . . .

Jan

Hasn't Science Channel recently had a rerun of Fringe, too. That's a rerun of a 5 year arc , and it has happened, so why not B5, indeed.

[Jan]

New post from JMS about the campaign:

Originally Posted by Fans of J. Michael Straczynski

To the online backinh and forthing...some hard facts. Because Babylon 5 isn't on the air in the US anywhere, it's impossible for the show to add new viewers except one at a time, friend to friend, or if you've heard about it enough to want to shell out the money for the DVDs. Casual viewers can't stumble across it while channel surfing. (As we all know, after Trek was canceled for poor ratings, it found its audience in syndication.) So in answer to the photo below, either WB has to be convinced to release the show somewhere, or a network like Syfy or Chiller or another along those lines has to be prompted to pick it up. If not, quite honestly, and without any way to add new viewers, the show will eventually slide into obscurity. This ain't something I can do, or even directly participate in. It's up to the fans now.

Jan

[Triple F]

ThereÆs a danger something like this can turn into a scene form the Life Of Brian û the point will get lost in the committee meeting discussing minutia. Jan is correct, the details can be worked out by the people who actually make the decisions.

Setting up the Facebook page is a good idea. ItÆs a starting point where people can easily register their support with a single key click and (hopefully) everyone û including article writers - can actually *see* the level of interest, thus potentially increasing interest further.

The more time consuming emails and letter writing (something that remains more or less invisible to most fans) can be carried out by the more committed to the idea.

The B5 fans base is huge. But itÆs largely moved on or became cynical at the thought of new content over all these years. So making it easy to do, is the best way to get this particular snowball moving. Making a point that jms has done a complete 180 on his previous comments about fan campaigns might be something worth highlightingÃ*Ã* Because, whatever it was, thereÆs a reason why he did that.

[Ubik]

I messaged the io9 facebook page about the campaign, but it might be worth contacting a journalist / editor at their website about covering it. That said, I'm struggling to find a contact... but someone may know someone!

[KoshN]

Originally Posted by Jan

Post any contacts or sites you make contact with here, okay? Thanks!

Jan

https://www.facebook.com/metvnetwork

[KoshN]

Wouldn't one of the best ways to increase the attention to this be putting the #FreeBabylon5 Twitter hashtag everywhere you can, e.g. in your email sigs., on your car, etc. ? CafePress bumperstickers?

[Jan]

Definitely want to put it on electronic media but as far as I know, so far Twitter and Facebook are the main ones that track hashtags. Possibly Google+ also? I don't know. I don't think bumper stickers would be helpful in this instance. Though it might make some folks curious once we get it back on the air!

Jan

[Looney]

Originally Posted by frulad

Does the thewb.tv have an app for Roku devices or something similar for TVs or does it strictly stream to computers?

I know the Warner Archive Collection streaming has a Roku App. WB Archive Instant. $9.99 per month. That is the only related app I can find on my Roku.

[Jan]

Here's a lead for the SyFy channel:

SyFy Channel web site says this:

If you have suggestions or comments for our Programming Department about Syfy or any of its shows, please contact:
feedback@syfy.com

Send an email asking them to take up B5????

Okay, Babylon 5 Rangers, go to it. A nice, polite note asking them to run Babylon 5 (and Crusade and the movies). Point them to the Twitter and FB hashtag #FreeBabylon5 so they can see how much interest there is.

Jan

[Looney]

Okay, I've opened my big mouth about it. I hope you start seeing hits on Facebook and Twitter. And I also said to join the discussion here, so maybe we'll see some new members too.

BTW - LOVE THE LOGO

[Jan]

Thanks. A fan made a banner and I cropped it to use as my avatar.

It's pretty amazing - 537 'Likes' on the Freebabylon5 Facebook page and it's only been live for about 5 hours!

Now all we need to do is get everybody to *act*!

Jan

[cornholio1980]

First of all: I think this is a great and wonderful idea. I remember being at PCC and trying to get some people to watch the show, and whenever they asked me "where can I see it" I was like "Uhm... well... you could always buy the DVDs, I guess?" It really sucks. Getting B5 on the air and on streaming-services like netflix and hulu is absolutely imperative if we don't want for Babylon 5 to go away quietly until it's only a long forgotten memory shared by a small, if fortunate, circle. A new cheaper 20th anniversary complete DVD set - or even a Blu Ray-release (and yes, I know that it's more likely that hell freezes over; just wishful thinking here) could work wonders too.

Having said all that... I find myself having a little trouble really getting behind this campaign myself. Not for the reason Looney mentioned, but because it seems rather US-centric. I'm obviously all for it, but I somehow can't shake the feeling that it's YOUR fight. I mean, wouldn't it be a little flimsy for a European to get actively involved in a campaign to bring B5 back to US television?! And when it comes to campaigning for Germany (where B5 was last shown in 2011, and Crusade just a couple of months ago, so it's not quite as bad over here), I just don't think that we'd get any significant numbers to actually raise some heads. Thoughts, anyone?

Also, I really wish this campaign would have started during the PCC reunion frenzy - might have been easier to create momentum with so many fans - and fan groups - gathering there.

[pascalahad]

Pretty much the same page as cornholio1980. From France, there's not a lot I think can be done here. Babylon 5 was never aired on mainstream tv channels, only on a paying channel, Canal+. The tv movies were aired on smaller channels, and that's it (but that's not better for Star Trek mind you).

The dvds have been released, but never the pilot episode, and neither were the Lost Tales! I write once a year to WB to ask for them (and various DC animated movies that never made it to home video here+The Adventures of Brisco County jr... WB never listens but is always polite in saying "don't even count on it").

I lent the dvds to everyone I knew by now. They loved the show but I'm not sure they would be actively campaining. Passion is sometimes a lonely world.