The Real Reason Enterprise got renewed!

[Atragon9 0]

Anybody see this article in TV Guide last week?

TV Guide, June 20th - 26th, has printed that according to sources, the real reason UPN renewed Enterprise was that Paramount offered to drop the price of each episode of the series from $1.7 million to $800,000. Reporter Stephen Battaglio called it "an offer [uPN] couldn’t refuse."

 

With UPN aiming for a female demographic, putting America's Top Model on Wednesday night along with new drama Kevin Hill, there was no room for Enterprise in its former time slot, which put it in competition with the more successful genre series Smallville on the WB as well as with ratings powerhouse American Idol. Paramount argued that UPN could afford to air a reduced-price Enterprise on Friday nights, when the network's ratings have been dismal.

 

It has long been known that Paramount strongly desired a fourth season for syndication rights, which become far more lucrative for a series that has produced nearly 100 episodes. Paramount will make up some of its lost revenue on a syndication deal, and more on merchandise sold to Star Trek fans.

 

"While only Trekkers would care if the show was canceled, Paramount knows it pays to keep them happy because Trekkers buy a lot of merchandise," wrote Battaglio. "Star Trek video games, books, dolls and other collectibles ring up about $200 million a year in retail sales, bringing in royalties of $20 million to Paramount."

 

"It’s important to have fresh Trek product lines," Marty Brochstein of The Licensing Letter told TV Guide. "There are still a lot of die hard fans. And they want more."

Sounds painfully reasonable and realistic from the bottom-line point of view. This means Trek fans have to REALLY rally and bring up the ratings or this 4th season will definitely be the last. ::sigh::

 

[MisterSmith 0]

I definitely saw it...I was going to post something up here, but decided against it...anyhow...Even if Enterprise does run off the air, it won't be the last time we see a series...We can definitely be sure of that. But nonetheless, we've got to keep watching, so the series will survive!

 

Smith

[Dumbass 0]

Well if the article was as bright as your text then I definitely saw it, but couldn't read it! :P

[Tovan 0]

I definitely saw it...I was going to post something up here, but decided against it...anyhow...Even if Enterprise does run off the air, it won't be the last time we see a series...We can definitely be sure of that. But nonetheless, we've got to keep watching, so the series will survive!

 

Smith

Indeed, money and ratings ... nothing else matters eh?

 

Agent smith :P So true. But he is right we've got to keep it alive.

[FredM 0]

Hey there,

 

This was talked about for awhile. However, I recently heard something that's true. The magical "100 episodes" is no longer really required for syndication and in fact isn't even all that common anymore. A lot of UPN's shows have been sold into syndication with a lot less...for example Seven Days or The Sentinel.

 

I don't think this is the real reason...syndication also isn't as profitable as it once was. That's the main reason the show wasn't in syndication from the start, like TNG or DS9. Also, keep in mind that Star Trek: Enterprise will be the first Friday night programming for UPN later than the 8:00pm - 9:00pm timeslot. There has never been an actual network program for 9:00pm - 10:00pm so again, little risk.

[Images 0]

Does anyone else feel they refer to us trekkies like some sort of mutants

[Tachyon 0]

Does anyone else feel they refer to us trekkies like some sort of mutants

:P

 

Yes, I do. I sure hope that Paramount doesn't let us down . . . Enterprise has had its weak moments, but overall it is a great series and I'd be said to lose it.

 

We might have to try that old letter-campaign that worked for the first series . . . it might not work, but at least we could have the satisfaction of flooding the Paramount computers with e-mails.

 

:D

[Travis Kroells 0]

They better have something good cooked up for season four, other wise it's probably over.

 

And, don't expect to see another Trek show the season after that. If ENT does get cancelled, Paramout will probably spend quite sometime trying to tweek Trek to make it appealing to todays generation.

 

I wouldn't be suprised if this is the last Trek show we see for a while, which could be good for us as a sim group.

 

It'll alow us to lay down some cannon things for our selves, and not really have to worry about contridicting the show.

 

I'm in the mood for another war....

[Tachyon 0]

I think that if Enterprise were cancelled, I could wait another . . . ::does some math:: two or three years for a new series. I'd be in university then, and that'd be the time that I'd love to just sit back and watch another Star Trek episode.

 

The third season finale actually wasn't bad compared to the third season, which I thought was rather melodramatic. It certainly left me wondering what had happened.

 

If Enterprise were cancelled, I agree that we should not rush headlong into another series. We should most definitely wait.

[Dumbass 0]

Paramount and UPN are probably thinking that Trekers (at least they're calling us Trekers instead of Trekees so we're making progress) don't have anything better to do on Friday nights.

 

Unfortunately they're probably right. :P

[Tachyon 0]

Paramount and UPN are probably thinking that Trekers (at least they're calling us Trekers instead of Trekees so we're making progress) don't have anything better to do on Friday nights.

 

Unfortunately they're probably right. :P

Indeed. I for one have no life, but I see nothing wrong with that. I prefer a computer, book, or television (although all I watch is SF) to actually going somewhere and interacting.

[FredM 0]

Hey there,

 

Well, personally I am concerned that given a decision by the United States Senate to not approve FCC regulations regarding media ownership...I'm wondering if this will impact CBS ownership of UPN. If that's the case, we may have a new problem...

[Feanor 0]

Anybody see this article in TV Guide last week?

TV Guide, June 20th - 26th, has printed that according to sources, the real reason UPN renewed Enterprise was that Paramount offered to drop the price of each episode of the series from $1.7 million to $800,000. Reporter Stephen Battaglio called it "an offer [uPN] couldn’t refuse."

 

With UPN aiming for a female demographic, putting America's Top Model on Wednesday night along with new drama Kevin Hill, there was no room for Enterprise in its former time slot, which put it in competition with the more successful genre series Smallville on the WB as well as with ratings powerhouse American Idol. Paramount argued that UPN could afford to air a reduced-price Enterprise on Friday nights, when the network's ratings have been dismal.

 

It has long been known that Paramount strongly desired a fourth season for syndication rights, which become far more lucrative for a series that has produced nearly 100 episodes. Paramount will make up some of its lost revenue on a syndication deal, and more on merchandise sold to Star Trek fans.

 

"While only Trekkers would care if the show was canceled, Paramount knows it pays to keep them happy because Trekkers buy a lot of merchandise," wrote Battaglio. "Star Trek video games, books, dolls and other collectibles ring up about $200 million a year in retail sales, bringing in royalties of $20 million to Paramount."

 

"It’s important to have fresh Trek product lines," Marty Brochstein of The Licensing Letter told TV Guide. "There are still a lot of die hard fans. And they want more."

Sounds painfully reasonable and realistic from the bottom-line point of view.  This means Trek fans have to REALLY rally and bring up the ratings or this 4th season will definitely be the last.  ::sigh::

 

That article pretty much shows the real reason Paramount decided to even produce Enterprise, not because they belive the franchise has any particular life left in it, but because they need to keep the freaks and geeks who buy overpriced star trek crap "happy" I know businesses including paramount and its parent Viacom are in business to MAKE MONEY but I really think this is a low blow to an entire community of fans by implying that we would either stop purchasing merchandise or purchase MORE merchandise if they throw cow dung at us and slap "Star Trek' on it.

[STSF Precip 0]

 

Sounds painfully reasonable and realistic from the bottom-line point of view.  This means Trek fans have to REALLY rally and bring up the ratings or this 4th season will definitely be the last.  ::sigh::

 

 

 

And the Bottom-line point of view always wins in the business end. I think season three earned an extension for Enterprise. But I don't see how such momentum can be continued on a reduced budget. I can only hope we'll get to see at least the Andorians and Vulcans reconcile their differences next year as the final arc of Enterprise.

 

-Precip

[Dumbass 0]

Well even in Kirk's time there were still animosities.

[Tachyon 0]

I really think this is a low blow to an entire community of fans by implying that we would either stop purchasing merchandise or purchase MORE merchandise if they throw cow dung at us and slap "Star Trek' on it.

It depends . . . is it exotic alien cow dung? Was this cow exposed to Omicron radiation? Or perhaps maybe it's from a Borg cow!

 

"Moooo . . . you will be assimilated. Resistance is fuuuuuutillle."

 

"It slices, it dices, it assimilates while producing milk! BorgCow, coming to a place near you!"

 

:lol:

[Dumbass 0]

"It slices, it dices, it assimilates while producing milk! BorgCow, coming to a place near you!"

You're right, Tachyon, you need a life. Sheesh.

[Tachyon 0]

You're right, Tachyon, you need a life.  Sheesh.

No, I said that I see nothing wrong with having no life. Therefore you think I'm wrong. (Sorry, can't help it: my dad's a lawyer and such technicalities unfortunately rub off on me. I'm contaminated!)

 

So I stay up at odd hours in the night (it's 12:42 where I am when I post this!) and churn out Borg tripe. There are weirder ways to make a living. I could build a house entirely out of tapioca pudding, for instance, and then market it as the newest environmentally-friendly product.

 

::Reads over his post:: Oh my, maybe I do need a life. Or at least some more tea . . .

Edited June 25, 2004 by Tachyon

[Cptn Moose 0]

That article pretty much shows the real reason Paramount decided to even produce Enterprise, not because they belive the franchise has any particular life left in it, but because they need to keep the freaks and geeks who buy overpriced star trek crap "happy" I know businesses including paramount and its parent Viacom are in business to MAKE MONEY but I really think this is a low blow to an entire community of fans by implying that we would either stop purchasing merchandise or purchase MORE merchandise if they throw cow dung at us and slap "Star Trek' on it.

I think you're missing the point entirely.

 

We want more, they're giving us more. They're worried that if they stop producing what we want, we'll take our business elsewhere. That isn't insulting, that's empowerment. And it's capitalism at its best.

 

I don't think that Paramount was slapping the Star Trek label on cow dung and calling it a diamond. I think they sincerely tried to give the viewers what they wanted. Some of it worked, some of it didn't. But they're trying to make it better because they all want to keep their jobs.

 

I want them to keep their jobs. I enjoy new Trek product.

 

:: throws two cents into the jar ::

[NDak 0]

Well...it sounds realistic. And is sadly, prolly true.

 

My own comments on the whole matter is that if Viacom (the company who runs Paramount) really cared about Star Trek..it'd be on CBS..

 

 

::shrugs::

[Nemesis 0]

Who cares why? Isn't the fact we have it great?

[Images 0]

Who cares why? Isn't the fact we have it great?

if the reason why they are continuing is just because they want money, you can expect the show to get worse

[FredM 0]

if the reason why they are continuing is just because they want money, you can expect the show to get worse

Hey there,

 

Wait a sec...what do you think Paramount's been in this for since 1966? It isn't about producing a show that will have cultural impact. It's about making money. Never forget it. It is, and always has been, about the bottom line. Nothing more, nothing less.

[Atragon9 0]

Hey there,

 

Wait a sec...what do you think Paramount's been in this for since 1966? It isn't about producing a show that will have cultural impact. It's about making money. Never forget it. It is, and always has been, about the bottom line. Nothing more, nothing less.

More from TV Guide:

Wednesday, May 19, 2004

ENTERPRISE REJOICE!: UPN has renewed the struggling Star Trek: Enterprise for a fourth season. In a bid to boost ratings, there's talk producers may recruit America's Next Top Model judge Janice Dickinson to play some creepy thing from outer space.

So T'Pol wasn't enough for the "babe" quotient, so they're looking to do a 7 of 9 thing???

[Vex Xiang 0]

Wednesday, May 19, 2004

ENTERPRISE REJOICE!: UPN has renewed the struggling Star Trek: Enterprise for a fourth season. In a bid to boost ratings, there's talk producers may recruit America's Next Top Model judge Janice Dickinson to play some creepy thing from outer space.

 

So T'Pol wasn't enough for the "babe" quotient, so they're looking to do a 7 of 9 thing???

 

You know...you'd THINK that Paramount, after playing the 'sex' card in Voyager and Enterprise (and both series flopping with fans)...they'd come to the conclusion that fans of this show are not interested in sex and hot babes, and when they spend all their money on junk for the show that fans really don't want.

 

They're looking at short term ratings. More young men will tune in for about a week when they see the hot new babe. But those are the fans who will be flipping over to watch "Outback Jack" instead because, well, those babes are hotter.

 

Trek ain't a porno. We need to get rid of all this quick-rating-fix junk and get back to what Trek is about. And for gosh sakes, put some clothes on TPol!!!

 

Paramount> Darn dung, Cletus...kicking this dead horse just aint bringing it back. Nah, why try sometin different...lets just keep kickin it harder.