Sci Fi Channel - Genuine interest in the paranormal or some bizarre publicity stunt?
 

In today's article on CNN.com, Sci Fi Channel President Bonnie Hammer wants to sue the Federal Government over UFO coverups. Contains one teeny-tiny BSG reference:

http://www.cnn.com/2003/TECH/space/1...eut/index.html

Article:

Sci-Fi channel may sue NASA for UFO documents
Tuesday, October 21, 2003 Posted: 12:25 PM EDT (1625 GMT)

NEW YORK(Reuters) -- The truth is out there, and the Sci-Fi Channel is determined to find it, even if that means suing NASA, the Department of Defense, the U.S. Army and Air Force for documents related to unidentified flying objects.

Sci-Fi, a cable channel that airs fictional programming such as Battlestar Galactica, as well as documentaries that explore the line between fact and science fiction, is part of a group pressuring the federal government to de-classify UFO information.

Last year Sci-Fi joined forces with an investigative journalist, a Washington, DC law firm, and former President Clinton chief of staff John Podesta, to gain release of documents relating to an incident it calls "the new Roswell," a UFO sighting in Kecksburg, Pennsylvania in 1965.

"Now, one year later, despite serious effort to uncover the facts, NASA and the Department of Defense are still maintaining their wall of silence," said Sci-Fi Channel president Bonnie Hammer. "Whether or not this has anything to do with UFOs the public has the right to know."

Now the Sci-Fi Channel is supporting what could turn into a series of lawsuits, first against NASA and then against the Department of Defense, the Army and Air Force, to get classified documents released to the public.

The group said it expects to file the suit against NASA within a week. Representatives from NASA and the Department of Defense were not immediately available for comment.

NASA was chosen as the first agency to be sued because Sci-Fi and the groups' attorney, Lee Helfrich of the Washington, DC-based firm, Lobel, Novins and Lamont, believe that they've fully exhausted their administrative options with the agency, a prerequisite for a judge to agree to hear the case.

While news organizations routinely pursue Freedom of Information Act requests with the government, it's relatively rare for a cable channel, especially one focused on fantasy, not the gathering of news, to pursue such a course of action.

But Hammer sees a great deal of programming potential in pursuing government documents related to UFO sightings, part of the channel's effort to "find the line between science fiction and science fact."

"As we grow the channel, this will become more and more important," Hammer said.

In December 1965, residents of Kecksburg, Pennsylvania watched a fireball descend into a heavily-forested area 40 miles from Pittsburgh. That night the area was cordoned off by the military, trucks and helicopters came and went, and the town was briefly placed under martial law.

The next day, headlines in the Greensburg, Pennsylvania Tribune-Review read "Unidentified Flying Object Falls Near Kecksburg" and "Army Ropes Off Area," but residents of Kecksburg were never told why the military cordoned off the area and what, if anything, was found.

The results of Sci-Fi's new investigation into the incident will air Friday in a documentary hosted by Bryant Gumbel called "The New Roswell: Kecksburg Exposed."

In Kecksburg it hired a forestry expert from West Virginia University who discovered growth patterns and core damage to trees there that support a "traumatic event" in 1965.

Sci-Fi, a unit of Vivendi Universal, is among the assets recently sold to General Electric Co.'s NBC. Hammer sees the integration with a network news operation as a potential boon for Sci-Fi's newsgathering efforts.

"If it's something that seems credible, absolutely," said Hammer on the potential of working with NBC journalists. "But we're not going to do it just to create buzz."

I think its mostly publicity.

If Bonnie Hammer sues and wins she claims a great victory. If she sues and loses then ufo conspiracy nuts will proclaim her as their new god for taking up the fight.

The only losers is the american public. For it is Nasa that will be hurt by a lawsuit. In some very dark times, after the shuttle disaster, and without being able to launch a shuttle into space, and budget problems, this is NOT the right time to go after an goverment agency whose sole purpose is to benefit mankind. Being scifi buffs, we all can relate to that glorious endeavor of exploring space.

Sll sci fi will do is hurt that program and reduce it to lawsuits, lawuers and court costs. There is no way for Nasa to win. scifiscores a PR coup. And Nasa loses money either way.

And that sucks big time.

btw we are alo discussing this in this thread too! Join us!

http://www.colonialfleets.com/forums...&threadid=4674

Yeah, this is a dumb thing for Sci-Fi to do.

This has blatant publicity stunt written all over it. The folks behind this potential lawsuit are working overtime to promote something. But I seriously doubt it has anything to do with the public or its right to know. From what has been stated in the above article, it sounds to me more likely that Sci-Fi has a new series in the works which crosses "The X-Files" with "Project: Blue Book" and adds a nice, healthy dose of "Ripley's Believe It or Not!".

I would rank merits and motivations behind this possible lawsuit somewhere between a perpetual motion machine and Big Foot. Theoretically, there is possibly evidence to support it; but, practically speaking, it is waaaaaaay out there in the super-boonies of reality.

From where I stand, this proposed legal action is nothing more than yet another frivolous lawsuit "full of sound and fury, signifying nothing".

Then again, frivolous lawsuits do serve one group citizens. They keep lawyers employed and give money to the court coffers. And, hey, in this day and age with our current economy...? Maybe Sci-Fi, et al, ARE performing a public service (at least to one narrow segment thereof)...

:alien:

NASA does NOT investigate UFO's, only the Air Force is allowed to do so.

Sueing NASA is a waist of time and money.

You're right about that Repcisg. It's a publicity STUNT.
Nothing MORE nothing LESS.

Why would we want the lawyers making more money? :bash:

Re: Sci Fi Channel - Genuine interest in the paranormal or some bizarre publicity stu
 

If the SlyFry Channel said the sky was blue, I'd go outside and check.
How did this ever turn out, BTW?

Re: Sci Fi Channel - Genuine interest in the paranormal or some bizarre publicity stu
 

Sen, check your PM's.

I am
Dawg
:warrior:

Re: Sci Fi Channel - Genuine interest in the paranormal or some bizarre publicity stu
 

I have. Thanks.