Idea for UPN affiliates

Hi all...

At the LA rally today we brainstormed a few ideas for getting the word out...most of this was fairly LA specific, but one idea is something everyone interested in saving farscape can take part in.

We need to create positive buzz for farscape at UPN. We need the execs here in LA to be hearing about this show not only from the streets and from letters from fans, but also from their affiliate stations. So here's the plan:

In your home city contact your affiliate UPN station (for example, in dallas contact UPN 21 at KTXA) leave a brief but supportive message about farscape like
"Hello, my name is John Doe, I am 21 years old and I live in Plano. I like watching Enterprise and Buffy on UPN and would love to see Farscape join the UPN line up. Thank-you for your time"

do this in person if you can, or on the phone, or via snail mail. The important thing is to not innundate the affiliate, but to get them asking "What is this farscape thing anyway?" They, in turn ask the biggies in LA, generating buzz without annoying the heck out of studio execs.

The www.upn.com site has affiliate info. some affiliates even have their own websites with contact info.

In case you're wondering, this idea came about because we cant approach UPN like we have sci-fi. Picketing the LA offices will be counterproductive, but so is doing nothing. Rallies are great for informing fellow fans, and generating news attention, but not so much for persuading studio bigwigs. We all thought this approach might be a creative way of reaching the people we need to reach.

Of course, if this idea is dren, just lemmie know

--Boris

Just look what happens when fans take a moment to think clearly. This a very good suggestion. Letters are best because they are real, can be passed hand to hand and read by many. Write to the attention of the Program Director and or the Promotions Manager. Play by the rules(outlined in UPN to the rescue thread) and above all be positive.

I think that sounds like a great idea. Very creative. I agree, we can't approach other networks the same way we did the Sci-Fi Channel.

You can find affiliate information by going to the main UPN site at http://www.upn.com and clicking on Local Stations from the menu on the right. Affiliates are listed by state. I also found a listing of UPN affiliates and their websites here: http://www.viacomlocalnetworks.com/

Harmony

bump

ok if I am getting an affiliate station of UPN could it be a posobility that I wouldn't get farscape. I don't actually get UPN and I know that I don't get some of the shows that are on there.

I'm sending the following to the UPN Boston affiliate, WSBK TV-38.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You've been to the final frontier.
Have you explored the uncharted territories?
Will you ever know the wonders I've seen?

Farscape is coming...

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The text is overlayed on a picture of the Farscape module
entering the wormhole (from the first season). Printed on
photo grade paper (cheap at Costco).

That's it. No letter, no demographics, just something to get the
local affiliate to ask around.

although unfortunately the woman (the programming director for the local station) said that their affiliate was not one of the ones asked to provide input regarding new programming. She did say she would forward my comments (a "compelling argument", in her words) to the programming board at the network, though.

So what I take this to mean is that not all UPN affiliates are weighted equally in terms of the network taking their input.. but I figure a forward from a local program director can't be *bad*...

Saska

Hello.. Wonderful idea. Very quietly determined.... that is how I think we are coming across by doing this.

I just sent an emial to the UPN 38 people in Boston, giving them a fair description of my demographic first and my request that Farscape join the lineup. I am going to write a snail mail letter tomorrow going into much more detail.. but how much detail is the question..

any thoughts?
Thanks
Rachel

I'm compiling a list of contact info for all the upn affiliates...I'll post them on a website soon and put the link here

Until then, just use the upn.com site to find the station info

Also, if your area does not currently have a UPN station, you might want to write the corporate HQ in los angeles and tell them that you would be interested in getting one (make sure you mention that farscapoe is one, but not the only reason for this...)

Austin managed to get a UPN affiliate when enough ppl contacted the corporate big wigs.


...anyway, I'll put that link up sometime soon...

--boris

I don't know if this is information you can get easily, but I'm really trying to find out which of the UPN affiliates can reach Canada so the Canadian contingent can target those specifically. I know Seattle's station reaches Vancouver but I haven't come up with an easy way to track any of the others.


And if there are any lurking Canadians reading this, please drop me a private email (if you're not keen on de-lurking) and let me know if you get UPN and from where.

Can someone add the following info for the San Diego, CA UPN affiliate? Thanks.

UPN 13 San Diego
5770 Ruffin Rd.
San Diego, CA 92123
858-576-1313