Sky Atlantic’s broadcast of an Emmy-winning film about Scientology was the most-watched documentary on the channel in three years, despite facing legal threats and a social media campaign designed to discredit it.
Going Clear: Scientology and The Prison of Belief, broadcast on 21 September, attracted an average audience of 243,000 including catchup viewing, with a peak of 313,000 viewers. The figures made the Sky co-production the most popular documentary on the channel since 2012’s Bradley Wiggins: A Year in Yellow.
Sky head of non-scripted commissioning, Celia Taylor, who was also executive producer on the documentary, said: “As co-producers as well as the broadcaster of Going Clear, we’re very pleased it’s been such as hit with critics and and Sky customers alike.
“Getting the highest ratings for a documentary on Sky Atlantic since 2012, as well winning three Emmys, is testament to its creative quality and power.”
The church of Scientology has waged a publicity campaign against the film, which alleges abusive practices at the church’s HQ and features interviews with former members.
The threat of legal action under Northern Irish defamation law had delayed a UK premier originally scheduled for April this year, and groups associated with the church have used ads on Twitter and Google in a bid to undermine the film’s allegations.
The Twitter account Freedom Media Ethics, linked to a website funded by the Church of Scientology, was particularly active on the day of the documentary’s broadcast and has paid to have its tweets pushed into UK user timelines.
#AlexGibney, Doctor Of Propaganda: If you need propaganda, the doctor is in! http://t.co/TeWAqs5jMS #GoingClear pic.twitter.com/8lClehRHw6
— Freedom Media Ethics (@FreedomEthics) September 21, 2015
Similar tactics were used by the church against the film when it aired in the US on HBO earlier this year.
The film’s broadcast on Sky is a victory for the church’s critics, after the book on which it was based was dropped two years ago by UK publishers facing legal pressure.
Taylor added: “We were in correspondence with legal representatives of the Church of Scientology about Going Clear before it was broadcast and we incorporated their responses where appropriate. Having carefully considered all the legal issues we were satisfied that it was appropriate to broadcast it.”
