http://news.yahoo.com/new...bc_jackson

NEW YORK - ABC won a network bidding war to acquire the rights to a documentary on Michael Jackson (news) and immediately scheduled it for prime time on Feb. 7.



The documentary, "Living with Michael Jackson," features "unprecedented and exclusive access to Jackson's private life," ABC promised.


British journalist Martin Bashir spent eight months with Jackson and was with him when Jackson horrified onlookers by dangling his baby from a hotel balcony in Berlin, the network said.


Jackson is no longer, as he calls himself, the king of pop music. But he has a proven track record as a television draw.


Some 25.7 million viewers tuned into "Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Special" on CBS in November 2001; viewership increased every half-hour for the program, culled from tapes of a Madison Square Garden tribute concert appearance. Previous interviews with Oprah Winfrey (news) and Diane Sawyer also attracted big audiences.


CBS, NBC and Fox were also reportedly interested in the documentary, which was produced by Britain's Granada Television, but the bidding battle came down to ABC and NBC.


"At some point, the dollars just don't make sense," NBC News spokeswoman Allison Gollust said, "especially when you have stories you report and produce yourself to rely on."


"Dateline NBC" has been producing its own hour about Jackson. That's scheduled to air on Feb. 17, although ABC's announcement of an air date may cause NBC to move it up.


ABC News spokesman Jeffrey Schneider would not say how much the network paid for rights to broadcast the documentary. The New York Daily News, quoting unidentified television executives, estimated ABC paid $4 million to $5 million.


"We have a long history of working with Granada," Schneider said. "They produce excellent documentaries, and ABC News felt this was a win-win situation editorially and it clearly makes financial sense. That's why there was such aggressive bidding on it."


The Jackson interview will air as part of a two-hour edition of "20/20," anchored by Barbara Walters.
[This message was edited Fri Jan 31 11:59:37 PST 2003 by Raven]

UK, Ireland, Netherlands, Australia, USA so far. Any other countries where they will b airing this? Like -duh- Belgium or something?

it will be Big.MJ is the only Cat in the Biz that still has a Interest after all of these Years.no matter what side of the fence you sit with Him there is a Answer when the Subject of One Michael Jackson is mentioned.

ch7 will air it here Tuesday.

followed the next nite by ch9 showing the special about Mj's face.

fucking losers!

mistermaxxx said:

Can some of the Jacko fans here please describe to me how Michael still gets all this interest. I mean I don't think 20 odd million would tune into a Prince special. I'm not hating I'm just interested in the perspective of a Michael fan.

ConsciousContact said:

Two MAJOR reasons


1. Talented

2. American Icon


Mike has more mainstream popularity than LIL MAN, so that's the reason why he has so many people tuning in to his shows.

No matter what people say about Mike, he's an ICON and thus he will always garner a substantial amount of attention.

Why do Americans think the BBC is the only TV channel in the UK? It's ITV.

Ellie said:

Fixed it. Sorry about that.

Brother915 said:

so true.also He is still one of the Few Acts that still has a "IT" about Him that draws People no matter where they stand with Him.People Grew up on Him&despite now not being the Huge Act He once was He still Commands enough attention to be heard.

Brother915 said:

Yeah but why is he an icon. What makes him more of an American icon than Prince?

I don't know, MJ was always just more of a mainstream guy, despite being so far from "the norm". He's been in the public eye for about a decade longer than Prince. He's grown up in public and he's made all those changes, always in the public eye. His level of fame and popularity was so high at his peak, there was pretty much no way anyone would EVER leave him alone - and because he was always such an oddball (or at least perceived to be), the legend of his celebrity and interest just grew and grew.

Prince shyed away from it more successfully. He had more of an opportunity to as I don't think he made choices that might have seemed to be a good idea at the time, but worked against him in the long run - for example, MJ participating in the first few years worth of fabricated stories about himself. It made him even more notorious, but for the wrong reasons, and by the time he fired Frank Dileo and pulled out of all that crap, what he started was already out of control.

Aside from the Monday docu, on Thursday ITV1 also broadcasts the 30th Anniversary Concert (at 11pm), get your blank videos ready UK MJ fans.

Wait for one bus then two come along at once...

Truth be told, not much unlike "Michael Jackson's Face" (C5) and "Michael Jackson's Millions" (BBC1) Which both aired within a week last year here also.

ConsciousContact said:

He has a Bigger World-Wide Impact.I mean the Guy went from being a Child Artist&then went even further as a Adult Artist.it's not just Album Sales Either the Public has to feel a Certain "IT" with whomever they take to Heart with.if you know much about Pop Culture than you never ask why.Michael Jackson did alot with His Career&so early on.He is the Standard for the Child to Adult Artist IMHO.the Guy's Track Record,Influence&Career speak for themselves IMHO.Prince has Been very Influential but in a different way.Respected as a Artist&He has Fans of all backgrounds but Michael Jackson it was out of this World with the Feeling People had wih Him.folks might look at Him Differently but He is the Only Artist I've known in my lifetime everybody has a story or I Grew up on Him or I use to really be into Him type of thing.He was that kind of Artist for so many.