Tuesday, March 30, 2010

MUSEUM PIECE: CHICAGO STORY

This may only be of interest to those in the Chicago area, but I thought I'd help spread the word. (The Museum of Classic Chicago Television has that Robert Culp clip with the sound problems.)


WGN-TV Won't Let Us Display Their Material In Our Museum
In case you're wondering...

WGN-TV has blocked us from displaying WGN content on our museum website.

WGN says that it has an "exclusive agreement" with the Museum of Broadcast Communications (MBC) to display its material.

We think this is... unfair. It's unfair for a museum, which is a public institution, to effectively have a "monopoly" on display of WGN's vintage content.

Museums should serve the public interest, not just their own. Local TV stations also have a responsibility to serve the public interest.

Instead, we are seeing the freezing out of our museum over the promotion of another one.

All because of WGN-TV's close relationship with the Museum of Broadcast Communications.

We have a lot of WGN material that isn't being preserved anywhere else.

Isn't there room for more than one museum to honor WGN's grand history?

Our WGN material won't be seen by the public until WGN-TV stops giving preferential treatment to a single museum.

In the end, who loses?

You do.

...by not getting to see the vintage WGN bumpers, promos, news segments, Family Classics, Sunday Matinee, and other movie show openings, long-lost Ray Rayner, Bozo clips and more.

If you think WGN's decision not to allow these clips to be seen here is unfair, why not let them know about it?

Send a letter or e-mail to WGN-TV's General Manager, Ms. Marty Wilke.

You can write her here:

Marty Wilke
General Manager,WGN-TV
2501 West Bradley Place
Chicago, IL 60618-4718

You can also call her office and leave a message, or e-mail her directly.

(773) 528-2311
mwilke@tribune.com

Be polite and respectful...

but help us express the point that our online museum should be given the same right to honor and preserve WGN's history, and to share that history with others.

If enough people speak up, maybe they'll change their mind.

No one should be allowed a monopoly on history.

Thank you for your support.

Rick "Fuzzy" Klein
President / Curator

The Museum of Classic Chicago Television (www.FuzzyMemories.TV) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization registered in the state of Illinois.

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