Getting Snarky with Producers

I might be naive but I'm tired of producers contacting me, pumping me for information and research, and yet not crediting me or (ahem) paying me. I realize the latter rarely if ever happens, however, it's still annoying. I'm also frustrated with producers twisting the particular phenomena they're on about into their personal spin on what UFOs, Mothman,Bigfoot etc. are. Half the time their ideas aren't based on anything actually witnessed or experienced by real people who've encountered these things. In this morning's email I get another request from a producer, this time from the UK. This was sent out to many in the field, I was only one out of dozens:

Hi, From: Saskia Rusher [email address omitted] To: rlee@orangeorb.net Sent: Monday, April 16, 2012 8:14 AM Subject: BBC3 Documentary While researching on the internet I came across your very interesting blog. I wondered if you might be able to help me. I am contacting you from a TV company called Renegade Pictures. We are currently producing a documentary for BBC3, which focuses on people who believe in UFOs. We want to hear from people who think that aliens have visited us on earth, and that possibly the government has been hiding the evidence from the public. We are offering five people the unique chance to take part in a two week road trip across America , where they will have the chance to explore their views and put them to the test. BBC3 is a channel aimed at a young demographic, so we are looking for people to take part who are aged between 18 and 35. I was hoping that you might be able to circulate some information (see below) about the programme to some of your members who are living in the UK and who you think might be interested? If anyone would like to get involved they can contact us directly for a confidential chat over the phone. It would be great to have a chat about the programme and find out your thoughts, you can reach me on ****************. Many Thanks, Saskia Rusher Researcher Renegade Pictures

Feeling snarky for whatever reason, maybe just because it was Monday morning, I responded:

From: Regan Lee: The OrangeOrb [mailto:rlee@orangeorb.net] Sent: 16 April 2012 16:51 To: Saskia Rusher Subject: Re: BBC3 Documentary I appreciate the information. As someone who is in her fifties, I take exception to the "no old people" stance. I can still type, read, drive, walk and feed myself. That aside, I'm afraid I don't know anyone in the UK . My UFO contacts are still happening, and my search has been a life long search for what is behind such experiences as missing time. Which, I suspect, are in part manipulated by the government. We all have valuable things to share in this journey, and age should not be used to shut people out. Regan Lee

Saskia's response was pleasant, but restated the obvious and ignored my point:

I appreciate that Regan. However, the channel is keen to get people within that age range because that is BBC3’s target audience: Thanks anyway for getting back to me. Saskia Renegade Pictures ( UK ) Limited

Well, big duh on "...keen to get peope within that age range because that is BBC3's target audience."