madcomments

SCI FI channel has faith in George Michael

Posted in Media, Branwell Johnson, Latest reporters' blogs September 30th, 2008 by Branwell Johnson

The latest commercial operator to puzzle over the mantra “all publicity is good publicity” is SCI FI channel with its new campaign that features a certain ex -member of Wham! not shy of acting out his leisure pursuits in public view.

The big campaign for new show Eli Stone features George Michael’s song Faith on the soundtrack and clips of the recently arrested pop star. It must be a tough call for SCI FI channel as the whole premise of the show is built on an ambitious lawyer who hallucinates that he sees Michael and each episode is named after a Michael song. Not a proposition for marketing to skirt round easily.

So, is SCI FI sticking to its guns and not postponing the show until the recent tabloid furore over Michael’s latest brush with the law and drugs has died down because it would create too much upheaval to the schedule to pull it? Or is the broadcaster hoping that Michael’s recent appearance in the public eye will help boost the profile of the show?

It’s a shame that positive reviews of the singer’s gigs last month– and the fact that he has likely to have retired from music – were overshadowed by the latest scandal chewed over by the tabloids.

Let’s hope no broadcaster has a series and marketing campaign based around a character obsessed with Pete Doherty…

To read the related news story click here