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Re: URGENT!! The Wrath of Viacom!



>That being said, I for one will not pay to use a website such as the
>Star Trek Continuum.  It doesn't lessen my enjoyment of Star Trek if I
>don't have access to that site, even if it were the only site
>available.  If Viacom realises that people won't pay for that access,
>then they will have to use their advertisers to support the site, as
>they do with Star Trek TV broadcasts.

That is an excellent point.  I work with a number of big Websites (I work for a PR Firm) and we highly suggest that to
all our clients that their sites are free to users and paid for with ad dollars.

But you have to understand that it is totally within Viacom and Paramount's rights to control what fans put up.  They
own Star Trek (the name, the characters, the works).  So there is no real basis for anyone to complain about it.

Think of it this way.  If you (not you Tom, but anyone reading this) writes a story, posts a piece of artwork.  Well
then some bozo in Cleveland on an edu account takes that story and posts it on their site and then changes it, or alters
it, would you be mad?  And what's worse if you got paid for your stories and this same bozo takes them.  It would be
stealing.

Now, I know everyone might think Viacom is some huge faceless company.  But I used to work across the street (I worked
for a different faceless company called BMG Music Group North America) and I had friends at 1515 Broadway in Time
Square.  I don't see Viacom, Paramount, MTV, Comedy Central or Nick or anyone of their companies as full of faceless
people.  I see the people who work there just like every one else.  And I know a few who have lost their jobs too when
the company isn't making tons of money.

So maybe a few people will be upset because their "Greatest Fan Site" is ordered to cease and desist, but remember if
you run a site like that it's stealing.  Maybe you think you're helping the show.  Some TV shows Producers and
Production Companies or Studios (The X-Files, Babylon 5 for example) love the fan sites.  But keep in mind if you are
running a site that bitches and complains about Paramount "ruining Star Trek" then what the hell do you expect.  And if
you go an post a bootleg of the script for the next episode or the next movie then you are breaking copyright laws,
violating trademarks and brand identity.

But finally, how many of the fans site's Webmasters ever bothered to send a letter and say "we're trying to support the
show, we'd like to do a tasteful Web site to help promote the show.  Think of our efforts as grassroot campaign to
support the show."

Believe me, I work in PR and I know a few of my fellow employees are bound to go to hell just for being publicists.
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