Advertisement - Click to support our sponsors.

‘Baywatch Hawaii’
sinking in debt

The TV series is asking the state
for $2.5 million to make
up for the deficit

A look at the House bill courting TV

By Tim Ryan
Star-Bulletin

"Baywatch Hawaii" is drowning in red ink.

The state's lone television series seen in some 160 countries can't return for a second season unless the state comes to the rescue of the hourlong, lifeguard drama with about $2.5 million to make up for its unexpected deficit.

"The (budget) situation is awful for us right now," said Greg Bonann, the show's creator and executive producer. "If we can't get assistance from the state, there's no chance the show is coming back. "Baywatch' will be out of business for good, forever."

The decision on the show's fate could be announced next week, sources said.

Bonann, who spent last week in Los Angeles attending budget meetings with Pearson Television, owners of "Baywatch," will be among several speakers tomorrow at the state House Committee on Culture and the Arts to support a bill that would create a special fund -- $5 million a year for three years -- to help television series filming here or wanting to.

Bill Nuss, executive producer of the USA network's "Pacific Blue," will also testify in support of the bill. Nuss, who hopes to bring the cable show to Hawaii, is seeking about $2.2 million in state assistance.

(The meeting begins at 2:30 p.m. in Conference Room 309 at the state Capitol.)

If the state approves the financial assistance bill -- which would be able to give "Baywatch Hawaii" the funds it needs -- Bonann said he guarantees the series returns to Hawaii for a third season in year 2001.

The production's financial crisis occurred earlier this month when Pearson learned that revenues from overseas distributors would drop to about half of last season's total, contributing to far more deficit than the $2.5 million Bonann is seeking. While Pearson seems agreeable to take most of the financial hit, Bonann and company must come up with nearly a third of the debit.

The show's domestic ratings for the current season have been generally favorable, which made distributor Chris-Craft tell "Baywatch Hawaii" producers they wanted the show for another three years. But the show, which costs more than $890,000 an episode, can't exist financially on domestic revenues alone; foreign money is crucial.

A major obstacle is that the current "Baywatch Hawaii" shows won't air internationally until September so distributors overseas don't know what audiences' reactions will be.

"Things fell apart for us on the foreign side," Bonann said. "We were only able to put Humpty Dumpty halfway back together again."

Bonann is still trying to cut the show's budget but said he will "never" be able to cut the entire $2.5 million Pearson wants. The producer has been strategizing about the current financial crisis with Al and April Masini, who last year convinced the state to get "Baywatch" here primarily by contributing some $3.1 million -- $1.35 million in cash and $1.75 in capital improvements.

The Masini proposal, House Bill 2959, would create the "Hawaii Television Production Committee" which would receive state funds -- some $5 million a year for three years -- to assist some television series wanting to film in Hawaii. The bill also includes a television capital improvement fund -- $2 million a year for two years -- for the necessary infrastructure for television productions.

Bonann strongly supports the bill, saying Hawaii needs a specific branch -- aside from state and county film offices -- to assist "just television series since these productions promote the state so well." He criticized the "huge" financial assistance the state spends for the National Football League's Pro Bowl each January -- and the new contract -- which produces "only a seven rating, one day a year."

"The NFL gets $4 million for one event with that kind of rating," Bonann said. "What industry (is the Pro Bowl) building in Hawaii; how much employment are they creating; why do they get so much money for such little ratings points? It's not cost efficient, or smart."

"Baywatch Hawaii" averages a 3.2 rating and is shown twice a week, 52 weeks a year, Bonann said.

"Over a year's time we provide the state with 161 rating points, that means millions and millions of viewers," he said. "Which is more valuable to Hawaii?"

Al Masini, president of Al Masini Productions, agrees with Bonann.

"Any analysis proves that "Baywatch' has much more media value than the Pro Bowl," he said. "It would be nice to fund everything that wanted to come in but you need to prioritize. Why not do what is more efficient and a better deal."

"Baywatch Hawaii's" 22 episodes cost about $20 million -- most of which is spent here -- and employ a few hundred cast and crew, Bonann said.

"I'm embarrassed about coming in with my hat in hand, but I wouldn't be asking unless the situation was critical," he said. "I'm not asking unions or anyone else to make more concessions than they already have. I'm not looking for a prettier girl. I really want to keep the one I have."

---

House bill would
boost TV series

By Tim Ryan
Star-Bulletin

A House bill HB2959 sets up the following to attract television series, which promote tourism, employ local people and create a production industry:

Production fund: $5 million a year for three years to attract and promote new television series productions, plus $2 million for two years for television production infrastructure. Used strictly for assisting specifically chosen television series to film in Hawaii -- not motion pictures or commercials -- because a series provides the best promotion for the least money, Al Masini said.

Hawaii television production committee: The seven member committee selected by Gov. Ben Cayetano would fall under the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism -- which also oversees the Hawaii Film Office -- and would include the DBEDT director, three representatives with experience in television production and direction, and three members with experience in television promotion and public relations.

Informal committee: Al and April Masini -- Al Masini is a noted television producer who created several shows, including "Entertainment Tonight" and "Star Search" -- Joe Blanco, Cayetano's special assistant, and Tony Vericella, president of the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau.

Goal: To maintain at least two ongoing series a year in Hawaii which would also establish a base for the state's production industry.

Qualifications: A series would receive assistance only if it served several purposes, including Hawaii promotion and local employment. A series also would have to be guaranteed at least a full season run -- about 22 episodes -- before getting state assistance; and the series must be distributed in at least 75 percent of the United States.

Proposed by: Al and April Masini. The bill requires production companies to:

Hire at least 65 percent of its crew locally.

Spend all production money in Hawaii.

Cast at least one lead role from Hawaii.

Work with local schools to create student internships.

Hawaii Film Office reaction: "The part that has always been missing in our ability to be more aggressive is having access to a large fund so we can promise (productions) assistance," said Georgette Deemer, Hawaii Film Office manager.

"The more people trying to attract productions to Hawaii the better," Deemer said. "But if there's going to be that amount of money ($5 million) set aside for (television productions) I think we need to cast a wider net."