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Path: utzoo!linus!security!genrad!decvax!tektronix!tekcad!franka
From: franka@tekcad.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.politics
Subject: Re: Opposition to The Day After - (nf)
Message-ID: <139@tekcad.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 20-Nov-83 13:55:56 EST
Article-I.D.: tekcad.139
Posted: Sun Nov 20 13:55:56 1983
Date-Received: Tue, 22-Nov-83 03:10:24 EST
Sender: franka@tekcad.UUCP
Organization: Tektronix, Beaverton OR
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#R:phs:-215200:tekcad:1500001:000:2513
tekcad!franka    Nov 20 10:55:00 1983

	There is only one reason for the "timing" of this movie. This is
the November "sweeps" season. For those of you unfamiliar with the television
industry, this is the time that the advertisers look at network and local TV
to decide advertising rates. Since this program will probably be the highest
rated TV event in history, ABC would be damned foolish from an economic stand-
point not to show it now. You see, the guiding hand of the free marketplace
can work both ways.
	In regards to the "timing" of the program with respect to the de-
ployment of the P2 missles: Why couldn't we have moved up the deployment by
two weeks (or delayed it by two months)? Surely RR knew about the movie's
production (and with his experience in TV knew about sweeps month) and had
a pretty good idea of when it would be shown. Why is the network in the wrong
for scheduling it at this time? Couldn't the president simply have mistimed
the deployment of the missles?
	For those of you who look askance at this show from a political view-
point: This is a free country. ABC can show pretty damned near anything it
likes as long as it passes by the network's Standards and Practices department.
The networks (and many local stations) are devoting slots afterward to panel
discussions of this show. I am sure that we will have equal representation on
these panels. Even if they didn't, the media has given enough coverage of the
opinions of the people who disagree with the movie that most of us know why
they don't like it.
	In closing, the movie will be shown. This makes most of the discussion
about whether or not it should be shown moot. This is not the USSR. Just be-
cause you don't like it doesn't mean it should not be shown. If one movie can
have so much impact that you fear it and actively fight against its showing,
maybe the subject hits so close to home (pardon the pun) that what is needed
is the showing of this movie so that people will start thinking about pre-
venting nuclear war, be it by deterrance, high-frontier, or disarmament. If
you are afraid of the discussion of means of prevention that this movie might
cause, I guess that that's just the price you pay for living in a free country.
	So, get out the popcorn, send the kiddies to bed, snuggle up with a
good friend, and watch the world come to an end, 'cause its movie time tonight!

               				From the truly menacing,
   /- -\       				but usually underestimated,
    <->        				Frank Adrian
               				(tektronix!tekcad!franka)