The Wall of Lies

Number 144 Newsletter established 1991, club formed June first 1980 The newsletter of the South Australian Fan Club Inc., also known as SFSA

MFinal STATE Adelaide, September--October 2013 WEATHER: Martian Spring Free We’re for South Australia! by staff writers Rancid fake patriotic local campaign.

The Wall of Lies’ favourite weekend tabloid rag has rebranded itself as being in favour of the state with the slogan: “We’re for South Australia”. Which does lead to the question; as opposed to what?

If this was a sincere claim, then one way to have demonstrated it would have been to not move the headquarters from Adelaide to the US in 2004; the shareholder meetings had been a highlight of the satire calendar here.

Patriotism. O u It’s the last refuge of the scoundrel. S t So Or in some instances, the first. on We are also modestly in favour n! of four South Australias.

Fan cast as Doctor; smug, jealous git by staff writers After Colin Baker and David Tennant, third case of wish fulfilment.

Peter Dougan Capaldi’s casting was revealed via a reality televi- SFSA magazine # 30 sion-esque special Doctor Who Live: The Next Doctor, carried live worldwide and broadcast on ABC1 in South Australia Monday 5 August (3.30am Central Standard Time). A 1973 Radio Times letter from a teenage Capaldi lauding the show’s tenth O u S t anniversary was read out, albeit very poorly. Internal memos from So on this time show the production office regarded him as a nuisance n! for lobbying to take over The Official Doctor Who Fan Club.

The news was highly anticipated but not surprising; gambling agency William Hill suspended bets on Capaldi in the week before the announcement. The book makers refused to allow bets on favourite David Tennant in 2005 and in 2009 there was a late run on Matt Smith. In each instance favourite has been cast, Peter Capaldi (image indicating either the news always leaks, or the role has simply source: ABC). gone with the smart money. SFSA magazine # 31 Capaldi’s casting has been greeted despite some ironic grumbling on social media.

q Continued Page 2 Hartnell interview Scientific Adviser, found, sinister, page 2. part one, page 4. Fan cast as Doctor; smug, jealous git

q from Page 1

On 16 August 2013 TV1 revealed that Foxtel was allowing their distribution contract to expire on 31 December. As TV1 is also the parent company of SF Channel, this too will end with the loss of 35 full time jobs. The service h

launched as Sci Fi on 1 December 2006 (rebranded as SF since 23 July 2012), c e

and began screening classic Doctor Who from 17 August 2011. This was cel- t l

ebrated with an Australia wide “Tweet Up” and local parties (at The Stag Hotel a C in Adelaide). At the time of the announcement SF had just started a new cycle : e

of Tom Baker Doctor Who, and UKTV has begun playing Doctor Who Revisited c r

documentaries alongside its new series repeats. u o

As announced in The Wall of Lies 142 (May/June 2013) the BBC will not S renew its ABC output deal in 2014 in favour of its own channels on Foxtel. However The Wall of Lies 135 (March/April 2012) announced the signing of this three year contact in February 2012. In reflection, this was eight months Undated photograph of Bruce C Murray. after it was due, meaning ABC was supplied out of contract from July 2011. While this may have been a simple oversight, both ABC and BBC have cited Sky Watch commercial confidentiality about the circumstances and whether this was due to their changing relationship. In March 2008 The Wall of Lies 111 reported RIP Bruce C Murray ABC had lost viewing copies of series eight, confirmed as sent by both parties.

Preservation Issues AMERICAN PLANETARY scientist Bruce Churchill Murray passed away on 29 August 2013, with the cause of Hartnell backstage, pantomime cobblers death described as Alzheimer’s. Born 30 November by staff writers 1931, Murray trained as a geologist at the Contacts A REGIONAL news interview with Massachusetts Institute of Technology and joined the William Hartnell has been found, California Institute of Technology/Jet Propulsion Jamie Stidiford and slated to be included as an Laboratory in 1960. He analysed the first surface (President) extra on the Doctor Who: The Tenth images of Mars from Mariner 4 in 1965, served as JPL director from 1976 to 1982 and co-founded The [email protected] Planet DVD. Three months after leaving the role of the Doctor, Planetary Society with Carl Sagan and Louis Hartnell featured in a touring pro- Friedman in 1979. Murray worked on Mariner 5, a Martin Dunne duction of Puss in Boots, and was backup Mariner 4 probe launched past Venus in 1967 (which he called “by far the least expensive planetary (The Wall of Lies editor) interviewed twice for television. The surviving interview aired on Points mission in history,”) and led the imaging team for the [email protected] West, 17 January 1967. 1973 Mariner 10 mission to Mercury. Giuseppe Researcher Richard Bignell found Colombo pointed out the heliocentric orbit could return to the planet and the probe made three encounters of Tammy Vogel the footage and told The Wall of Lies, “It's such an important find as Mercury, albeit over the same hemisphere. (Magazine editor) although a number of interviews Bruce Murray was also a friend of The Wall of Lies; [email protected] with Hartnell have existed in print, contacted when New Horizons was announced he we've had nothing of him in person. emphasised the importance of manned missions. A We tend to think of Hartnell as the critic of the Space Shuttle only policy (favouring dis- Postal address: bumbling, fluffing Doctor of the posable rockets), Murray’s 1989 book Journey Into PO Box 870 series and of course, after he left, Space described his frustration at running JPL under the scientifically astute but frugal Jimmy Carter, where North Adelaide the next time we get to see him was in the material recorded six years successor Ronald Reagan surrounded himself with SA 5006 Australia later for The Three Doctors, by technical illiterates who were interested in militarising which time he's visibly aged and not space by cutting civil programs. Murray remained a controversial figure, famous for Mailing list looking anything like his former self. As such, this interview provides a fighting for program funding while alienating some subscription: real insight into what he was like as rivals. Asteroid 4957 Brucemurray is named after him, [email protected] a person, just after he'd left the pro- and he is survived by his wife and five children. gramme.” This is a publication of SFSA: the South Australian Doctor Who Fan Club Inc., a non profit organisation. No attempt has been made to supersede the copyright of any holders of trademark or copyrighted 21/9, 19/10 images, text, or information. $5.00 $4.00 Whilst every care has been taken to ensure that the contents of the newsletter is accurate at the time of printing, SFSA cannot accept any liability for inaccura- cies that may appear. Meeting details are subject to change at short notice.

2 www.sfsa.org.au September-October 2013 Printed by the Federal Printing House Club Archive Membership Conpaniion Annual membership rates are $20. 8th, 9th, 10th October, 1983 Transmission schedule This entitles you to one year’s subscription The Parks Community Centre. September-October 2013 to the club’s publications: bimonthly The Wall of Lies and SFSA magazine, and the Doctor Who Monday to Friday 19.40 FORWORD Doctor Who themed yearbook Chameleon After two years of hard work, the Repeated ~ midnight ABC2 Factor. Also included are discounted entry Torchwood 20.30 Mondays on Eleven committee would like to wish all fees to SFSA meetings, and discounts at of you a thoroughly enjoyable various stores around Adelaide. ~ Partners in Crime 2/9 convention. ~ Sleeper 2/9 th ~ The Fires Of Pompeii 3/9 Discounts Saturday, 8 October, 1983 ~ Planet of the Ood 4/9 Pulp Fiction ~ The Sontaran Stratagem 5/9 10% off comics and graphic novels 12.00 pm Hall Opens 1.00 Official Opening ~ The Poison Sky 6/9 Events ~ The Doctor's Daughter 9/9 1.15 Episode — The Three ~ To the Last Man 9/9 In July and August we played Cards Doctors ~ The Unicorn and the Wasp 10/9 Against Humanity. 3.00 Short Break ~ Silence in the Library 11/9 3.15 Tom Baker Slide Show ~ Forest of the Dead 12/9 September 7 Pub meeting 17.00 (courtesy of Dallas Jones) ~ Midnight 13/9 Venue: Buckingham Arms 4.00 Doctor Who Dunnit ~ Turn Left 16/9 6.00 Katy Manning Interview ~ Meat 16/9 September 21 General meeting 15.00 11.00 Close ~ The Stolen Earth 17/9 Venue: Adelaide High School ~ Journey's End 18/9 [Partial schedule. Conpanion ~ The Next Doctor 19/9 October 5 Pub meeting 17.00 was the first Australian Doctor ~ Planet of the Dead 20/9 Venue: Hampstead Hotel Who convention.] ~ The Waters of Mars 23/9 ~ Adam 23/9 October 19 General meeting 15.00 ~ The End of Time part 1 24/9 Venue: Adelaide High School ~ The End of Time part 2 25/9 ~ The Eleventh Hour 26/9 November 2 Pub meeting 17.00 ~ The Beast Below 27/9 Venue: Buckingham Arms ~ Victory of the Daleks 30/9 ~ Reset 30/9 November 23 12.30 -- 18.00 ~ The Time of Angels 1/10 50th anniversary of Doctor Who ~ Flesh and Stone 2/10 Box Factory Community Centre ~ The Vampires of Venice 3/10 59 Regent St South, Adelaide ~ Amy's Choice 4/10 Gold coin donation to Autism SA. ~ The Hungry Earth 7/10 ~ Dead Man Walking 7/10 ~ Cold Blood 8/10 ~ Vincent and the Doctor 9/10 ~ The Lodger 10/10 Conpanion programme booklet. ~ The Pandorica Opens 11/10 ~ The Big Bang 14/10 ~ A Day in the Death 14/10 Fandom ~ A Christmas Carol 15/10 ~ The Impossible Astronaut 16/10 Australian Dalek ~ Day of the Moon 17/10 Builders Union ~ The Curse of the Black Spot 18/10 ~ The Doctor's Wife 21/10 Governor Hindmarsh Hotel ~ Something Borrowed 21/10 Sunday. 24th of November 2013 ~ The Rebel Flesh 22/10 4:30pm ‘til evening. ~ The Almost People 23/10 Tickets $15 from Moshtix, ~ A Good Man Goes to War 24/10 kids under 12 free. ~ Let's Kill Hitler 25/10 ~ Night Terrors 28/10 Featuring face painting, voice a ~ From Out of the Rain 28/10 scene from Doctor Who, cosplay ~ The Girl Who Waited 29/10 competitions for adults and kids ~ The God Complex 30/10 and the 50th anniversary special. ~ Closing Time 31/10 The Wall of Lies 23, September 1993? [undated]. www.ausdalek.com Check local and daily program listings www.sfsa.org.au September-October 2013 3 Subscription due if a red dot appears Scientific Adviser, part one in this box

By Colin Schmidt "Ten Seconds." The Assistant Floor Manager watched the clock, * * * then pointed at David. After the studio spot lights had been turned down, David Coleman "Good evening and welcome to the first broadcast of Talkback, a pressed his hand upon Pedler for a photo opportunity and Mrs. Mary new forum for you, the viewer, to give us some feedback on what Whitehouse sneered once more at him you think of our programming. I am David Coleman, and the topic of "Phone call for Dr. Pedler," called out the Assistant Floor Manager. tonight's show is Doctor Who. And joining us in the studio is the Kit worked his way up the stairs to the control room. They always show's scientific adviser, Doctor Kit Pedler." smelt faintly of sweat and toilet freshener, like a public lavatory. The red light on camera one switched off, the one on camera three There were a couple of telephones next to the seats in front of the came on. A balding man in a suit looked evenly into shot while monitors. Kit announced himself into the one that was off its cradle. attempting to feel less like a goose. Out of Pedler's view a sign lit up “I’m sorry” stated a voice on the line. It was Peter Bryant. with the command *applause*. It came, briefly and limpidly. Bryant was the man who had gotten Pedler to go on television live David continued. “Doctor Pedler is famed as a researcher in eye in defence of the show. He was currently wearing the producer's hat, surgery, and works in the Ophthalmology Division of the University filling in for the mercurial . He had been hired as a script College Hospital. Also joining us tonight is Mrs. Mary Whitehouse of editor, but instead was given producing duties as he had worked in the National Viewers' and Listeners' Association.” that capacity previously in radio. The same sign with the same *applause* command came on, but “Yes, it wasn’t very fair, was it?” echoed Pedler. this time the reaction was far from muted. The red light on camera “No, I was quite shocked to find out it was such an ambush. Still, two came on, bathing a rather upright looking pillar of the community you held up to them well.” in a slight ruddy glow, and turning her bluish nose black. Mrs. “Yes … well, I don’t think I will be doing any live television again. Whitehouse wore sensible glasses and had long black hair streaked Not for a long while at least.” said Kit. with a steely grey tied in a bun. “Yes. Sorry. There was one other matter I wanted to talk to you David went on. “Mrs. Whitehouse is well known to readers of the about. We have been given a very exciting script but we'd like your letters pages of The Guardian and The Times. She has now been opinion on the science first.” crusading against unnecessary violence on television and in the cin- “Ok. I will be consulting tomorrow , but I'll be free after two.” ema for three years —” “I’ll send our new writer around. His name is Charles Phipps.” “Four years” insisted Mrs. Whitehouse. “— and herself and her NVLA committee have become a force to * * * be reckoned with during this time.” Kit Pedler was meanwhile attempting to peer through the bright stu- Promptly at two the following afternoon, Charles Phipps arrived at Kit dio lights at the audience. He had the strangest feeling he was facing Pedler’s office. He was a rather intense young man wearing an a whole studio full of Mary Whitehouses. expensive suit with drainpiped trousers. “Doctor Pedler”, said David, “we’ll start with you. Where exactly do “Mod.” thought Pedler. you draw the line in depicting violence in a children’s medium?” Phipps offered Pedler his hand, staring into his eyes all the while. “Thank you, David” said Kit. “I appreciate the opportunity to Presently this became uncomfortable to Kit, who briefly glanced out address the subject. First of all, I must say that the television show I the window to break the contact. am involved with, Doctor Who, is not exclusively directed at children. “Here is my script.” said Phipps, placing a large new looking manila But, yes, children do watch, and we are quite aware of what our folder on Pedler’s desk. “But I am supposed to be telling you about responsibilities are. The answer is every such scene must be viewed the science so you can help me with that.” on its own merits, and gratuitous violence must be avoided. If the There was something oddly flat about Phipps’s choice of words. scene does advance the story, however —” Despite the absence of an accent, it was as if his first language was Kit Pedler was suddenly cut off by Mrs. Mary Whitehouse. not English. "What effect does seeing a Martian eviscerated on television have “Well, you go ahead and tell me about the idea. I’ll jump in if I hear on an innocent child, really?" something to comment on.” said Pedler. There was a shriek of agreement from the audience, and a good “I imagine a race of beings which exist as mind energy. They have deal of muttering. corporeal form, but can change bodies of lower species as you "Are you referring to the scene in Tomb of the Cybermen where the would vehicles.” damaged leaks hydraulic fluid?” asked Kit. ” You see, one “Yes ... mind energy.” mused Pedler. “Can you expand on that?” of my own personal horrors is the dehumanising effects of replace- “Mind energy.” stated Phipps, as if he were reciting from an invisible ments medicine —" blackboard in an English Comprehension class. “The energies pro- "And let's just look at that again!" butted in David. duced by the workings of a corporeal brain. As nuclear fission pro- Kit turned to look at him. He was in turn looking into a studio mon- duces photons, brain activity produces Psions. Psions. The energy itor, which showed a humanoid creature with jug handles for ears particles produced by the myoelectrtic brain activity. Generally of an clutching at its chest while some light coloured fluid spurted out. The insignificant level in the lower orders, the Krety can both produce audience too were watching monitors pointing in their direction, if the Psions in excess and reconfigure other corporeal brains as a tem- angry murmuring and sharp intakes of breath were anything to go by. plate to produce Psions. "Yes, Mrs. Whitehouse?" butted in David, pointing at Mary. All the while the voice droned, Pedler felt himself drifting into torpor. She continued. "What effect does it have when a child sees a frying He felt he was watching his body from a height as it deflated. Dalek boiling like a kettle? Or a ten foot crab eating innocents?". "You must have realised by now that it was no coincidence I came "Yes, that's an interesting question, Mrs. Whitehouse. Dr Pedler?" to you. You are in my power. We now have all your medical knowl- Kit Pedler opened his mouth, only to have Mrs. Whitehouse start edge, we are taking over. You will be our agent. You will host my con- yelling at him again. sciousness as a template. Now you will drift into a deep sleep, and "Or to see a human being surgically turned into a fish? Or to melt when you awake you will remember none of this. You belong to us." away to nothing when an armband is wrenched off?" Charles Phipps left the room. Behind him Kit Pedler had sunk deep Inwardly, Dr. Pedler groaned. He had been prepared for an unsym- into his chair, looking like a mannequin with severed strings. pathetic audience, but he had received a hostile one, and an imbe- cilic host. It was going to be quite an evening. TO BE CONTINUED

4 www.sfsa.org.au September-October 2013 From Chameleon Factor 78, October 2003 (edited).