Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
WASHINGTON, Apr 18, 2006 (UPI via COMTEX) -- Hundreds of filmmakers, TV executives and academics are demanding the Smithsonian Institution end its joint venture with Showtime Networks.
More than 215 people signed a petition delivered to the Smithsonian Monday saying the publicly financed museum should abandon the deal with Showtime to create Smithsonian Networks, which would begin in December with an on-demand cable channel of original programming, The New York Times reported Tuesday.
The deal would give Smithsonian Networks the right of first refusal on commercial documentaries that relied significantly on the museum's archives, curators or scientists, the Times said.
In announcing the agreement, Smithsonian officials said the agreement would affect a limited number of projects but critics say it could force independent filmmakers to offer their works commercially.
The letter blasted the clause as "an anticompetitive practice that is extremely troubling," the Times said. The letter also said "closing off one of the most important collections of source materials and limiting access to staff will have a chilling effect on creativity."
A Smithsonian spokeswoman said the perception that filmmakers will be cut off from using the museum's resources and collections is "just not true."
URL: www.upi.com Copyright 2006 by United Press International
