Interested in what the Writers Guild is striking about? I encourage you to check out the United Hollywood blog and decide for yourself what side you are on.
Here's a nice little clip from The Office folks on the picket line...
I started digging deeper into this after reading this post on Jenna Fischer's blog - I didn't realize how the networks are screwing folks over with online distribution... to quote,
The big issue in this negotiation involves the internet. If you go to NBC.com right now, you can watch an episode The Office for free. The network runs advertisements while you're watching it, which gives them an extra source of revenue. The actors, writers, producers and director, the people who created the content you are watching, are not compensated in any way for this.
The Writers Guild has taken the position that the writers should receive residuals if the show re-airs on the internet just like they receive residuals if it re-airs on television since in both cases the studios are making money. The issue is a huge deal, because the internet is clearly where the future of entertainment lies.
Right now, a number of successful shows (like Lost for one) have stopped showing repeat episodes on TV at all, and have replaced them with ad-supported streaming video on their websites. If you're a Lost writer, or actor, or director, or a teamster that's no residuals at all for that show, and that's a big pay cut.
I totally agree - the internet *is* where the future of entertainment lies. My TV viewing is probably about 30% from online content, 70% from cable - and the online portion has only been growing.
Heh - how appropriate is it that I resurface from my recent blogging hiatus to comment on the Writers Guild strike? I guess timing is everything. The WGA picked a fairly reasonable time to strike - just as the fall shows are starting to pick up (ie: Heroes), winter shows are on the horizon (ie: Lost) and US Thanksgiving is right around the corner.
Canadian content could be the short term winner in this strike, as people are going to be turning somewhere in the primetime hours to fill the rerun void.
3 comments:
Many CBCers did a great job of taking the 2005 lockout online with various employee blogs. I wonder how the WGA folks will bring their battle into the online space? I guess time will tell... it's sure to be interesting, though!
Wait a minute! There are Canadian TV shows??!!? When did that happen?
Nice post, Mike... and welcome back! Don't forget to say "hi" to newguy Sean; he's around here somewhere.
I loved the recap at the United Hollywood blog of how each new technological advance for media - radio shows being recorded and re-broadcast, rather than re-performed, movies being re-broadcast on the newfangled tele-visions, and movies coming out on VCR and then DVD formats - initially resulted in new ways for the studios to make more money without sharing any with the creators. That's clearly the tried-and-true pattern, and each time they enjoy a honeymoon period before the people they're freeloading off of refuse to put up with it anymore, at which point there's a labour stoppage (or threat of one) and concessions are made.
With the rate that technology's changing now, that sort of stalling tactic will probably pay bigger and bigger dividends to the ones using it, since what's argued for and won tomorrow may be obsolete the day after.
Very, very interesting stuff!
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