The Fox Network is cutting off its nose to spite its face!
The Fox Network is waging war on it's fans! For the past several years, the networks lawyers have been using threats and intimidation to shut down fan-run internet sites for it's popular show "The X-Files." Now the network has moved on to sites dedicated to shows on the WB (an affiliate of Fox) including "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," "Angel," "Dawson's Creek," "Roswell," and many more. Already two popular BtVS sites have been forced to close, and other sites are receiving threats.
Why are site owners so upset about this? Because we built the network! If you do any research into "The X-Files" history, you will find that almost all magazine articles mention the fact that the show became well known because of on-line fans who hosted chats and created websites. TXF was the show that put Fox on the map as a major network (along with 90210 and The Simpsons), and it was dedicated internet fans who spread the word. Now they are attacking the very people that helped them become the powerful network it is today!
As a writer and musician, I am the first one to stand up for upholding copywrite laws. I don't want anyone to be able to steal my work and profit from it. But the webistes targeted by Fox are not profiting. In fact, many people spend a great deal of their own time and money to put these sites together (click here for more info). As long as we aren't putting up entire episodes (which would pull money out of their pockets), selling Buffy products, or charging people to visit our websites, how can we do anything but boost the show's fanbase? It just doesn't make any sense.
Recently, Fox sunk to a new low. Their lawyers are threatening a man who created a popular web font called "Buffied." First of all, while the font does resemble the letters in the word "Buffy" in the show's logo, it isn't exactly the same. Secondly, this man created this font from scratch, it is his work. It has to be! The logo only conatins the letters B,u,f,y ... he created the rest. Lastly, the way the lawyers have gone about contacting him is completely unprofessional. Read more about it here.
For these reasons, I am joining the May 13 2000 blackout. We want to show Fox what a fanless internet would look like. If you have a website, please click on the "blackout" link below. Even if it's not a BtVS website, we need all the help we can get. If you don't have a website, never fear, we can use you too. Check out the "Buffy Bringers" link and join the letter writing campaign. There is also a protest march taking place this summer in CA. I will be unable to attend since I live many hundreds of miles away, so I hope some of you reading this can go for me! Info about the protest is available at both sites.
Thanks for taking the time to read all this. I feel it's important that all of us stand together and stop Fox from bullying us.
Aixla
