Q Television Future in Jeopardy? Fledgling TV Network Temporarily Shuts Down Production Amid Layoffs and Rumors 02.07.06
By Ross von Metzke
(Burbank, CA) – Q Television Network, one of three gay cable channels currently available across the United States, shut down production temporarily last week amid rumors of difficulty making payroll and accounting scandals, among other things.
Out.com reported Monday that Q Television shut down production for about two weeks, letting go all 1099 contractors (those not under contract) as the network undergoes a brief restructuring.
According to Out.com, the network, which features all original programming with openly gay talent including Steve Kmetko, Reichen Lehmkuhl, and Sandra Bernhard, is still paying salaried employees.
But according to an industry source, who asked to remain unidentified, last week’s layoff have been in the pipeline for weeks, with rumored bounced paychecks and accounting glitches going on behind the scenes.
Honey Labrador, who co-hosts and produces Q’s morning show Brunch and will be the anchor for the network’s coverage of the Gay Games this summer in Chicago, says the rumblings are simply not true.
“We are completely committed to what it is Q Television does and this is provide original, live programming,” Labrador told Out.com. “So we are taking until the 13th of February to concentrate on our live programming. Some of it is retooling some of the shows as well as preparing ourselves for the unprecedented live coverage of the Gay Games.”
Q owns the exclusive broadcast, radio, and internet rights to the Games.
Another source, who works at the network and asked to remain unidentified, said 1099 employees were told they were being let go as part of a restructuring and an attempt to take the programming in a “different direction.”
But last week, some of those workers were being called back into Q Television’s offices to negotiate restructured contracts.
Q’s Executive Vice President of Network Operations, Carol Hinnant, told Out.com that while the 1099 workers have been released, when production starts again on the 13th she expects them all to be rehired.
“We’re hoping they’ll all come back, but some of them may have taken other jobs by then,” she notes. “But we can’t afford to pay 1099 employees while we’re in this planning session.”
Without the backing of a major corporation (Logo is backed by Viacom and here! TV is linked up with film distributor Regent Releasing, Q Television had emerged as the only of the gay networks to produce 100-percent original programming.
Though the network has struggled for increased distribution, Hinnant told Out.com effective this week, Q is in more homes than ever, with parts of Massachusetts, Texas, and Virginia recently adding the network to their available coverage.
“Everything is up and running,” she says. “We prerecorded sessions that we’re running this week. But we are a small staff with a large commitment coming up with the Games. It’s not easy being a stand-alone, start-up network, but I have confidence in what we’re doing.”
-------------------- Dont buy or sell on my opinions, do your research. Make sure you know what you are buying before you buy.
This is a non reporting pink sheet with very high risk. From high risk comes high rewards. Dont invest more then you can afford to lose.
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imakmony2005
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posted
Well if he is in a limo he is moving on up, because last time i saw him he was getting in to a town car with driver just some kid.But that story was to well written and thought out for me to believe. IMHO
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That better be whats going on. Otherwise theyr'e all gonna be guilty. So skunks rumours stink in other words? Its to bad they don't explain why they have to lose the name off of the studio already!! Especially when Frank said that Q bought it!!
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imakmony2005
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posted
WASHINGTON, I would think Wangdo. My thing is that they wont are dont even know where there corp office is?? are who is OUR CORP ATTORNEY. HE OUR ATTORNEY NOT JUST FRANKS IF RANDY IS FRANKS OWN ATTORNEY HE SHOULD AND BE TALKING TO SHARE HOLDERS.Does everyone follow this?
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quote:Originally posted by Wangdo: [QUOTE]Originally posted by DIGDOUGH: [qb] i've been thinking the same thing..this is all one big con game and everyone is involved. LOL
it's a huge conspiracy.
great movie by the way
Well, honestly..I don't think it was a con game or conspiracy in the beginning. Now. Frank may be trying to con us in believing that Q will be aroung next year. I know a couple of gay men here and they never heard of QTN. When I went to Palm Spring last year and ask some gay/lesbian people downtown at their "Pride" booth about QTN, they didn't know about it.
I am just beginning to believe that there is no wide support for QTN among the gay community. At least not enough to support QTN. I believe if there was, then may be Frank could have raise the money from more private investors. From what I read and hear, the gay community has TONS of money.
But then again, I really know nothing.
Everybody believes Frank's deceptions until they start getting the brush-off and excuses and just wait til (pick one) end of month, 6 months, next year. Common sense dictates at some point that the man is not what he seems.
-------------------- Just the facts, ma'am.
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quote:Originally posted by DIGDOUGH: That better be whats going on. Otherwise theyr'e all gonna be guilty. So skunks rumours stink in other words? Its to bad they don't explain why they have to lose the name off of the studio already!! Especially when Frank said that Q bought it!!
IMO they stink. Review ANY post of skunks on ANY board (we're talking THOUSANDS here) and if you find just ONE negative post regarding Q, let me know.
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quote:Originally posted by imakmony2005: WASHINGTON, I would think Wangdo. My thing is that they wont are dont even know where there corp office is?? are who is OUR CORP ATTORNEY. HE OUR ATTORNEY NOT JUST FRANKS IF RANDY IS FRANKS OWN ATTORNEY HE SHOULD AND BE TALKING TO SHARE HOLDERS.Does everyone follow this?
thanks Imak..shot an email to Washington state to see if i can get more info
-------------------- Sometimes the poorest man leaves his children the richest inheritance.
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I just called the studio again. I dialed the ext for the director of operations. I asked him what happened to QTN, because the answering machine says Media city. he said its still QTN that the answering machine. Iguess the skeleton crew calls for that. For what its worth, he said that Q is still there, not filing bk, noone is there, meaning F. I told him shareholders want to know whats going on with everything and to pass it on to F&%#^. He kept saying he has to go. So I guess hes not even allowing them to use the restroom. I told him what DJ said he will do with the protestors outside of Q.
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imak you need to slow down and read your post before you hit the send button. It may be just me, but i cant make out entirely what you are saying in this message.
Im assuming when you type are you are meaning or
but im not sure what you are trying to say in this message.
no disrespect intended im assuming you are in a hurry and dont have a lot of time when you posted this.
thanks
Rod
quote:Originally posted by imakmony2005: WASHINGTON, I would think Wangdo. My thing is that they wont are dont even know where there corp office is?? are who is OUR CORP ATTORNEY. HE OUR ATTORNEY NOT JUST FRANKS IF RANDY IS FRANKS OWN ATTORNEY HE SHOULD AND BE TALKING TO SHARE HOLDERS.Does everyone follow this?
-------------------- Dont buy or sell on my opinions, do your research. Make sure you know what you are buying before you buy.
This is a non reporting pink sheet with very high risk. From high risk comes high rewards. Dont invest more then you can afford to lose.
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posted
Must be new investers. Not many of us won't spend that much on it. I ain't even bought anymore at.0001. If I can't make money on what I already have , there ain't any sense in buying more for me.
quote:Originally posted by Bawz2wawz: Isn't it odd to see how much were sitting at .0002 w/ as bad as it looks now?
posted
I bought a couple mil at .0001. I figured if I at least didn't buy a little & it did pan out i'd be pi$$ed. Whats a couple more hundred bucks
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imakmony2005
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posted
Ok im saying Randy v. is an attorney, now if he is franks personal attorney and not Qs he should not be talking to the shareholders, If Q has a corp attorney then they work for US and would have to share all corp doc with any shareholder. Now randy v, would not and he would be looking out for franks interests personaly and could give a dam about YOU AND ME.
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When you pay someone to represent you they do just that, now if your working for frank which randy v seems to be he is looking out for franks best intrest and not ours. Now if he was the corp attorney he would be looking out for the corp, the shareholders, everything to do with Q LEGALWISE.
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Ya, theres other networks with different popular subjects coming on the scene that i been putting money into. I could go out and buy a friggin suv for the amount i spent on this already.
quote:Originally posted by Bawz2wawz: I bought a couple mil at .0001. I figured if I at least didn't buy a little & it did pan out i'd be pi$$ed. Whats a couple more hundred bucks
posted
Does any one has any connection with the Gay Games. I wonder who we would need to contact to see if they have any concerns about QTN broadcasting the games. I mean if Frank is broke now, how can he last till the Gay Games. I mean you can only dump so many shares. I sure not buying anymore at .0001.
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imakmony2005
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posted
If i run DIG over with a company car who handles it.
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Interesting periodic pops to .0002 with only 25K shares...whatever happened to economics 101, you know supply and demand stuff. The smoke and mirrors of poppin' in some 25K sales just to raise the pps to .0002 ain'ts workin' for me.
-------------------- Just the facts, ma'am.
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I see what you're saying Imak. What all avenues have been tried to find out? I would think Richard would know, but I assume he isn't talking to anyone. Would the attorney for the lawsuits not be the corp. attorney?
I guess I'll make some calls and write some emails and see what I might can find.
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quote:Originally posted by ricecakes: LETS NOT FORGET OUR RECORD OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS. WE HAVE LAUNCHED WITH 5 CARRIERS. 4 SINCE AUGUST.
Launching with 5 carriers may be a accomplishment, but it doesnt mean squat if no one is subscribing to the service. I for one would be announcing my subscription numbers as often as I can to show that there is momentum with QTN. Look at SIRI, they were always announcing their subscription numbers, both current and future. QBID (aka Frank) hasn't release any numbers. So, I can only conclude, at this time,that he doesn't have any good number to release. Which means if he doesn't have any subscribers, then he doesn't have any income, which means he has to dump shares, when he runs out of shares, he lays people off and closes the studios.
The road to hell is not pertty. And I lose over $11K
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