Well..we still need FOX

Cartoon Network probably won't show this season's episodes of Futurama until probably Sept 2003 at the earliest. So FOX is still "needed" for the last season...for now.

I can live with Fox exclusitivity of this season's episodes, so long as they put all the still-unseen eps on before they pull the plug. I don't want this to be another "Rhoda"/"My Sister Sam" blunder where I have to wait for a bunch of "lost" eps to turn up in syndication or on a cable channel because the broadcast net gave it a quick heave-ho.

--David Johnson

[email] (DSV75) wrote in news:[email]:

I know that CN doesn't have Fox's big bucks, but.... Is there any chance at all that CN could conceivably buy the Futurama production team? To hell with Fox, maybe CN can do the whole thing?

On Thu, 23 Jan 2003 19:49:01 -0600, "Eric J. Roode" wrote:

They could, but they won't.

The cost would be too high for a cable company to risk. If the voice and writing talent agreed to work cheap in exchange for a percentage of the show or a commitment for a pilot show, they might be able to afford it, but it would still be too risky.

I'd love to be proven wrong though.

--Larry

Larry wrote in message news:...

Prove him wrong, kids. Prove him wrong.

That cable company is called Time-Warner, one of the biggest media conglomerates in the world. If they wanted to buy and FOX was willing to sell, it would happen. Money wouln't be an issue.

"I used to be with it, but then they changed what "it" was. Now, what I'm with isn't it, and what's "it" seems weird and scary to me" - Abraham Simpson

On Sat, 25 Jan 2003 22:33:15 -0500 (EST), [email] (Chris�) wrote:

The return on investment would be too low on a cable station. Even with stellar ratings, it would never make enough money to justify the production costs.

It is possible that they could reduce the production costs by re-negotiating with the writers and voice talent. Perhaps they could give some of them a pilot commitment or a better share of re-runs. It is very unlikely that they would bother. Broadcast networks have much larger audiences and their advertising revenue is much higher.

I would love to be wrong. It would be great if Futurama got really good ratings and they re-hired most of the writers and all the voice talent etc. But the odds are very slim.

--Larry

Chris� wrote:

According to an article in the Chicago Tribune on January 30th, 2003... "NEW YORK -- AOL Time Warner Inc. on Wednesday reported a $98.7 billion loss for 2002 - the largest annual loss in U.S. corporate history - and announced that Ted Turner is stepping down as vice chairman."

So, maybe money would be an issue.

Maybe not.

this is the article:

<a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-0301300352jan30,1,782475.story">http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-0301300352jan30,1,782475.story</a>

"Brian J. Nielsen" wrote:

Heck you can even rephrase that sentence to this:

"If they wanted to buy FOX and FOX was willing to sell, it would happen."

and that would still be true...