[Mb-civic] Moore election special is dropped BBC

[Michael Butler]

 Moore election special is dropped
 A three-hour election show from film-maker Michael Moore has been dropped
by a US cable TV company.

 The Michael Moore Pre-Election Special, including the first TV showing of
his film Fahrenheit 9/11, was to be shown on pay-per-view channel In Demand.

 The company said the decision to axe the show the night before the November
2 elections was due to "legitimate business and legal concerns."

 "Apparently people have put pressure on them," said Moore.

 Moore said he signed a contract with In Demand last month and is now
considering legal action.

 "We've informed them of their legal responsibility and we all informed them
that every corporate executive that has attempted to prohibit Americans from
seeing this film has failed," Moore said.

 "There's been one struggle or another over this, but we've always come out
on top because you can't tell Americans they can't watch this."

 In Demand said any legal action by Moore would be, "entirely baseless and
groundless".

 The special, which would have cost $9.95 (£5.50) to watch, was to include
interviews with politically active celebrities encouraging people to vote.

 Moore is a strong critic of Republican President Bush, who is running for a
second term in office against Democratic candidate John Kerry.

 Free offer 

 Moore's controversial documentary Fahrenheit 9/11 makes links between the
Bush family and Bin Laden and the Saudi royal dynasties.

 Moore has made no secret of the fact he wants the current president removed
from office, and timed the film's release to have the maximum impact on
voters.

 In Demand makes pay-per-view programmes available in 28 million homes
across the US - about one quarter of all homes with televisions.

 Moore offered to let another company, the Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc, air
the movie for free but the broadcaster has a reputation for conservative
politics so is unlikely to do so.

 Story from BBC NEWS:
 http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/entertainment/3749154.stm

 Published: 2004/10/16 11:52:40 GMT

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