Sprightly Campaign To Save Spirited
The Save Our Spirited campaign gains momentum with press coverage from national newspaper The Australian via a recent interview with Spirited-TV.net webmasters.
Sprightly campaign to save Spirited
MICHAEL BODEY From: The Australian November 04, 2011 7:11AM
A SPRIGHTLY fan campaign to reinstate the Foxtel drama Spirited has sprung up in the wake of the series axing.
Foxtel announced last month it would not commission a third series of the drama starring Claudia Karvan and Matt King four weeks after its second series concluded.
A group of fans has established the Save Our Spirited ‘website’ (via Spirited-TV.net) and produced a YouTube protest video (see above), to the tune of The Whitlams’ I Will Not Go Quietly, stating “We hold opinions. We hold subscriptions. And we’ll use both to be heard.”
The website has amassed 1400 signatures in two weeks and letters have been sent to Foxtel management, including Foxtel executive director of television, Brian Walsh, who is quoted in the video as saying “I feel it’s right for Spirited to go out on a high with the impossible love story of Suzy and Henry resolved in a way that’s as close to a happily ever after as was ever really possible.”
Representatives of the website told Media they were sceptical of Foxtel’s decision to quietly announce the award-winning show’s cancellation in the off-season on the show’s Facebook website. The group has begun a protest campaign through social media, TV blogs and even postering and via more official channels.
“At times this (campaign) has been challenging but we are driven by our unshakeable belief in the show and the fact that all previous press clearly indicates both cast & crew wish to continue making Spirited,” the site’s webmasters “Kate, Kirri and Carina (Spirited-TV.net)” told Media.
“Our first port of call is obviously to address FOXTEL about the poor decision they’ve made, but our efforts will not rest there. This show is worthy of air time on Australian TV and if FOXTEL won’t listen, we’re hoping to make enough noise so that someone else will!”
The trio added fans are still only finding out now about the axing and they have been happily surprised at how well their campaign has taken hold thus far.
Foxtel has hinted it has commissioned another Australian drama for 2012 although it was not able to confirm this at the season launch last week. The W Channel would not comment.
Spirited won the 2010 AWGIE for TV series writing and this year won two ASTRA awards, including best drama. It was the highest-rating series on the W channel last year. The series was created by Karvan and Jacquelin Perske and co-produced by John Edwards.
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Oh, wow! This is amazing, guys! The campaign just keeps getting bigger…FOXTEL can’t ignore us forever. I can’t thank you enough for everything you’ve done so far, you’ve given me hope.
Way to go girls! We WILL not go quietly!
A HUGE WELL DONE to Kate Kirri and Carina – so much work and especially sticking with it while it must feel so much easier to just let it go. You’re in inspiration and I think I need to go and write on the Foxtel f.b. page now
That is AWESOME!!!!!! news…………. Well done ladies
Hmmm – got a reply within minutes – not the words I would like to hear but at least it was not the standard reply since I told them in my post not to give me Killing Time as an answer. Here it is:
“Hi Carla, I’m sorry for your disappointment over the ending of this show, and have registered yours and others feedback. We don’t, however, have any plans now of changing the decision made on this show, and are now committed to producing more drama with the constant aim of delivering some of the best produced Australian TV. We hope to take you on lots more journeys with wonderful programming from here and overseas – David
Well ,sorrry to say, David Walsh you’ll lose me forever to any Foxtel viewing ever again.We put up with HEAPS of repeated programs on Foxtel and you have a winner with a fantastically produced ,directed, edited and brilliantly cast,extraordinaryly bold,brave and different, enticing, addictive drama on W…..I watched this with my 30 yr old married daughter , who travelled 1hr by public transport to watch it tog…and I’m 65!!!!!!!!!!!!! It bridges all age barriers. ,Please tell me honestly,what DRIVES your decision making, on this one especially, cause it certainly appears it’s NOT the thousands of happy viewing fans, who are your paying Foxtel subscribers… PLEASE.. WHY????????????????
Well done ladies!! You are ace.
nice work, bring back spirited!!! we are all behind you ladies!!!
Awesome work Ladies and I am spreading the word of this story through FB in case others have missed it. Cudos!! Keep up the good work!
Well done guys, I’ve written to the Courier Mail but no response yet. Keep up the fight Spiritualists!
Spirited is absolutely worthy of air time on Australian television, its Foxtel who are not worthy!
It was only a matter of time ladies … well done! Annoying buggers, aren’t we?!
Wooo! Nice work guys!!! This is a big deal, and rightly so.
Haha, nice to see ‘postering’ got a mention! High 5!! So glad to be contributing!:D
#SAVESPIRITED
You girls are doing a FANTASTIC job, thanks for all your hard work, you’re awesome… you have my full support
march on…
Fantastic work guys, thank you so much for all your hard work and dedication, we appreciate it so much!
As for Foxtel saying they are “Committed to producing more drama with the constant aim of delivering some of the best produced Australian TV”
They had the best show on Australian TV, made in Australia by Australians and they cancelled it, why doesn’t that compute with them???
Seriously brilliant. A national newspaper! Oh wow.
Well done ladies****
So pleased that it has recieved some media attention. Someone wrote in to TV Week about it and only recieved a tiny comment back! I wish more media sources would promote this worthy cause and help save Spirited!
Great job!!!
You guys are doing such a great job. We wish you all the best of luck with your campaign. Do not go quietly, and you have our full support. Save Spirited!!!!