Newsgroups: uk.media.tv.sf.babylon5,alt.babylon5.uk,rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated
Subject: ITB Screening - some facts.
Date: 31 May 1998 18:24:39 -0600
rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated:108321

I am not in the habit of posting on controversial topics, but the posts
that have been flying around these last few days remind me of the
description an engineer once gave me of his latest rocket test - 'heat,
light, sound, plus some shrapnel'.

I had vaguely heard about the ITB screening, so in early May I 'phoned
the cinema. They said Warner Bros. head office were handling ticketing,
and gave me a number to call. Called, was bounced around the WB phone
system for around 20 mins, finding few people who had heard about ITB
and no-one who could help. Was told the man who knew what was happening
was out, he would call me back.

He did, that afternoon (I know his name). He knew all about ITB, where,
when, which cast members would be in attendance, who was handling
tickets, and how much they would cost. He gave me the number to call -
an 01638 number - and a Wolf-associated person on that number took the
booking.

Point is, whatever JMS has been told by WB US Legal Affairs, WB UK knew
in early May exactly how Wolf were selling the tickets, and how much
they were charging - and, by implication, approved - they put me in
touch with Wolf. I daresay WB US didn't know until 18th May, but I can
confirm absolutely that WB UK knew in early May.

It looks to me as if this whole situation is a result of
non-communication between WB UK and WB US. I can't believe Wolf would be
so stupid as to charge for something they had been told to give away -
like, no-one would notice, WB would never find out...! I can't believe
JMS would launch such an unambiguous attack unless he had been given the
facts by a 'usually reliable source' - WB US. So we have a paradox -
two different sets of facts - what WB UK told Wolf, which has not yet
seen the light of day, and what WB US told JMS - which is all over the
nets.

What we need now is a paradoctor. I'm not qualified, but the above is
certainly a contribution to sorting out the facts.

Mike Ross