Thanks to all of you who voiced your complaints about this show that mocked our faith!
Here’s the news report from worldnetdaily
NBC pulls the plug on ‘Book of Daniel’
Creator tells fans controversial show yanked from Friday night schedule
Posted: January 23, 2006
11:59 p.m. Eastern
© 2006 WorldNetDaily.com
NBC’s “The Book of Daniel” may have launched to great controversy and hoopla.
But, today, the show ended with a whimper – pulled unceremoniously from NBC’s Friday night schedule, effective immediately, with no more of an announcement than an entry on an NBC blog by creator Jack Kenny.
“Unfortunately, due to many reasons, ‘The Book of Daniel’ will no longer be aired on NBC on Friday nights,” he wrote to fans. “I just wanted to say ‘thank you’ to all of you who supported the show. There were many wonderful, talented people who contributed to its success – and I do mean success. Whatever the outcome, I feel that I accomplished what I set out to do: A solid family drama, with lots of humor, that honestly explored the lives of the Webster family. Good, flawed people, who loved each other no matter what … and there was always a lot of ‘what’! I remain proud of our product, proud of my association with Sony, NBC Universal, and NBC, who all took a chance on a project that spoke to them, and proud to have made an impact on so many of your lives.”
Aidan Quinn as Episcopal priest with Garret Dillahunt as ‘Jesus’ in NBC’s ‘Book of Daniel’
As WorldNetDaily first reported, “The Book of Daniel,” written by a homosexual, was promoted as the only show on television in which Jesus appeared as a recurring character and the only network prime-time drama series with a regular male “gay” character, a 23-year-old Republican son. The main character, Daniel Webster, was a troubled, pill-popping Episcopal priest.
Touted as the riskiest show of the year, it included a wife who relied on midday martinis, a 16-year-old daughter who was a drug dealer and a 16-year-old adopted son who was having sex with the bishop’s daughter. At the office, the priest’s lesbian secretary was sleeping with his sister-in-law.
One NBC affiliate after another dropped the show. Advertisers ran from it. And, apparently, despite all the controversy it generated, so did viewers.
Nashville’s WSMV-TV General Manager Elden Hale, Jr. said: “Based on a review of the first three episodes and the clearly voiced concerns from our viewers, we have determined that the program ‘The Book of Daniel’ is not appropriate for broadcast television in this community.”
After the first three episodes, only Burlington Coat Factory was left as a national sponsor.
The heat began to generate for the show following WND’s first story. Shortly afterward, the American Family Association launched a national boycott, citing WND’s story.
AFA Chairman Donald E. Wildmon said NBC’s decision to cancel the program is instructive.
“This shows the average American that he doesn’t have to simply sit back and take the trash being offered on TV, but he can get involved and fight back with his pocketbook,” he said.
The network had to absorb millions of dollars in losses each time it aired the program, Wildmon pointed out, because the show’s sponsors bailed out.
“We want to thank the 678,394 individuals who sent e-mails to NBC and the thousands who called and e-mailed their local affiliates,” he added.
Besides Nashville, other NBC affiliates across the nation either never aired the show or stopped broadcasting it. They included Hattiesburg, Miss.; Meridian, Miss.; Jackson, Miss.; Amarillo, Texas; Wichita, Kan.; Beaumont, Texas; and Terre Haute, Ind.
Only six episodes of the “Book of Daniel” were shot. Kevin Reilly, NBC Entertainment president, said the network’s reluctance to order more episodes had more to do with the series’ sluggish ratings performance than controversy.
“We’re going to continue to put on creative programming, regardless of any possible controversy,” Reilly said last week. Earlier, he announced the cancellation of “West Wing.”
The network has slated an episode of “Law and Order” in place of “Daniel” for this Friday at 10 p.m. Eastern.
Here’s the response I got from Channel 7’s General Manager. Interesting he’s had far more feedback in favor of the show.
Mark-
Thank you for your email. I’m not sure if you watch the KWWL News, but KWWL did have pastors preview the show prior to airing and provided comments. Also, in addition to news coverage KWWL has done two editorials with the last one being viewers comments. By far since the program premiered more viewers have emailed and called KWWL expressing their enjoyment for the show versus those who did not like the show. The future of the show will be based upon viewership. If enough people don’t’ watch the show and the ratings do not achieve the levels which the network desires, the show will be cancelled.
Thanks for watching Iowa’s News Channel.
Dale…
Dale R. Woods
I find it very interesting that in this country if a Muslim or an athiest or any one individual complains about prayer in school, a nativity scene, the Ten Commandments posted in public, etc and the liberal media, politicians, and ACLU get involved with a vengence to try and stop the practice because some one is “offended”. On the other hand, if dozens or hundreds or even thousands of people stand up to defend or protect their Christian faith, moral conduct, or even blasphemy, the media hardly takes notice and it is rare that anything is done.
It seems to me if a show was produced to be as offensive to another non-Christian world view there would be protest and much press and probably result in the cancellation of the show. Why? I will join others in the boycott of KWWL until the station decides that our voice is heard amd removes the show from the air.
NBC’s at it again with a new episode of Will and Grace…
Full Story
NBC has now decided to cut the cooking show scene with “Cruci-fixns” and Brittany Spears on an upcoming episode of Will and Grace because of Christian protrests.