ReelzChannel says airing pro-Sarah Palin movie not about politics

The ReelzChannel television network says it scheduled a pro-Sarah Palin documentary on the same weekend as HBOs Game Change debut strictly for business considerations, not political ones.

The Undefeated, a Palin documentary by conservative filmmaker Stephen K. Bannon, will have its television premiere on Sunday. It will come 23 hours after HBO opens Game Change, based on the 2008 campaign book by Mark Halperin and John Heilemann, and starring Julianne Moore as Palin.

Stan Hubbard, ReelzChannel CEO, said he licensed The Undefeated for the same reason that his network aired The Kennedys miniseries last spring after it was dropped by the History channel to draw attention to a nearly 6-year-old network with a low public profile. ReelzChannel is in 62 million homes, a little more than half the country.

For a young network, public relations is important to us, which is why we hunt for opportunistic things, Hubbard said.

Hubbard said he found the former Alaska governor and 2008 GOP vice presidential candidate a fascinating figure, but he wasnt trying to lionize her.

If HBO wanted to swap movies this weekend, Id do that in a second, he said.

Palin supporters have attacked Game Change, although its unclear whether any of them has seen it in advance. The Undefeated maker Bannon called it a fictionalized hit-piece and has praised ReelzChannels courageous decision to air his movie.

Game Change actually strives for a balanced portrait, showing Palin overwhelmed at times after being thrust onto the presidential ticket and lashing out at some McCain aides but connecting with audiences and performing on big stages better than many critics and supporters expected.

The Undefeated focuses first on Palins life as mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, as that states governor and on the 1998 campaign.

The writer and! directo r of Game Change both welcomed The Undefeated onto TV.

Writer Danny Strong said he was happy for Bannon: Its hard for a documentary to get any kind of play. Im not concerned at all about comparisons to our piece. I just think its another story, another element of her life.

Director Jay Roach said that any time a film can add to the conversation its good. Im happy that the two films might stir it up a little bit, he said.

Since ReelzChannel announced last month that it would air The Undefeated, Hubbard said hes gotten about an equal number of letters from people thanking him for the decision or saying theyd never watch ReelzChannel again.

When you say Sarah Palin, nobody sort of shrugs, he said. Everybody loves her or hates her. Theres no middle ground. Shes so relevant because shes so intriguing.

He said he would not have sought out The Undefeated if Palin were seeking the presidency now, because then the argument that showing it was a political statement would carry more water.