Will 'Passion' get airtime from major networks?

The broadcasters may be wary about the violence, an analyst says.
NEW YORK (AP) -- Despite being the year's biggest box-office blockbuster so far, "The Passion of the Christ" seems unlikely to find a home on the four biggest broadcast networks.
Mel Gibson's Icon Productions has been shopping the movie to TV. Only ABC has confirmed turning it down, but executives speaking on condition of anonymity said it was doubtful for CBS, NBC and Fox, too.
The movie's graphic scenes of Jesus Christ's crucifixion were said to make broadcasters skittish, particularly in the post-Janet Jackson era when government officials are closely watching what goes on television.
"There might be a lot of baggage because of the violence," said Brad Adgate, an analyst for the ad-buying company Horizon Media. "That can put some pressure on advertisers not to buy this."
Fox is awaiting the evaluation of its broadcast standards department before deciding whether to pursue airing it, said the network's entertainment chief, Gail Berman.
The Hollywood agent who's offering a licensing deal to networks on behalf of Icon, Jeff Berg, would not comment on any negotiations.
"The Passion of the Christ" has earned $360.9 million domestically since its Feb. 25 opening.
No tie-in deal
In an era when networks and studios have tie-in deals that govern where many theatrical releases will first be seen on television, Gibson's movie is a rare free agent. Movie licensing fees are usually tied to box-office success, which would seemingly put "The Passion" in position for a lucrative payday.
There's a chance that some of the initial network coolness toward proposals by "Passion" producers could simply be a negotiating tactic.
NBC and CBS executives confirmed they had been pitched the movie but declined to comment further.
"We're not doing it," ABC entertainment spokesman Kevin Brockman said. He would not say why the network turned down "The Passion."
Besides the film's violent content, a television network that airs "The Passion" would also inherit controversy about it. Some Jewish organizations objected to the movie for fear it would cause bad blood between Christians and Jews.
NBC aired the Holocaust tale "Schindler's List," uncut and without commercial interruption in February 1997, a broadcast sponsored by Ford. NBC estimated 65 million people saw all or part of the film.
Content issues aside, broadcast networks have been de-emphasizing theatrical movies in recent years, figuring many viewers prefer seeing them in theaters, on DVD or on commercial-free cable.
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