Last week, one of our tipsters found evidence that the Church of Scientology has convinced the country’s second-largest cable television system, Spectrum (formerly Time Warner Cable), to make room for SCNTV, a channel that will carry Scientology’s programming.
Our tipster also attended the LRH Birthday Event, and told us what church leader David Miscavige said about the upcoming Scientology channel. And now, that same tipster has done us another solid: They passed on to us pages from the new International Scientology News (ISN) magazine, which reports on that speech by Miscavige and gives us some new details.
Most importantly, we can set a firmer date on the channel going live: In his speech, Miscavige claimed that programming would begin airing “by the time we reach the summer solstice,” which falls on June 21.
That’s just 11 weeks away. (And it also means that Scientology will be firing up its 24-hour programming by the time we are gathering in Denver for HowdyCon. We may have to set aside some time for a watch party.)
But really, we could never sell this channel the way Scientology does. You just have to get a look at the language in this ISN article…
Camera crews have been deployed around the world. The editing bays and audio mix rooms have been buzzing with activity. Scintillating shows have been produced and packaged. Soon, the whole world will see what we’ve known all along — Scientology is the coolest, boldest religion on the planet.
This summer, the highly anticipated launch of the Scientology Network will capture the world’s attention with never-before-seen programming that goes behind the scenes of Scientology. For the first time ever, we will be able to tell our stories in our voice and show the incredible scope and scale of the Scientology religion.
Headquartered at Scientology Media Productions (SMP), a five-acre complex that opened last May in Hollywood, the network is producing original programming to fuel a 24/7 broadcast feed showcasing all aspects of Scientology. The state-of-the-art production studio sits on the oldest continuously operating studio lot in Los Angeles, dating back in 1912 when the silent film era was in its heyday. LRH himself worked on this very lot as a screenwriter in the 1930s. A multi-million dollar renovation preserved the historic character of the buildings while transforming the landmark studio into an ultra modern, high-tech, self-contained production campus where more history will surely be made.
We are inviting the world inside the Scientology experience, showcasing our social betterment programs and introducing them to Scientologists making a difference around the world. Stay tuned for regular series like Meet a Scientologist, through profiles of parishioners it highlights how we are everybody and everywhere. Voices for Humanity will allow us to show how our religion is helping the world on every front of human rights. And Inside a Church will take viewers into orgs around the world, featuring the people, places and stories specific to each church.
The network will enable us to reach more people than ever before. Unabashed. Unfiltered. Unlike anything on television. Planetary dissemination, here we come!
We emailed and called media relations professionals at Charter Spectrum and received no response. And our friend and former colleague, James King, who wrote about the new channel for Vocativ, also heard nothing from Spectrum reps. Why can’t Spectrum answer a few questions about something that’s on its own website?
——————–
More shade thrown at Leah Remini
Not long after we posted yesterday’s story about Scientology’s latest set of videos attacking Leah Remini, a new video appeared on the website the church has set up to take shots at the actress and her A&E series, Scientology and the Aftermath. This one is a little longer, and it features 74-year-old Scientologist Penny Atwell Jones, who says Leah is an all around poo-poo head.
She also happens to be the mother of party planner Brooke Daniels, who, according to former Scientology spokesman Mike Rinder, is dating actress Catherine Bell, which makes things a bit dicey for a high-level Scientologist in the notoriously homophobic organization. (As we often point out, however, celebrities get to break the rules that other Scientologists have to abide by.)
Another Scientologist goes on camera to say that Leah Remini was an awful person. What effect do you think David Miscavige expects this to have?
——————–
Countdown to Denver!
HowdyCon 2017: Denver, June 23-25. Go here to start making your plans.
——————–
Bernie Headley has not seen his daughter Stephanie in 4,710 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 1,813 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 2,307 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 1,347 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy in 1,059 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 526 days.
Joe Reaiche has not seen his daughter Alanna Masterson in 4,674 days
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 1,814 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 2,134 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 2,109 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 465 days.
Mike Rinder has not seen his son Benjamin in 4,767 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 874 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis for 1,276 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 1,149 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 730 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike in 1,235 days.
Mary Jane Sterne has not seen her daughter Samantha in 1,479 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 12,588 days.
——————–
Posted by Tony Ortega on April 4, 2017 at 07:00
E-mail tips and story ideas to tonyo94 AT gmail DOT com or follow us on Twitter. We post behind-the-scenes updates at our Facebook author page. After every new story we send out an alert to our e-mail list and our FB page.
Our book, The Unbreakable Miss Lovely: How the Church of Scientology tried to destroy Paulette Cooper, is on sale at Amazon in paperback, Kindle, and audiobook versions. We’ve posted photographs of Paulette and scenes from her life at a separate location. Reader Sookie put together a complete index. More information about the book, and our 2015 book tour, can also be found at the book’s dedicated page.
The Best of the Underground Bunker, 1995-2016 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Undergound Bunker (2012-2016), The Village Voice (2008-2012), New Times Los Angeles (1999-2002) and the Phoenix New Times (1995-1999)
Learn about Scientology with our numerous series with experts…
BLOGGING DIANETICS: We read Scientology’s founding text cover to cover with the help of L.A. attorney and former church member Vance Woodward
UP THE BRIDGE: Claire Headley and Bruce Hines train us as Scientologists
GETTING OUR ETHICS IN: Jefferson Hawkins explains Scientology’s system of justice
SCIENTOLOGY MYTHBUSTING: Historian Jon Atack discusses key Scientology concepts
Other links: Shelly Miscavige, ten years gone | The Lisa McPherson story told in real time | The Cathriona White stories | The Leah Remini ‘Knowledge Reports’ | Hear audio of a Scientology excommunication | Scientology’s little day care of horrors | Whatever happened to Steve Fishman? | Felony charges for Scientology’s drug rehab scam | Why Scientology digs bomb-proof vaults in the desert | PZ Myers reads L. Ron Hubbard’s “A History of Man” | Scientology’s Master Spies | Scientology’s Private Dancer | The mystery of the richest Scientologist and his wayward sons | Scientology’s shocking mistreatment of the mentally ill | Scientology boasts about assistance from Google | The Underground Bunker’s Official Theme Song | The Underground Bunker FAQ
Our Guide to Alex Gibney’s film ‘Going Clear,’ and our pages about its principal figures…
Jason Beghe | Tom DeVocht | Sara Goldberg | Paul Haggis | Mark “Marty” Rathbun | Mike Rinder | Spanky Taylor | Hana Whitfield
