XPost: alt.startrek, alt.tv.star-trek, alt.tv.star-trek.enterprise   
   From: spam@wonderful.spam   
      
   Paramount Refused Fan Money   
      
   A high-ranking executive at Paramount Television, which produces Star   
   Trek: Enterprise, not only denied to SCI FI Wire that the studio is in   
   talks with Trek United, the fan group that is raising money to revive   
   the show, but also sent a letter to Trek United chief Tim Brazeal last   
   month saying that the studio would not accept fan money for such a   
   purpose. "There are no talks going on with anybody at Paramount," John   
   Wentworth, executive vice president for communications at Paramount   
   TV, said in an interview. "And the decision to end the show is final."   
      
   Wentworth also provided SCI FI Wire with a copy of a letter sent to   
   Brazeal on March 15, which read in part: "We cannot and will not be   
   able to accept funds from viewers to produce Star Trek: Enterprise or   
   any other series." The letter was sent to Brazeal and to the lawyer   
   for Trek United, Andrew Beardall.   
      
   Paramount has previously disavowed any connection with fan groups   
   collecting money in an effort to get UPN's canceled Star Trek:   
   Enterprise back on the air. In a statement on the official Star Trek   
   Web site, the studio said: "We would ... like to point out that there   
   may be other campaigns underway to save [the] show that request a   
   monetary donation. We would urge caution before you part with your   
   money as these groups have no connection to Paramount, nor are their   
   activities condoned in any way by the studio."   
      
   Trek United has been telling fans that it is in secret discussions   
   with Paramount representatives about keeping the show alive, and that   
   the reps have left open the possibility the show may return.   
      
   On April 12, Brazeal, the head of Trek United, confirmed to SCI FI   
   Wire that he had received Wentworth's letter, adding that he responded   
   saying that as the group was incorporated, they were not viewers and   
   should be treated as a corporation. Brazeal maintained that the group   
   is in talks with other Paramount representatives.   
      
   Earlier, a Trek United spokeswoman said that it was possible the   
   Paramount spokesman wasn't aware of Trek United's talks. "I think it's   
   probably a case of the left hand not knowing what the right hand is   
   doing," Candice McCallie, the Houston-based spokeswoman for Trek   
   United, told SCI FI Wire last week.   
      
   In other developments, the message boards on the official Star Trek   
   Web site had removed Trek United's prominently displayed solicitations   
   for funds as of April 11. Last week, the message boards for Trek   
   Nation/TrekToday did the same, citing in part Trek United's aggressive   
   fund-raising tactics and the resulting rancorous debate surrounding   
   them.   
      
   Trek United has raised nearly $3.14 million in pledges and   
   contributions from fans eager to finance a fifth season of Enterprise,   
   and McCallie said that donors are promised their money back if the   
   show doesn't come back, "except for the 5 percent handling fee to   
   cover the banks and Paypal and all that kind of stuff."   
      
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