20170102-Gary-Soter-To-Nancy-Dubic-R.Pdf
Law Offices of GARY S. SOTER Ms. Nancy Dubuc January 2, 2017 Page 2 • On December 25, the Washington Post wrote: “In a statement released on Christmas Eve, an A&E spokesman said the network learned that the show’s producers - from a third-party production company - made cash payments to “facilitate access” to participants, which violates A&E policy... Though some reality TV producers do pay their subjects, the network emphasized that it is against this practice for documentaries.” (emphasis added) • On December 28, Variety wrote: “A&E declined to comment to Variety on whether participants in ‘Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath’ were paid - other than Remini, who is an executive producer on the docuseries. But, an insider close to the network tells Variety that even if participants were paid, financial payments would be common practice for participants in a television docuseries.” (emphasis added). Tellingly, A&E has declined to comment on whether anyone other than Ms. Remini is being paid. That silence speak volumes, raising questions if, like the KKK show, the sources in Ms. Remini’s series were paid. (Church officials have confirmed that Mike Rinder, the interview subject of the entire second segment and an interview subject in subsequent segments, was indeed paid.) Slauson Productions unambiguously described both Ms. Remini and Mr. Rinder as subjects for their series. In his letter of August 3, 2016, Alex Weresow declined to meet with Church representatives unless the meeting were to: “involve our key subjects, including but not limited to Leah Remini and Mike Rinder.” The same letter, describes Mike Rinder as a “victim, witness, or both.” Both are being paid for their participation.
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