XPost: rec.arts.drwho 
 From: doctor@doctor.nl2k.ab.ca 
  
 In article , 
 Gary   wrote: 
 >In article <42b5b938$1_3@mk-nntp-2.news.uk.tiscali.com>, 
 >john_e_russell@hotmail.com says... 
 >> 
 >> "The Doctor"  wrote in message 
 >> news:d93p99$9hs$19@gallifrey.nk.ca... 
 >> > In article , 
 >> > Andrew Oakley   wrote: 
 >> >>On Sun, 19 Jun 2005 08:12:03 GMT, "Karis"  
 >> >>wrote: 
 >> >>>Just to clarify: RTD knew CE was leaving. 
 >> >> 
 >> >>I have to agree. Whilst I am quite happy to also agree with: 
 >> >> 
 >> >>>It was all planned - right from the very start. All the publicity, all 
 >> >>>the 
 >> >>>'stories' were planned to increase awareness of Doctor Who. 
 >> >> 
 >> >>...yes, and the fact of the matter is that the BBC cannot, and could 
 >> >>never, afford to hire CE for more than one season. 
 >> >> 
 >> >>>Really, there's no other conspiracy. CE was only signed up to do 1 
 >> >>>season, 
 >> >>>which he did. He enjoyed it, but a regeneration was ALWAYS planned for 
 >> >>>the 
 >> >>>end of the show. 
 >> >> 
 >> >>CE cost the BBC half a million pounds for one series. He would 
 >> >>certainly command double, four times or more for a subsequent series. 
 >> >> 
 >> >>There are only around six BBC people who command those kinds of fees. 
 >> >>They are the headline radio breakfast & drivetime show presenters like 
 >> >>Terry Wogan that bring in tens of millions of listeners every single 
 >> >>day. CE brought in 8 million a week, which is superb for TV, but the 
 >> >>numbers simply can't justify the Beeb doubling his fee. BBC TV shows 
 >> >>just can't justify breakfast radio salaries no matter what the viewing 
 >> >>percentages are. 
 >> >> 
 >> >>The BBC is not a commercial organisation, they are government funded. 
 >> >>They have to justify every pound they spend. They usually rely on 
 >> >>home-grown talent and, with only very few exceptions, leave the 
 >> >>high-fee celebs for the commercial channels to pour money over. 
 >> >> 
 >> >>Tennant will cost less than half of CE's fee, he is a home-grown 
 >> >>talent and familiar enough to carry a primetime TV role. 
 >> >> 
 >> > 
 >> > Canada's CBC put some money into this.  Was CE that unaffordable? 
 >> 
 >> Why should it come down to money? Some actors don't want to be tied to a 
 >> long running series, and are quite happy to lose money in order maintain 
 >> their freedom of choice. Eccleston was written out of Cracker, and one 
 >> wonders if that wasn't at his request. 
 >> 
 >> 
 >> 
 >Then that's a big difference between UK TV and USA TV; here (in the US) 
 >if a critically acclaimed actor voluntarily leaves his show before it 
 >ends or gets cancelled, he gets a reputation for being "difficult" and 
 >runs the risk of never getting a leading role in a show (hit or flop) 
 >again. Michael Moriarty in Law & Order is an example; he "owned" that 
 >show during its first 3 years and left voluntarily at the height of his 
 >popularity - the last two productions  he's been involved in since 
 >(supporting cast, not a lead) were a movie for the SciFi Channel, and 
 >the movie Neverwas (which might be released someday). 
  
 Such is the truth.  DW contiues do to all involved make it successful. 
 I can see eny envy in the eyes f the USA. 
 -- 
 Member - Liberal International  
 This is doctor@nl2k.ab.ca Ici doctor@nl2k.ab.ca 
 God Queen and country! Beware Anti-Christ rising! 
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