Millions donated to help save Enterprise

[Napftor]

You read that right: http://www.trektoday.com/news/010305_02.shtml

I thought it was a hoax at first, but the benefactor's letter to the project sounds genuine. Honestly, even if the group can raise the $30+ million, will the execs act on it. Time will tell. Perhaps by the time the dust settles, the reality surrounding Enterprise will speak more about mankind's cooperative nature than the show itself.

 

[Mark]

That's pretty amazing so far...

 

[mojo1701]

I would only donate on two conditions:

1. If I knew that production would happen if said quota was met.
2. As an investment: This isn't a charity; there are a lot more worthy causes than a 40-year-old TV show + 10 movies. Granted, it HAS changed the world, but not as much as most people think. Everyone I talk to has no idea what a Klingon is, save for the sci-fi nerds. I'd only donate if I got something out of it, such as profit.

But this being a free corner of the world, I say, "If it makes you happy..."

 

[johnsemlak]

As much as I love the Star Trek franshise, I think donating money to keep it afloat is going to far. Enterprise is not a charity.

 

[Mark]

Yeah, they won't be getting money from me. They ought to be finding support from some of the former (current, still, I guess) advertisers. 30 million is not a great deal (comparatively) for some large corporate entities and tapping into a fanatical fanbase is just the sort of way to convert consumers. Say, for instance, Sony bucked up a portion or all of that money. The next time any one of the fans who want ENT to continue was out buying anything where Sony had a competitive product I'd bet that'd be the nudge to get that fan to be a Sony buyer.

 

[Darrin Drader]

A more worthy cause would be to pitch money towards a Babylon 5 continuation series. Let Star Trek die. It had a good run, but its over. Stop trying to use your evil necromancy to make it into a zombie.

 

[Mark]

A more worthy cause would be to pitch money towards a Babylon 5 continuation series. Let Star Trek die. It had a good run, but its over. Stop trying to use your evil necromancy to make it into a zombie.

It's not a matter of charity, but of investment, and the return a corporation could expect from a B5 investment compared to a ST investment just doesn't measure up. I can understand your interest in seeing B5 get some new life but it's just a monkey compared to ST still being the five hundred pund gorilla, no matter what shape it is currently in. Someone like Sony making a deal now to have their name always associated with it would be a msart move and taking advantage of the current circumstance. But, anyway, it's all acedemic, I'd guess.

 

[Ranger REG]

???

I'm not convinced of the investment, unless someone wants to buy the franchise from Paramount and Less-Human Moonves.

 

[Umbran]

Before folks start chanting that Enterprise is not a charity, think a moment. How is paying a few bucks to cover production costs of a program really any different from paying a few bucks for a season of that show on DVD?

I don't think there's much difference at all.

The people leading this donation drive have estimates some 3 million people watch Enterprise on a regular basis. If each of those people donated about $12 to their show, they'd pay for the whole season.

Think about that for a moment. How much might you pay per season to have your favorite show? Certainly, people pay far more than that to own a season of stuff that's already been aired, not a shred of it new material. Why is it so crazy that people might want to pay a bit for something new?

Don't think of it as Enterprise being a charity. Think of it instead as a proof of concept - we may not be limited to what the studios feel they can sell on the airwaves, pushed by mass-market advertising.

 

[JoeGKushner]

2. As an investment: This isn't a charity; there are a lot more worthy causes than a 40-year-old TV show + 10 movies.

Worth quoting as there is so much going on ranging from Florida hurricane victims to Chicago school closings to of course, teh Tsunami victims.