An open Letter to David Mugar - Arthur Fielder is rolling over in his grave.. CBS MUST GO.

An open letter to David Mugar

I think everybody enjoyed the fireworks on Monday night in Mission Hill and Government Center....

Last weekend I was trying to get CBS to show lyrics for the sing-a-long and of course that went nowhere. But for me this showing the fireworks over locations that can't see them was the last straw for me.

It is time we the citizens of Boston take control of our wonderful party and not suffer on the whims of somebody at CBS in New York.

Now it IS IMPORTANT to understand that this July 4th tradition would not exist without David Mugar.
from the  the event website

Boston 4 Productions is the production arm of Boston 4 Celebrations Foundation, a non-profit 501(c) 3 organization. Boston 4 Productions is responsible for all phases of the Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular, known as America’s premier Independence Day Celebration. The event was founded in 1974 when David Mugar suggested to famed Boston Pops Conductor, Arthur Fiedler, that in order to revive the diminishing Esplanade concert series it might be a good idea to play Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture” with a few extras. For the next Fourth of July, howitzer cannons, fireworks and church bells were added to the concert so that, in Arthur Fiedler’s own words, “All Hell could break loose.” For the first time, a July Fourth fireworks display took place over the Charles River.

The event really took off in 1976 when CBS televised the 1812 Overture and the Stars and Stripes Forever live as part of an all day Bi-Centennial show and Walter Cronkite gushed that Boston was the best.

For several years afterwards WGBH televised the concert and then Mugar sold the rights to WCVB (Channel 5) which then in turn fed the program to the A&E network. The event had a small but loyal following outside of Boston.

But then Mugar pleading poverty and the event could be in danger sold the rights to CBS. It has been a disaster ever since.

                                                        Remember Dr. Phil hosting in 2006?

To be fair Craig Ferguson did it from 2007-10 and everybody loved him but he decided this year to spend the holiday with family and Michael Chiklis was fine.

But the problem is, the program today is NOT the one that Arthur Fiedler designed.

Fiedler would play the 1812 Overture at the end of the program ( followed by Stars and Stripes ) and then the fireworks began. More importantly

                                                 THEY WERE OVER BY 10 PM

CBS wanted no part of the 1812 Overture so that now runs on the local channel 4 slot but it ruins the flow of the program. More importantly for the hundreds of thousands watching they have to wait and wait and get teased by the small volley at the end of the 1812. This makes it VERY boring for the children.

The fireworks starting at 10:35 PM is complete insanity. Unlike Mr. Mugar most of us have to go to work the next day and 11 PM is WAY too late for children.

Also how on earth could the Stanley Cup not be included this year?

Mugar THINKS he knows all about television and he was handed the old WNAC-TV when the FCC revoked the license of RKO General and it became WNEV in 1982. What a complete disaster that station was.


Remember "The Dream Team" of news???


I beg David Mugar to admit this relationship with CBS has been a disaster. There are millions who can't see the entire concert now that they watched on the A&E Network. What is even more insulting is that CBS will not make the video of the local broadcast available on-line ( just WBZ radio audio)

CBS doesn't really have a cable partner outside of Showtime BUT they could show the first half of the concert on the CW Network that they own - and people WOULD watch. But if CBS doesn't want to do that - GO BACK TO WCVB/HEARST/A&E.

Please - give us back Arthur Fiedler's vision...

James Kane
Cambridge

dirtywaterboston@gmail.com