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The Scientology Media Productions studio was purchased to placate the IRS

CommunicatorIC

@IndieScieNews on Twitter
The Scientology Media Productions studio was purchased to placate the IRS.

The LA Weekly has a long and very good article about Scientology Media Productions. Please read it all. I am going to highlight and excerpt only one small but very important part.

Please note Mike Rinder has previously explained that the Church of Scientology buys real estate in order to satisfy the IRS requirement that it not hoard money while still retaining the economic value of the purchased property. The IRS considers it appropriate for a tax-exempt church to spend money on real estate, buildings and facilities to serve its parishioners.

LA Weekly: What Is the Church of Scientology Doing With This Los Angeles Movie Studio?

http://www.laweekly.com/news/what-i...ng-with-this-los-angeles-movie-studio-7293993

* * * * * BEGIN EXCERPT * * * * *

BY HILLEL ARON WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2016 AT 6:30 A.M.

[SNIP]

But according to former high-ranking Scientology officials who have either left the church or were expelled, there is one simple reason the church built its new studio: money.

For decades, the Internal Revenue Service considered Scientology to be a commercial enterprise, and taxed it as such. But in 1993, after a 25-year legal and political battle, the IRS reversed itself and granted the church 501(c)(3) status. As a result, Scientology pays little in taxes.

But in order to maintain its tax-free status, the church can't make a profit and can't hoard money. Tom De Vocht, who oversaw the church's real estate division until 2001 (and who left the church in 2005), says he was briefed by none other than Miscavige himself on Scientology's strategy of buying land as a way to spend and effectively store its cash.

"They're not really advertising, not really reaching out," De Vocht says. "They don't pay anyone. The money's gotta go somewhere."

He adds: "We spent crazy money on renovations and purchases. Yearly, they took albums of photos of properties they purchased and renovated to IRS, to show what they were spending money on. That was a big driving factor."

[SNIP]

* * * * * END EXCERPT * * * * *
 
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CommunicatorIC

@IndieScieNews on Twitter
The cover of the LA Weekly this week.

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Leland

Crusader
The cover of the LA Weekly this week.

attachment.php

I laugh....and this is great.....and it funny...but I wish Xenu was the worst thing in the Cult.....and to me it wasn't...

The bad stuff starts when you walk into the door the first time....or you read the Dianetics book.....or you take the first course......

There are so many lies in the Cult....so many mind fucks....so much engineered control......to me it is not journalistic reporting to just say....Oh...Xenu....

Its so much worse than that...

Edited: that said....What does the article say about the little TV studio they bought...
 
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Dulloldfart

Squirrel Extraordinaire
Edited: that said....What does the article say about the little TV studio they bought...

See that little blue words thing in the first post of this thread? Click on it. Maybe someone nearby could read it to you.

Paul
 

Lulu Belle

Moonbat
The Scientology Media Productions studio was purchased to placate the IRS.

The LA Weekly has a long and very good article about Scientology Media Productions. Please read it all. I am going to highlight and excerpt only one small but very important part.

Please note Mike Rinder has previously explained that the Church of Scientology buys real estate in order to satisfy the IRS requirement that it not hoard money while still retaining the economic value of the purchased property. The IRS considers it appropriate for a tax-exempt church to spend money on real estate, buildings and facilities to serve its parishioners.

LA Weekly: What Is the Church of Scientology Doing With This Los Angeles Movie Studio?

http://www.laweekly.com/news/what-i...ng-with-this-los-angeles-movie-studio-7293993

* * * * * BEGIN EXCERPT * * * * *

BY HILLEL ARON WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2016 AT 6:30 A.M.

[SNIP]

But according to former high-ranking Scientology officials who have either left the church or were expelled, there is one simple reason the church built its new studio: money.

For decades, the Internal Revenue Service considered Scientology to be a commercial enterprise, and taxed it as such. But in 1993, after a 25-year legal and political battle, the IRS reversed itself and granted the church 501(c)(3) status. As a result, Scientology pays little in taxes.

But in order to maintain its tax-free status, the church can't make a profit and can't hoard money. Tom De Vocht, who oversaw the church's real estate division until 2001 (and who left the church in 2005), says he was briefed by none other than Miscavige himself on Scientology's strategy of buying land as a way to spend and effectively store its cash.

"They're not really advertising, not really reaching out," De Vocht says. "They don't pay anyone. The money's gotta go somewhere."

He adds: "We spent crazy money on renovations and purchases. Yearly, they took albums of photos of properties they purchased and renovated to IRS, to show what they were spending money on. That was a big driving factor."

[SNIP]

* * * * * END EXCERPT * * * * *


Wow. I don't know where I've been, but I did not know that.

Thanks for the link, Communicator I/C.

I just wonder...when they renovate or build these buildings to be orgs, what does that do to their resale value?

When you think of how an org is structured...reg spaces, auditing rooms, courserooms, how is any other company/ going to take that configuration and use it?

This is something that I've been wondering about for a long time.
 

CommunicatorIC

@IndieScieNews on Twitter
Wow. I don't know where I've been, but I did not know that.

Thanks for the link, Communicator I/C.

I just wonder...when they renovate or build these buildings to be orgs, what does that do to their resale value?

When you think of how an org is structured...reg spaces, auditing rooms, courserooms, how is any other company/ going to take that configuration and use it?

This is something that I've been wondering about for a long time.
I'm confident the renovations greatly increase the resale value. The outsides of the Ideal Orgs are very nice, and consistent with historic preservation. The insides are very nice, with good floors, ceilings, walls, materials, etc. Everything top notch. Trust me.

As for interior, non-structural walls, I don't think they are that inconsistent with general office use, and are easily and inexpensively changed. That sort of thing is frequently done when a building is bought.

The Church of Scientology has found an excellent way to retain money -- in the form of real estate assets -- while avoiding IRS scrutiny for having excessive cash money.
 

Anonycat

Crusader
This studio is a legacy studio, which over the years had some hard times. But, it is a great location, and as a classic old studio, now finally (wildly) refurbished, is quite attractive to a potential buyer. DMs promise to make it a "24/7" broadcast studio, pumping out cult PR, will never happen. The thing about television or cable content, is that you have to find stations who want to pay you to put it on their network. THAT will never happen. The second option would be to make full length feature films there. But then, the word 'Scientology' would show up in the credit roll. I cannot see that happening either. Tom Cruise could do it, if he wants to bankroll a few hundred million dollars, and cast and direct it himself ... but I call BS on the whole thing. No film production company is going to want to touch that. Besides,where is Tom's career path right now? The Mummy.

DM also said that the print media would come out of there, but not all that long ago, they bought a huge printing facility. What happened to that? And Gold Base already does audio production, so what about that? My personal opinion is that it's an asset and huge fund-raising scheme, just like every property they own.
 

TheOriginalBigBlue

Gold Meritorious Patron
I'm confident the renovations greatly increase the resale value. The outsides of the Ideal Orgs are very nice, and consistent with historic preservation. The insides are very nice, with good floors, ceilings, walls, materials, etc. Everything top notch. Trust me.

As for interior, non-structural walls, I don't think they are that inconsistent with general office use, and are easily and inexpensively changed. That sort of thing is frequently done when a building is bought.

The Church of Scientology has found an excellent way to retain money -- in the form of real estate assets -- while avoiding IRS scrutiny for having excessive cash money.

I'm not so sure much of that applies here. Even if the infrastructure is upgraded so it has good bones and not just superficial remodels, there is still a reason these kinds of businesses are not doing well in LA. The unions are not competitive and the tax incentives are not enough to keep productions from going to other places like Vancouver where everything is cheaper including the cost of living for crew and cleaner and safer. Plus this equipment is probably out of date within 5 years. If they sold it, who would buy it? Maybe as office suite rentals?

With Freedom Mag HQ there, it is essentially a highly confidential extension of OSA. If you want a high tech "Intelligence" op near INT Management but away from rank and file crew it makes sense. If you look at the pictures of rooms full of monitors with only one keyboard, its like, whats with that? Seems like a showpiece to impress the city council and other Opinion Leaders more than anything. So what, they give tours through the showcases while OPs walk by lots of tightly closed high security doors? What's in there? Stay with the tour please.

Do you have any people in these buildings?

This is a cheese shop isn't it? You do have cheese don't you?
 

CommunicatorIC

@IndieScieNews on Twitter
DMs promise to make it a "24/7" broadcast studio, pumping out cult PR, will never happen. The thing about television or cable content, is that you have to find stations who want to pay you to put it on their network. THAT will never happen.
There is another possibility. That the Church of Scientology pays the broadcast or cable network to be on the network and broadcast. An infomercial model or lease model or televangelism model. Although in this case, the COS would do everything possible to make it appear that they were NOT infomercials, but instead legitimate news shows.

It would enormously expensive, a true money sink -- at least to start, but it could be done. If the COS truly believed it its product, it would do this with complete and total assurance and confidence that the dissemination would cause the public to flood the Orgs, as DM promised, all eventually paying for auditing, training, IAS contributions, Fourth Dynamic Campaign, contributions, etc., thus making the broadcasting cost effective.

If the COS does not do it, that demonstrates that the whole "24/7" broadcast studio thing was BS from the start.

I wonder if at any point anyone will notice that, contrary to DM's promise, they can't find Scientology TV on cable?

I wonder if at any point anyone will notice that, contrary to DM's promise, and irrespective of whether they in fact broadcast or not, the public is not flooding the Orgs?

Probably. They would have to allow themselves to notice. They won't.
 

TheOriginalBigBlue

Gold Meritorious Patron
There is another possibility. That the Church of Scientology pays the broadcast or cable network to be on the network and broadcast. An infomercial model or lease model or televangelism model. Although in this case, the COS would do everything possible to make it appear that they were NOT infomercials, but instead legitimate news shows.

It would enormously expensive, a true money sink -- at least to start, but it could be done. If the COS truly believed it its product, it would do this with complete and total assurance and confidence that the dissemination would cause the public to flood the Orgs, as DM promised, all eventually paying for auditing, training, IAS contributions, Fourth Dynamic Campaign, contributions, etc., thus making the broadcasting cost effective.

If the COS does not do it, that demonstrates that the whole "24/7" broadcast studio thing was BS from the start.

I wonder if at any point anyone will notice that, contrary to DM's promise, they can't find Scientology TV on cable?

I wonder if at any point anyone will notice that, contrary to DM's promise, and irrespective of whether they in fact broadcast or not, the public is not flooding the Orgs?

Probably. They would have to allow themselves to notice. They won't.

What would the content be?

Scientology events and IAS Fundraisers? Whose going to write all that copy?

How about vids on e-meter drills and TRs, or a non-stop loop of exuberant wins, or the "Can We Ever Be Friends" tape?

The Scientology History Channel featuring LRH's biography, interviews with all the exes, life at Creston and behind the scenes at the Death Announcement Event, the Private Investigator Series, Mary Sue and Jane running the GO, Overboard - life on the ships?

Scientology Court TV and Scientology lobbying your Congressman on CSPAN?

Can you imagine them trying to explain PTS/SP Tech"? There is no such thing as Disconnection. That person is an SP and if you associate with them then you are guilty of a high crime and can be declared an SP yourself and Scientologists in good standing can't associate with you... Wha?

They won't even let Scientologists explain Scientology verbally but now they are going to do it on radio or TV for wogs? How's that work?

If they do book readings, then what will that do for book sales? "Heard it on the Scio Channel, don't need to buy it now".

How about tours of all the buildings hosted by Robin Leach showing EPF and RPFers doing the renos?

The Scientology Celebrity Channel? What could possibly go wrong?

Freewinds - the most environmentally conscientious ship in the Caribbean?

The Purification Rundown show? FDA and Consumer Affairs - no worries.

The problem with putting people on camera or building them up as a personality associated with Scientology is when they eventually turn and get tossed under the bus all their work needs to be vetted, they need to be excused away as defrocked apostates and the history sanitized. Yet, now they are going to not worry about all that and present an unlimited stream of public representatives and spokespeople?


This is job security for Mike, Tony and a whole lot of lawyers - and for the rest of us, ...popcorn, must get more popcorn!
 

CommunicatorIC

@IndieScieNews on Twitter
What would the content be?

Scientology events and IAS Fundraisers? Whose going to write all that copy?

How about vids on e-meter drills and TRs, or a non-stop loop of exuberant wins, or the "Can We Ever Be Friends" tape?

The Scientology History Channel featuring LRH's biography, interviews with all the exes, life at Creston and behind the scenes at the Death Announcement Event, the Private Investigator Series, Mary Sue and Jane running the GO, Overboard - life on the ships?

Scientology Court TV and Scientology lobbying your Congressman on CSPAN?

Can you imagine them trying to explain PTS/SP Tech"? There is no such thing as Disconnection. That person is an SP and if you associate with them then you are guilty of a high crime and can be declared an SP yourself and Scientologists in good standing can't associate with you... Wha?

They won't even let Scientologists explain Scientology verbally but now they are going to do it on radio or TV for wogs? How's that work?

If they do book readings, then what will that do for book sales? "Heard it on the Scio Channel, don't need to buy it now".

How about tours of all the buildings hosted by Robin Leach showing EPF and RPFers doing the renos?

The Scientology Celebrity Channel? What could possibly go wrong?

Freewinds - the most environmentally conscientious ship in the Caribbean?

The Purification Rundown show? FDA and Consumer Affairs - no worries.

The problem with putting people on camera or building them up as a personality associated with Scientology is when they eventually turn and get tossed under the bus all their work needs to be vetted, they need to be excused away as defrocked apostates and the history sanitized. Yet, now they are going to not worry about all that and present an unlimited stream of public representatives and spokespeople?


This is job security for Mike, Tony and a whole lot of lawyers - and for the rest of us, ...popcorn, must get more popcorn!
The rumor was that they were going to do a news show -- current events -- from a Scientology slant. A lot of CCHR stuff. VM footage. Scientology solutions, etc.

The Scientology version of CNN. Or Fox News.

As for people getting tossed, I'd be shocked if anyone who made it on camera had not signed a brutal, iron-clad non-disclosure and non-disparagement agreement.
 

Anonycat

Crusader
I heard that late at night until early morning, they'll show slow-motion footage of a guy running around a palm tree, with this music playing. And then not pay Ascap, of course.

[video=youtube;OaW0oylVxjs]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OaW0oylVxjs[/video]
 
They could have a daily TR's show - much like the cheesy exercise shows. This would be perfect if you don't have a twin. You could do TR 0 with your televised coach for two hours every morning.

Mimsey

85PsT.jpg
 

TheOriginalBigBlue

Gold Meritorious Patron
The rumor was that they were going to do a news show -- current events -- from a Scientology slant. A lot of CCHR stuff. VM footage. Scientology solutions, etc.

The Scientology version of CNN. Or Fox News.

As for people getting tossed, I'd be shocked if anyone who made it on camera had not signed a brutal, iron-clad non-disclosure and non-disparagement agreement.

We already have that....

http://america.aljazeera.com/
 

TheOriginalBigBlue

Gold Meritorious Patron
They could have a daily TR's show - much like the cheesy exercise shows. This would be perfect if you don't have a twin. You could do TR 0 with your televised coach for two hours every morning.

Mimsey

85PsT.jpg

Most excellent!

How about Scientology Survivor? Winner gets the Survival Rundown at half price.

Or the Scientology Home Shopping Network? Buy your Bridge for only 25,013 easy credit card payments of $19.99 (automatic reorder).
 

AngeloV

Gold Meritorious Patron
Does anyone know if they are broadcasting anything yet? Or is the studio just sitting there glinting in the sun?
 

HelluvaHoax!

Platinum Meritorious Sponsor with bells on
..

Does anyone know if they are broadcasting anything yet? Or is the studio just sitting there glinting in the sun?


Sitting there.


Sitting there comfortably--doing nothing.

However, there is a technical explanation for that. . .

Purpose:
To train
[STRIKE]student[/STRIKE] cult to be there comfortably. The idea is to get the [STRIKE]student[/STRIKE] cult able to be there comfortably in a position three feet in front of another person, to be there and not do anything else but be there.
 
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