(posts originally appeared at Mobius Forum) ----- Verny I wish Ben Hurst Best of Luck I'm praying for him, cross my fingers and do the luck of the Irish dance. i hope it will be good and we will hear from him soon. -Verny --- Bumper As do I... ...but I can't get this cloud of doubt away from my head concerning that. This just seems a little too sudden, and it probably won't be easy to convince DIC to take the show back, and there's the Disney part of the equation, too.... But I honestly do wish Ben the best of luck on this. Bumper ------ JoeWolf The outcome of Ben's meeting with DiC..... I don't mean to be a pest, but does anyone know what's up with all that? I'm dying of curiosity. --- Evil WB WE DONT KNOW YET !!!! ***smacks Joe with a trout*** We won't know until Artie gives me word. And so far he's heard nothing from Mr. Hurst. I'll ask him to email him tonight if possible. But I'm just in the dark as everyone else. ^_^ ------ True Red Ben Hurst gave us a reply Straight from Artie's post at TSF MB: As you have heard, I had a meeting at Dic to start the process towards possibly re-awakening interest in a third season of Sonic in some incarnation. I met with Robbie London, one of my favorite people. It was an interesting conversation and helped to crystalize my thinking on how to proceed. I also learned a little more about syndication and the thought-processes of network executives in selecting shows to be produced. I am proud of the efforts of many of the Sonic fans in assembling petitions to try to return SatAm to the air and I will utilize these petitions as I continue my quest. But the problem with Sonic all along has been a lack of popularity. Though there is a core of steadfast fans, Sonic has never generated the big numbers that keep a show on the air. There are a number of reasons for this. Poor airing schedules, shows pre-empted by sporting events (at least in the U.S.), tough competition (Power Rangers) and perhaps even lackluster marketing (think about it: did you ever see mass-marketing tie-ins for Sonic Underground? A heavy wave of commercials?). Whatever the reasons, Sonic has never had the kind of "groundswell support" of mass numbers, has never generated a "Ninja Turtles" or "Power Rangers" type of popularity required to keep network executives interested in continuing the show. Sonic fans, please note the words "mass numbers." Again, your efforts have been Herculean and your devotion has been unwavering, but the big numbers simply haven't been there to make "bottom line-conscious" executives sit up and take notice. I know it sounds like I'm painting a bleak picture, but this is the reality of network television. I won't even go into the syndication market possibilities because that area is flat right now and syndicated shows are at an all-time low. So how can Sonic fans create a demand? I am of the mind that email is not as powerful as many think. And after talking with Mr. London, I was reminded of something I learned from my advertising days: the power of a good, old-fashioned letter. Corporate entities take letters more seriously than they do email. Fact of life. Letters can be felt, touched and read. I think they seem more "real" to the powers-that-be. And I think they are more effective. I encourage fans who wish to see SatAm (the first two seasons) returned to the airwaves to generate letters or petitions. Not to Dic or Sega, but to their LOCAL NETWORK AFFILIATES and to organizations such as NICK or the CARTOON NETWORK. Why? Because they have the power to buy. They have the power to pass requests up the corporate ladder. Sega is fully aware of the fan base, but they are the executive producers, creating a product to sell. DIC is a hired gun. Corporations come to them with funds and they produce the episodes. They only license a character or series if they feel they can sell it. They can't survive otherwise. I can not emphasize enough the power of a letter. Petitions can be printed and mailed, along with letters from the fans demanding the return - or more favorable airing of a show. I know that in the case of Sonic Underground, the show was aired at odd times and on sometimes unpredictable schedules. Letters could possibly change that, but again, those letters should be directed close to home - to the people who make the schedules - the local affiliates. And it wouldn't hurt to direct those letters to ABC or Disney either. Again, those are the people who make the decisions to air a show. At this time, it would be terribly difficult for me to pursue a third season of Sonic as a network show. Too many hurdles, the aforementioned lack of mass numbers and a general industry inertia are formidable arguments against that course of action. Direct-to-Video is slightly more likely, but again, there has to be a known demand before any company will risk the many millions required to produce this kind of product. And it all starts close to home. If a demand were created by fans, this could possibly change. Perhaps the most viable option is an animated feature film. Mr. London gave me names at Sega to contact and I am attempting to set up meetings with them to pursue this avenue. My marketing strategy is simple: a great film could create an awakened interest in Sonic, breathe new life into the existing produced series and increase the marketing and merchandising possibilities for the little blue guy. So, that's my "state of Sonic" address. It ain't all pretty, but it's based in the realities of the business. I will continue to pursue this course until I either prevail or find every door closed. If fans wish to assist, I am of the mind that good old, fashioned letters would prove to be their most potent weapon. Onward and upward, Ben Hurst That's the news to ALL Sonic fans regarding basically everything when you think about it. --- Dustin R. Wow! I never thought that Ben Hurst would try so hard to bring back the Satam cartoon. Well, at least there's still progress in trying to get it back (from someone outside the fans). ---