Variety.com - 'Far'-reaching deal

[samati75]

'Far'-reaching deal (http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=story&articleid=VR1117895694&categoryid=1444&cs=1)

'Far'-reaching deal
U Studios Networks, EM.TV tap series for Sci Fi web

By ED MEZA


BERLIN -- Universal Studios Networks has inked a deal with German license trader EM.TV for all four seasons of "Farscape" for its new German Sci Fi channel.
The acquisition, which marks the first programming agreement between USN and EM.TV, includes the German premiere of the fourth season of "Farscape," which has in the past aired on free TV web Sat.1.

Sci Fi will start broadcasting the series, a coproduction from Jim Henson Co., Hallmark Entertainment, Nine Films and Television and the U.S. Sci-Fi Channel, in January from Monday to Thursday in primetime.

EM.TV joins Herbert Kloiber's film and TV outfit TeleMunchen Group as well as the insolvent Kirch Media, which is selling off its once-vast programming stockpile, as programming suppliers for Sci Fi, which launched in Germany in September.

[mjwillia]

I hope the up coming announcement is more than just about this German deal!

The German deal is cool - to be sure - but, I want Farscape back!

[LadyCrais]

Someone explain to me why EM-TV is doing this. Shouldn't that deal be with Henson directly? EM-TV doesn't own them anymore, and it downright sucks if they still own the rights to the first four seasons of Farscape. That should be money in Brian and Lisa's pocket, not theirs.

So what am I totally missing that this is making me so PO'd?

[Huh]

Maybe I am reading it wrong, but couldn't it mean that VUE, who owns sci fi, who owns the rerun rights (at least in the US) sold the right to EMTV?

Seems to me that EMTV could own the German station and decided to show farscape on it.

[B Sharp]

Originally posted by Huh
Maybe I am reading it wrong, but couldn't it mean that VUE, who owns sci fi, who owns the rerun rights (at least in the US) sold the right to EMTV?

Seems to me that EMTV could own the German station and decided to show farscape on it.

that's the way I read it as well. I think this is good news- it means that Universal knows that they've got a commodity on hand that is valuable. In a way it's ironic that they're selling it back to the same jerks that soured the negotiations which led to the cancellation. but hey, we're getting our show back, so who cares?!!!

[Stargate2077]

Originally posted by LadyCrais
Someone explain to me why EM-TV is doing this. Shouldn't that deal be with Henson directly? EM-TV doesn't own them anymore, and it downright sucks if they still own the rights to the first four seasons of Farscape. That should be money in Brian and Lisa's pocket, not theirs.

So what am I totally missing that this is making me so PO'd?

LadyCrais, you are absolutely correct. This deal cannot be between Universal Studios and EM.TV for broadcast rights of Farscape. David Kemper has said before in an interview on Interstellar Transmissions that The Henson Company is the one and only entity that controls international broadcast rights for Farscape. I am guessing that Variety did not do well in their reporting.

[CosmicTheorist]

EM-TV doesn't own the German Sci Fi Channel, Universal does. Maybe Variety didn't do its research, but I was thinking maybe EM-TV remains the company that Henson uses to market its television properties in Germany or Europe. This could have something to do with the "cash" that Henson paid to EM-TV for its freedom. That's how I was interpreting this story.

I agree with B Sharp, this is good news. Maybe Universal Television in the USA doesn't recognize Farscape's value, but Universal international does since it is putting Farscape on its German Sci Fi Channel in primetime.

;)

[Prospero]

Originally posted by samati75
'Far'-reaching deal (http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=story&articleid=VR1117895694&categoryid=1444&cs=1)
The acquisition, which marks the first programming agreement between USN and EM.TV, includes the German premiere of the fourth season of "Farscape," which has in the past aired on free TV web Sat.1.


Fourth season? On Sat1? I doubt that...
They'd shown Season One and Two on Free TV. Season Three was shown on Pay-TV - Premiere - and Season Four will be shown next year when SCFI is showing the complete show.
Well, even Variety-Reporters are human. *g*
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