Updates

2/4/04
Wisdom TV, after about a year of considering broadcasting "In Another Life", and after having accepted it pending final negotiations back in October 2003, notified me recently that they have decided against airing it after all. They cited a shift in their format toward "Wellness of the Mind, Body, Spirit, and Earth," while not explaining exactly how "In Another Life" was at a tangent to these topics (it seems quite on-target to me). I gather they are shifting toward shows with more product advertising potential, though this wasn't specifically stated. [I am told they were bought-out--SS, 3/04.] My contact had been apologizing for her supervisor failing to contact me for several months. She did indicate that the show had been the subject of serious discussion, which suggests that the real reason it was turned down was the same reason I was told it was turned down by NJ statewide PBS--people on the lower tiers of authority wanted it to air, but the people making the final decision did not believe in reincarnation, and blocked it. It's interesting from the sociological perspective--Americans think reincarnation is a weird and spooky topic that only nuts believe in, because they don't see it treated respectfully in the media. And the reason they don't see it treated respectfully in the media is because the media "gatekeepers", believing it to be a weird and spooky topic, systematically keep it out.

I would be tempted to say it was because of the low budget the show was produced on, but no less a judge of that than Bruce Joel Rubin, writer for the popular movie "Ghost" and writer/director of "My Life", wrote me privately that it was quite broadcast-worthy in his opinion and very well-produced. (I can't give his comments exactly because he only gave me permission to quote him in e-mails. If you're interested in what he said, e-mail me and I'll send it to you.)

Recently I co-taught a class on reincarnation at a local metaphysical center. I couldn't afford to advertise extensively, but we did put the word out in a local spiritual on-line website and the local newspaper. The class was also advertised on the center's sign for a week on a busy highway. Aside from three members of the center, we had one attendee from the general public. I was well-prepared, and nobody got bored that I could see at any point in the 3-1/2 hour presentation, but it was odd to have only one person sign up.

I'm not sure what to make of this. It would appear that society simply doesn't want it, doesn't take it seriously and isn't interested. I also see, searching on ebay.com under keyword "reincarnation", that knowledgeable people have been trying to teach in this field for decades, and that hardly anyone bids on the books that surface there.

On the other hand, Youngstown University religion professor Chris Bache, author of "Lifecycles: Reincarnation and the Web of Life", after corresponding with me back and forth a bit by e-mail, took it upon himself to write a glowing recommendation to 75 of his friends and colleagues, saying it was "the best video he'd seen on the subject" and "better than anything produced by the major networks", despite the low budget.

So, if the vanguard like Rubin and Bache appreciate it while the public ignores it, that should tell you something...

Best regards,

Stephen S., Producer

Previous Updates
11/24/03
10/6/03
7/23/03
3/23/03