Article for the "ConNotations" paper:

By Douglas Ballinger

Campaign Coordinator & Emissary to Paramount Pictures

August 11, 2005 marked the beginning of a bold, creative strategy to bring Star Trek back to television…this time, as a mini-series.  Nestled comfortably in the vendor’s area, Doug Ballinger, DS9 campaign coordinator, manned the campaign table.  Armed with campaign literature and a laptop, Doug drew crowds throughout the convention and got the message out.  What was his message?  Simply this:  With the right approach, the fans can bring Deep Space Nine back to television and close the loop on open issues remaining since the season ended.  To say the fans at the convention agreed was an understatement.  Even with the disappointing cancellation of Enterprise, Star Trek fans (especially DS9 fans) believe that a television mini-series is not only doable, but it offers the least financial risk when compared to the risks associated with making a feature film. 

So, how does this campaign work?  It relies on a team of core managers led by Gisele La Roche and Doug Ballinger.  The headquarters staff is broken down into the following functional areas: campaign director, campaign coordinator, webmaster, and directors of operations, administration, intelligence and logistics.  However, the bread and butter of this initiative rests on the shoulders of 50 state campaign coordinators and one coordinator from the District of Columbia. 

“Why this type of decentralized control?” you ask.  It’s simple.  This campaign will raise one million (1,000,000) signed petitions and conduct detailed analysis that will present a powerful case to Paramount’s CEO, Brad Grey, that aside from fan support, pursuing the DS9 television mini-series is a fiscally sound and profitable decision.  The campaign is decentralized to maximize the power of Star Trek fans everywhere.

While the campaign staff understands the challenges it faces with the end of Enterprise, it is not deterred…not in the least.  “It’s good fiscal decision-making,” said Doug Ballinger, “It’s something that the fans want.  Doing it with a television mini-series is our best option.  After all, the Farscape fans ran an effective campaign and got their television mini-series.  We represent Star Trek…I know we can do this.” 

Now in their third month of operation, La Roche and Ballinger are looking to recruit some key members of the campaign staff.  Specifically, they are looking for a Director of Operations and a Director of Logistics.  “We’re looking for a brain to bring all the moving pieces together,” Ballinger said.  “If I have learned one thing, it’s that the Star Trek fan base is the largest of any fan base in the world…bar none.”  Ballinger continued, “I will use my abilities and present a persuasive case to the executives at Paramount.  I can assure them that making such a decision will not only make Paramount a lot of money, it will be closure and healing to an incredibly powerful, dedicated group of people the world over.” 

Currently, the campaign has state coordinators in Utah, Illinois, Nevada and California.  Ballinger is getting the word out in Minnesota (his home state).  What may be surprising to some is that Japan has caught the DS9 bug.  Mr. Masayuki Niwa, the man in Japan who translated the 725-page DS9 Companion is now on board.  “I met Mr. Niwa online by shear luck,” Ballinger continued.  “He’s a huge Star Trek fan and is dedicated to helping the campaign in any way he can.”  Ballinger hopes to see campaigns begin in Australia, Germany, England and France, but he really hopes his fellow Americans will lead the charge for the television mini-series. 

The campaign can be found at www.ds9tvminiseries.net .  Click on the “Operation: Paramount” link, then click on the “campaign outline” for a full description of the campaign’s goals and objectives.  “We don’t have a coordinator for the great state of Arizona, but I’ve been approached about the job,” Ballinger said.  We’ll just see about that.  Arizona’s fair share of the campaign goal is a mere 20,000 signed petitions (which can be found online).  Arizona is capable of raising the bar and setting the example for all other states.

With such a noble task, La Roche and Ballinger are now looking for results.  They’re looking to send a message to Paramount Pictures.  If the fans of Farscape can do it, why can’t Trekkies get what we deserve?