Let’s be honest. While many of us who religiously watch TV for the compelling stories, witty repertoire, and intricately crafted mysteries, that is nothing to staring at those insanely attractive stars. However, with the beginning of the writers’ strike November 5th we have been prevented from getting nightly and weekly star fixes; instead TV audiences have to watch – God forbid – real (read: not attractive) people in the numerous reality shows replacing scripted programs. Racked with the fear that TV crushes will let themselves go without a reason to look good, it makes sense to obsess over the details of the conflict between the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers (AMPTP). If we can find a side at fault, perhaps we can send them cartons of nuts. Or, more appropriately, pens.
The primary point of contention for the writers involves revenues from new media –methods of viewing shows and movies online. Faster Internet, better quality downloads, and 24/7 availability make web-viewing preferable to people. Networks are providing full episodes and original content of more and more shows online with limited commercials. As this technology was hardly existent, let alone so popular, the last time the WGA updated their contract they receive no percentage of revenue from this system, but they are now demanding residuals for Internet reruns, just as they receive compensation for re-airings on TV. Additionally, writers get only pennies for every DVD, and would like higher percentages of DVD and permanent download sales. Originally their demands included inclusion of reality and animation writers in the WGA, though that has been dropped.
The AMPTP argues that new media has yet to prove itself as a verifiable source of revenue and was vehemently opposed to reality and animation writers’ inclusion. However, the “fledgling” Internet marketplace has already begun raking in the cash for the media conglomerates leading company heads to make statements like Sumner Redstone pronouncing “Viacom will double its revenue this year from digital.” And since the Director’s Guild of America (DGA) successfully gained residuals and payment for Internet material in their renegotiations with the AMPTP, the producers can hardly refuse the same to the WGA. With the reality/animation demands off the table, the AMPTP has virtually no reason to refuse the reasonable, fair, and justifiably adamant demands of the writers. While it is true the strike has caused many other employees of the film/TV industry to lose work, the overwhelming support the WGA has received from members of other unions cannot be ignored either.
Hope is on the horizon, however. Since talks resumed January 23rd and are still in session, no news is good news. Ideally, the AMPTP will follow their own example during the successful negotiations with the DGA and grant the WGA it’s new media compensation demands. Then we the viewing masses can stop having to think about complicated things like residuals and get back to what is important – oggling attractive famous people.
Sources: http://wga.org/subpage_member.aspx?id=2686 ; http://www.amptp.org/ ; http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2008-01-29-hollywood-strike_N.htm ;
http://hollywoodinsider.ew.com/strike/index.html ; http://popwatch.ew.com/popwatch/writers_strike/index.html
