[Fwd: Websites -- the Response from Fox]
Kate Ancel
This was posted to the XF list and deals mostly with Millenium, but
I thought it would be interesting to this list as well.
Fox shows us yet again their blatant disregard for fandom in general.
Kate
> >Delivered-To: fictalk-re...@chaos.taylored.com
> >Delivered-To: fictalk-...@chaos.taylored.com
> >Date: Mon, 28 Oct 1996 17:32:34 -0500 (EST)
> >From: Gil Trevizo <tre...@chaos.taylored.com>
> >Reply-To: Gil Trevizo <tre...@chaos.taylored.com>
> >To: x-files...@chaos.taylored.com, x-f...@chaos.taylored.com,
> > mille...@chaos.taylored.com, fic...@chaos.taylored.com,
> > alt.tv....@myriad.alias.net
> >Subject: Websites -- the Response from Fox
> >Sender: owner-...@chaos.taylored.com
> >
> >I just got off the phone with David Oakes, after a long conversation with
> >him about their policy on unauthorized Millennium websites. For the sake
> >of both sides in this, I promised him (and myself) that I would write an
> >objective unbiased account of our discussion.
> >
> >I tried to negotiate something whereby fans could create their own
> >websites for Millennium in some kind of compromise between flagrant use of
> >copyrighted images and controlled use of these images, but such a
> >situation proved impossible at this time, and if Fox is successful in
> >their concerns, unnecessary as well.
> >
> >Fox's position is that fans should direct their concerns to the official
> >Millennium site rather than creating websites for those concerns, giving
> >feedback to the official site webmaster for what they want out of a site.
> >Fox plans to follow the practice of giving fans a voice in the ongoing
> >creation of the official site -- if a fan has a reasonable request for a
> >new feature, they will be able to get that feature added to the official
> >site. According to Fox, because fans will be able to be represented by the
> >official site, there shouldn't be a need for an unofficial site,
> >especially at such an early stage in the development of both the official
> >site and Millennium fandom.
> >
> >Even if there was such a need, Mr Oakes requests that we respect the hard
> >work the show's creators have put into this new series, and give them the
> >courtesy of allowing them to release (or withhold) images, materials and
> >information about the show as they choose. He points to the images
> >originally put up by well-intended websites that have been manipulated
> >into faked pornographic images and used in unauthorized publications as
> >examples of how this practice of unauthorized use of copyrighted images
> >leads to severe emotional as well as financial distress among the cast and
> >crew that bring us this great series.
> >
> >And he made it clear that the creators of the series are aware of the fan
> >response to Fox's policy of protecting their copyrights and the series'
> >portrayal on the Internet, and are very concerned about the uncontrolled
> >nature and possibility for abuse within that portrayal. It was made
> >obvious to me that Chris Carter and the rest of the creative staff at
> >Ten-Thirteen do not just approve of this policy, but have initiated it as
> >well. Based on what he said, I believe he is telling the truth in this
> >matter, and that Chris Carter and crew do feel that Fox's policy on
> >unauthorized websites is the correct way to go about this.
> >
> >I presented the argument that fans would be unhappy with this policy, and
> >would only serve to alienate them. I also argued that the official site
> >could not involve all possible aspects of Millennium fandom, in particular
> >fan fiction. Mr Oakes believes that the official site should be able to
> >accomplish that and seems to be willing to be flexible where it cannot,
> >but he was emphatic on the point that those seeking to create their own
> >websites should check with Fox first, and pointed to the email addresses
> >on the official sites and Fox home pages as methods of communicating such
> >a wish.
> >
> >I wished Mr Oakes well in his endeavors with the official site, but stated
> >that I was unconvinced in this matter. I told him that I would be taking
> >down my Millennium website, which I have done. I told him that I would ask
> >those sending email to him and Chris Fusco to cease that campaign, as I
> >believe it's done all that it can possibly do -- so I thank those that've
> >sent mail (I'll do so personally in time) but request that we end the
> >email campaign in this respect. I told him that I would present these
> >facts objectively and not influence the reaction to this post, which I
> >believe I have done.
> >
> >Lastly I told him that while I would not encourage anyone to stop the
> >campaigns that are being planned against Fox for their policy on websites,
> >I would be graciously bowing out of this fight, because I believe we have
> >done all we could. And as I've said before on the lists, if the series'
> >creators feel this way about the fans and their websites then I don't
> >think more can be done, and I personally feel that these people, while
> >brilliant, are not worth the struggle.
> >
> >And in postscript, I said in no uncertain words that if Fox tried to do
> >with the fan fiction what they're doing with the websites, I will fight
> >them with everything I have in me, all the way to the courts.
> >
> >Mr Oakes was relatively kind and certainly respectful in his conversation.
> >I'd ask that any further correspondence that might be sent to him or the
> >rest of the staff at Fox be in the same manner.
> >
> >Gil Trevizo + tre...@utep.edu
> >The X-Files-Fanfic Mailing List + http://mail.utep.edu/~trevizo/x-files
> >
************************************************************************
Lt. Kate Ancel 'Timberwolf' - 72nd Air Cavalry, The Wolf Pack
Home: kla...@oz.net Work: kla...@uswnvg.com
DDEB2 DDEB3 GMA 59th Ready Reserves
"There is no winning in war. There are just different degrees of losing"
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marylou
Kate Ancel <kla...@oz.net> wrote:
It's abundantly clear that Fox learned its lesson with Space: A&B.
Never again will it allow the fans to get beyond their control. As
long as they control the website, they control the information. I'm
sure that they wish all the Space fans would just go away and that
their websites would disappear. They are determined not to make the
same mistake with Millenium. There's a lot riding on this for Fox. I
have very mixed emotions regarding Millenium. It's probably best not
to get too enthused about a show that could be yanked off the air
after only one season if the numbers aren't up to expectations.