Grass roots campaign asking DirecTV to sponsor Moonlight

A little clarification..... Moonlight would air on which ever network picks it up ~ Sci-Fi, FX, USA, TNT, etc. To make it cost effective since cable networks have less $$$, the plan is to ask DirecTV to sponsor Moonlight. In return, they would do product placement &/or advertise their service during the show.

UPDATED INFO! Send all DirecTV emails to this address only ~ the101@direcTV.com This is the dedicated address DirecTV set up for us Moonlight fans.

Friday Night Lights not only shared Moonlight's time slot. It was also a bubble show. Our show won in the ratings, while FNL hovered around 5 million viewers weekly. You may have read about the unique deal that saved their show. NBC approached DirecTV to partner with them & share the cost of Friday Night Lights. That is how the show was saved.

Rumor has it that the Sci-Fi Channel is very, very interested in picking up Moonlight. The problem is ~ you guessed it ~ money. Moonlight episodes cost about $2.5 million each, but Sci-Fi can only afford $1.5 million.

*** By the way.... Please, be sure to continue contacting the SciFi Network! You can see that it is having the effect that we want. YEA! ***

That is what led to the idea of Moonlight fans contacting DirecTV asking them to sponsor our show, similar to their NBC/FNL deal.

Here is more info as Leeser has kindly detailed for everyone :)

We have been noticing the threads suggesting that the fans could subsidise the remaining funds for the production of Moonlight. While that is a wonderful thought in theory, for many reasons it would not be likely to happen. Instead we may have found another option.

As most are aware, NBC recently sealed a deal with DirecTV to bring Friday Night Lights back to life, NBC’s critically acclaimed but ratings starved Friday night high school melodrama. The deal struck allows for DirecTV to air new episodes of Friday Night Lights in October, 2008, most likely on its High-def channel 101. NBC and its affiliates such as Universal HD would air the episodes starting in January, 2009.

We believe that a campaign to solicit DirecTV interest in pursuing a similar arrangement could be beneficial and profitable to the satellite provider, as well as the WB and Silver Pictures. However, our efforts will differ in that it is not the network or studio that is approaching DirecTV, but rather the fans.

Recently, DirectTV has undertaken an aggressive marketing campaign to heighten public awareness. They are trying to distinguish themselves from its rival on content as well as price and seem to be willing to spend the money to do it. Our approach will definitely be different in that NBC approached DirecTV. Since this would be a grassroots fan campaign, it will have a different marketing spin for DirecTV. How many satellite companies can say that they’ve got fans approaching them about saving their show?

It has come to my attention that financing is a big stumbling block in the potential pickup of our show. The show costs about 2.6 million +/- to make and networks are only willing to pony up about 1.5 million of what is needed. That's not good. To get the quality show we have come to expect, 1.5m isn't going to do it. Not by a long shot.

Thus, we are starting a grassroots fan campaign to get corporate sponsors to come on board and make a financial commitment to support Moonlight.

Be polite, thoughtful and encouraging when you contact these people. Stress the numbers: this show has 7.5 to 8 million viewers, that the show reached the desired 18-49 demographic, that it consistently helped CBS to win Friday nights and that loyal fans will go to/remain with any advertiser that supports their favorite show.

Right now, SciFi is definitely showing interest in our show. Let's show them how much we love it!

the101@direcTV.com

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