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IS DISCOVERY BURYING 'LOST TOMB'?
NET PULLS REPEAT, DECLINES TO TOUT RATINGS
By James Hibberd
TVWeek.Com
March 8, 2007

http://www.tvweek.com/news.cms?newsId=11681

Discovery Channel's controversial James Cameron-produced documentary "The
Lost Tomb of Jesus" drew the largest audience for the network in more than a
year on Sunday night, but the network has taken several recent steps to
downplay the project.

Departing from normal procedures, the cable network didn't tout its big
ratings win. The network also scheduled a last-minute special that harshly
criticized its own documentary, has yanked a planned repeat of "Tomb" and
has not put the documentary on its video-on-demand server.

"This is not one where you necessarily beat the drum, from a business
perspective," said David Leavy, executive VP of corporate communications at
Discovery. "It's not necessarily about making money, or making ratings, or
shouting from the highest office building. Sometimes having some maturity
and perspective is more important than getting picked up in all the ratings
highlights."

The documentary, executive produced by Oscar-winning "Titanic" director Mr.
Cameron, claims to have found the family tomb of Jesus Christ, unearthed in
Jerusalem. The findings include circumstantial evidence suggesting Christ
and Mary Magdalene were a couple, and that they had a son named Judah.

Discovery formally announced the special last month and quickly incited a
worldwide media frenzy, including stories in Time and Newsweek and links on
the Drudge Report. But much of the coverage was highly skeptical of the
documentary's findings. Prominent archaeologists disputed the program, while
Christian groups criticized it for conflicting with the New Testament.

Although Mr. Leavy said the network stands by the documentary "100 percent,"
the company took several unusual steps in the wake of the controversy that
could be seen as distancing itself from the content.

Last week, Discovery abruptly scheduled a panel debate to air after the
documentary, moderated by Discovery newsman Ted Koppel. Discovery's
announcement of the panel emphasized that Mr. Koppel "has no connection to
the production of 'The Lost Tomb of Jesus'" and that "the panel will explore
the filmmakers' profound assertions and challenge their assumptions and
suggested conclusions."

When the panel discussion aired, guests criticized the documentary as
"archaeo-porn" that played fast and loose with the facts.

The day after the March 4 airing, Discovery yanked a planned repeat of
"Tomb" from its more hard-news-branded Discovery Times Channel.

Discovery has also not released the documentary on video on demand.

When the Nielsen ratings revealed that "Tomb" averaged 4.1 million viewers
-- Discovery's largest audience since September 2005 -- the network declined
to put out a press release touting the numbers, as would be standard
practice for a highly successful premiere. The second-season premiere of
Discovery Channel's "Future Weapons," for instance, earned a media
announcement for its audience of 2.5 million. A network representative,
however, insisted Discovery was not trying to bury "Tomb."

No press release on the ratings was sent out, Mr. Leavy said, because of the
show's subject matter. As for the yanked Discovery Times repeat, Mr. Leavy
said that outlet wasn't the best time slot to repeat the special and that
the network is "evaluating" future airings.

The last record-setting Discovery Channel project also was about a sensitive
subject, the 9/11-themed "The Flight That Fought Back," yet Discovery issued
a press release about its ratings.

The network still plans to air a previously scheduled "Tomb" repeat on its
Spanish network on March 18, as well as an HD version on Discovery HD
Theater on March 28.

"We are very proud of the program -- we stand by it 100 percent," Mr. Leavy
said.

Mr. Leavy said the network should be credited for airing a critical
post-show panel.

"We added the Koppel panel once it was clear there was worldwide interest,"
he said. "Our responsibility is to give viewers all the information and let
them decide. There is no way to ever prove this beyond a reasonable doubt."

Moving forward, Mr. Leavy said the network plans to increase its focus on
archeology projects. The network recently signed History Channel's "Digging
for Truth" host Josh Bernstein to develop new archeology series and
specials.

"We are going to be doubling down in this space," he said. "We will soon be
back in the news with more archeology."

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'LOST TOMB OF JESUS' GETS DIRECTOR'S CUT DVD RELEASE
By James Hibberd
TVWeek.Com
March 26, 2007

http://www.tvweek.com/news.cms?newsId=11770

The director of Discovery Channelıs controversial ³Lost Tomb of Jesus²
documentary is rushing to independently release a directorıs cut DVD of the
program after the network yanked three ³Tomb² repeats earlier this month.

Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Simcha Jacobovici, who created ³Lost Tomb²
along with executive producer and ³Titanic² director James Cameron, said one
of the yanked Discovery repeats was supposed to be his 105-minute special
edition, which included re-enactment scenes such as showing a pregnant Mary
Magdalene that Discovery execs deemed too ³sensitive² for U.S. audiences.
The scene aired in other countries, he said, such as Canada.

The documentary claims to have found the family tomb of Jesus Christ,
unearthed in Jerusalem. The findings include evidence suggesting Christ and
Mary Magdalene were a couple, and that they had a son named Judah.

³This may be the most talked-about documentary ever,² Mr. Jacobovici said.
³The fact that nobody has been able to punch a hole in our reporting is a
testament to how well weıve done our homework. Even if itıs only a 50-50
chance [of being Jesusı tomb], itıs still the biggest story on the planet.²

Mr. Jacobovici said that while Discovery has reassured him theyıre standing
by the project, heıs puzzled over some of the networkıs actions with regard
to ³Lost Tomb.²

³I really donıt understand some of the decisions theyıve made,² Mr.
Jacobovici said last Friday, having just returned to the United States after
a worldwide publicity tour. ³Iıve been reassured as recently as this morning
that theyıre standing beside the film Š but we donıt have an air date [for
repeats] yet.²

After the documentary came under fire from prominent archeologists and
Christian groups, Discovery took a few measures that seemed to back away
from the project: pulling repeats, not releasing the program on video on
demand, scheduling a panel discussion hosted by Ted Koppel criticizing the
project and declining to tout its 4.1 million viewership (Discoveryıs
largest audience in more than a year).

³Our little reenactments, Iıd put them up against [the work of] Mel Gibson
and [Martin] Scorsese,² he said. ³I think we had the most historically
accurate reenactments. The dyes that we used were only the ones available in
the time of Jesus Š Iıve seen any number of crucifixion stories that have
potatoes and corn in the marketplace.²

Discovery is currently promoting its critically acclaimed 11-part ecological
documentary ³Planet Earth.² Mr. Jacobovici hopes the network will revisit
his project soon, noting that the controversy has diminished. Discovery has
previously stated they support the documentary ³100 percent² and offered no
further comment.

³In the beginning, all you have is emotional stuff from people who havenıt
seen it,² Mr. Jacobovici said. ³Now youıre getting people whoıve actually
seen [the documentary] or read the book and they see itıs very respectful
and not anti-faith. Weıre reporting a very compelling story in a reasonable
way.²

Sounding a bit weary from his media tour, Mr. Jacobovici said his project
received wildly different reactions in different countries.

³In Chili, there were street demonstrations trying to prevent the
broadcasts,² he said. ³In France, they were remarkably open to the whole
idea -- even though itıs a Catholic country. In Israel, people were obsessed
with it, but much more from a historical point of view. In the United
States, it was very split, with hundreds of thousands trying to stop it from
being broadcast. On the other hand, there were people who thought Jesus was
a myth and now that weıve found [the tomb] they realize he was a living and
breathing person and theyıve found that inspirational.²

In April, Mr. Jacobovici will release the directorıs cut version on DVD,
including new material addressing various aspects of the controversy. The
DVD will be available at:

http://www.jesusfamilytomb.com

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NHNE's "Lost Tomb Of Jesus" Resource Page:
http://www.nhne.com/specialreports/jesustomb/

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Published by David Sunfellow
NewHeavenNewEarth (NHNE)
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