Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Hollywood writers strike as talks fail (Dinosaur Media DeathWatchâ„¢)
Los Angeles Times ^ | November 5, 2007 | Richard Verrier and Claudia Eller

Posted on 11/05/2007 1:23:49 AM PST by abb

Hollywood's film and television writers went on strike early this morning after last-ditch efforts to negotiate a deal with the major studios failed Sunday.

Despite the aid of a federal mediator and back-channel talks between top writers and studio executives, the sides were ultimately too far apart to bridge the massive divide between them and avert the first writers strike in nearly two decades.

After three months of contentious negotiations, talks broke down Wednesday night when the writers' three-year contract expired. Although they made minimal headway on some issues Sunday, the parties could not come to terms on such key issues as how much writers are paid when their shows are sold online.

The question now is no longer whether or when they will strike, but how long a walkout will last and how much pain it will inflict.

Both sides are girding for what many believe will be a long and debilitating strike, potentially more disruptive than the 22-week walkout by writers in 1988, which cost the entertainment industry an estimated $500 million.

"Once it starts, it's going to get ugly," said one of the guild's strike captains Sunday.

snip

"It is unfortunate that they choose to take this irresponsible action," alliance President Nick Counter said.

The guild said that although the union had agreed to withdraw its proposal to double DVD pay, which had been a stumbling block in negotiations, producers refused to make concessions in other key areas. Among other things, producers refused to grant the union jurisdiction for most new-media writing, the guild said. They also insisted on a proposal that would allow them to reuse movies or TV shows on any platform for promotional purposes with no residual payment.

snip

(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: dbm; hollywood; strike; television; wga
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 161-174 next last
To: Darkwolf377

Relax. It’s got nothing to do with principles. Little does these days.


41 posted on 11/05/2007 4:52:03 AM PST by Wolfie
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: abb

Excellent news. Let them stay on strike.


42 posted on 11/05/2007 4:52:47 AM PST by OKSooner
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: abb

This is fantastic, particularly for us indie filmmakers.


43 posted on 11/05/2007 4:59:07 AM PST by montag813
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: abb

Charging the line today. We’ll see.


44 posted on 11/05/2007 5:12:26 AM PST by onedoug
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: abb

No ones buying these writers crap.


45 posted on 11/05/2007 5:23:52 AM PST by tobyhill (The media lies so much the truth is the exception)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: abb
I’m not a union fan but I have to side with the writers on this one. They really are getting screwed out of money they earned and with the advanced technology they do need to fight what is rightly theirs. That being said, yes, there’s a lot of crap on the big and small screen today, but, what we see is not determined by a writer. If a network or studio doesn’t like a script it’s either trashed or rewritten. Believe me, this can cause a lot of headaches when working in episodic TV. Writers do not have the final say on what is made.
46 posted on 11/05/2007 5:29:10 AM PST by peggybac (Tolerance is the virtue of believing in nothing)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: abb
Didn't you get the news - television programming affects no one.
47 posted on 11/05/2007 5:36:51 AM PST by reagan_fanatic (Ron Paul put the cuckoo in my Cocoa Puffs)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: GodBlessRonaldReagan

Don’t forget History, Discovery, National Geographic, and all those old foresenic reruns.


48 posted on 11/05/2007 5:39:00 AM PST by MHT
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Darkwolf377; abb
If you're happy to just agree with a bunch of other, unnamed people, that's fine, but you posted that "without question" there is brainwashing going on, something you have offered zero evidence of.

Why did you bring up brainwashing in the first place? To nitpick?

Do you feel that 911 conspiracies sprang fully formed from the minds of truthers with little, if any, help from mass media?

49 posted on 11/05/2007 5:39:56 AM PST by Milhous (Gn 22:17 your descendants shall take possession of the gates of their enemies)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: abb

Do you object to the idea of brainwashing in general or just that they are not being brainwashed with the right message?


50 posted on 11/05/2007 5:44:42 AM PST by durasell (!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: peggybac
I’m not a union fan but I have to side with the writers on this one. They really are getting screwed out of money they earned and with the advanced technology they do need to fight what is rightly theirs

Let me get this right, your saying that a widget I design FOR THE COMPANY I WORK FOR to be sold by that company should send me royalties for the rest of the widgets life?????

51 posted on 11/05/2007 5:53:42 AM PST by MrPiper
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 46 | View Replies]

To: MHT
I can pass my time watching stuff on History Channel, Discovery Channel and ESPN/ESPN2. Not to mention a lot of DVD's in my collection I need to see again.
52 posted on 11/05/2007 5:54:07 AM PST by RayChuang88
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 48 | View Replies]

To: MrPiper; peggybac

Except you didn’t sell them the widget. You only sold them the right to use the widget and/or to rent the widget out. You still own the widget.


53 posted on 11/05/2007 5:56:30 AM PST by durasell (!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 51 | View Replies]

To: durasell

So the writers do not work for the shows? (I dont watch tv, just trying to understand)


54 posted on 11/05/2007 5:58:08 AM PST by MrPiper
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 53 | View Replies]

To: MrPiper

Sometimes the writers work for the shows and receive a salary, sometimes they are freelance and only get paid per script. In movies they are all freelance.

It really doesn’t relate to any other business, though the business model for movies is nothing short of brilliant: people are hired and come together to make a single product and then disperse when the product is complete. No matter how good a job they do, when the job is over, it’s over.

However, there is enormous money to be made in TV. Law & Order has generated well over a billion dollars in revenue over the years for the network.


55 posted on 11/05/2007 6:06:49 AM PST by durasell (!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 54 | View Replies]

To: MrPiper

It is not unlike any other business in one respect: the writers, actors, producers, directors, etc. etc. sell their product for as much as possible. It helps to think of them as subcontractors manufacturing components rather than employees.


56 posted on 11/05/2007 6:16:34 AM PST by durasell (!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 54 | View Replies]

To: durasell
Sometimes the writers work for the shows and receive a salary

So a carpenter working for a home builder should receive a cut eveytime the house is sold?

57 posted on 11/05/2007 6:21:43 AM PST by MrPiper
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 56 | View Replies]

To: abb

I’m trying very hard to come up with who I’ll miss. Thinking...Thinking...Thinking....Hmmmmmm. Nobody?


58 posted on 11/05/2007 6:25:17 AM PST by Utah Binger (Sanctimony: Feigned piety or righteousness; hypocritical devoutness.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Polyxene
“As long as Turner Classic Movies and Fox Movie Channel are on, I’m set.” Me, too! Love those movies from the 30’s! Don’t forget TV Land — The Andy Griffith Show, I Love Lucy.....!

Also like Hallmark and the Western channel on Stars!
59 posted on 11/05/2007 6:25:46 AM PST by LynnHam
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 38 | View Replies]

To: MrPiper

There really is no analogy. The arts, such as they are, tend to be chaotic and careers tend to be short. Everyone is out to get as much as they can for their work.


60 posted on 11/05/2007 6:37:43 AM PST by durasell (!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 57 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 161-174 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson