2007-2008 Writers Guild of America strike

[Pretend]

I'm still on the writers side but non-writers losing there jobs :/

[Hurmoth]

I'm still on the writers side but non-writers losing there jobs :/

Yeah it is sad, no doubt, but everyone expected it to come to this when a strike was announced. We just have to remember that this isn't the writers fault, this is the greedy studios/producers faults. All they have to do is propose (or accept) a fair deal for the writers. The deal that the writers proposed this week would only cost an estimated $151 million over the next three years. That's a relatively small number when you look at how many writers there are.

Edited December 1, 2007 by Hurmoth

[MGS4-SS]

This strike sucks. But I'm all for support for the writers.

Still its sad that non-writers are loosing their jobs too :(

[Pretend]

All the studios fault, The strike, the non-wrtiers losing there jobs, jeez come on studios, your gonna get a bad name.

[Rappy Veteran]

This strike sucks. But I'm all for support for the writers.

Still its sad that non-writers are loosing their jobs too :(

Merry Christmas to them :(

[Hurmoth]

Merry Christmas to them :(

Yeah seriously. The good thing is, a lot of the late night hosts are paying their staff out of pocket.

By the way, is that #13 from House in your sig?

[Rappy Veteran]

Yeah seriously. The good thing is, a lot of the late night hosts are paying their staff out of pocket.

By the way, is that #13 from House in your sig?

I don't watch House but its Olivia Wilde if its the same person :laugh:

[Hurmoth]

I don't watch House but its Olivia Wilde if its the same person :laugh:

Yup, same person :yes:

Edited December 2, 2007 by Hurmoth

[Rappy Veteran]

Yup, save person :yes:

Yep shes very purty :)

[Hurmoth]

To keep it on topic, since I did stray us off :p

She's a hottie! :yes:

[Rappy Veteran]

:laugh:

Way to swerve back on topic ;) :p

[Deadlydread]

MAJOR props to Conan. He's paying those workers from his OWN money as stated from reuters here http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSN3034279620071201

Conan just became my hero... without any powers.

[Pretend]

So he's paying the employees that lost there jobs?

[Rappy Veteran]

So he's paying the employees that lost there jobs?

No he iis paying his staff all of them out of his own pocket, he must be loaded because thats gonna cost a fair bit.

[Pretend]

Ahh, thats what I meant ;), and yeah he must be loaded

[Rappy Veteran]

Chat Show hosts are on alot of money just look at Leno who has like a car showroom in his garden :laugh:

[Hurmoth]

Few foresee early end to strike

With both sides back at the barricades, many believe the writers strike won't be resolved until March at the earliest.

Optimism for a quick resolution as negotiations resume Tuesday has faded to nearly nonexistent. In the aftermath of last week's lifting of the news blackout about the talks, each side played the blame game and stressed how insulted it's been by the other's recent conduct.

The WGA has eased up on its hardline stance in one area -- it granted a waiver for writing on Sunday night's telecast of the Kennedy Center Honors.

The Guild also granted a waiver for Elizabeth Taylor's AIDS benefit at Paramount this past Saturday night.

In a statement, Verrone said, ?The WGAW lowered our picket line because this worthy event is happening solely through the efforts and underwriting of Dame Elizabeth Taylor, who is not only a longtime member of the Screen Actors Guild, but an outspoken supporter of the Writers Guild in our struggle to achieve a fair share of all media - new and old - for our members and all members of the Hollywood talent community.?

Leaders of the Writers Guild of America insist that companies need to pony up far more in new-media compensation than was contained in their proposed New Economic Partnership. Meanwhile, CEOs are still bristling over how the new offer -- valued at $130 million by the AMPTP -- was slammed and dismissed out of hand by WGA leaders on Thursday night.

"This is going to set the tone of Internet pay for all eternity, so we have to get that right," WGA negotiating committee chair John Bowman said during a weekend interview.

Picket lines resume today at major lots as the strike starts its fifth week. The WGA West said Sunday that members of the negotiating committee and board will be at all studios during all shifts.

One conglom topper said in frustration, "These people (WGA) are acting like they want to go to rallies more than they want to make a deal."

There's still a slim hope that the WGA and the Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers can make enough progress this week to keep moving toward a deal -- aided by the shuttle diplomacy efforts of CAA topper Bryan Lourd. Under such a best-case scenario, the WGA will make a counteroffer Tuesday or Wednesday that could start the actual give-and-take of bargaining and perhaps conclude a tentative agreement by Christmas.

But the emerging consensus is that the two sides remain so far apart that the WGA talks will collapse soon. That would open the door for the AMPTP to start negotiations with the Directors Guild of America, which indicated before the strike that it was nearly ready to begin bargaining.

"If we should decide to schedule an 'early negotiation,' we will be ready to go," the DGA told its members on Oct. 24.

Over the weekend, the town was still mulling Thursday's developments. These included WGA leaders' insistence that rumors had so overtaken the talks that it was essential to lift the blackout.

"Our inability to communicate with our members has left a vacuum of information that has been filled with rumors, both well intentioned and deceptive," said WGA West prexy Patric Verrone and WGA East prez Michael Winship. "Among the rumors was the assertion that the AMPTP had a groundbreaking proposal that would make this negotiation a 'done deal.'"

The missive went on to blast the AMPTP proposal as a "massive rollback." The WGA's key objections include the $250 fixed residual for a year's reuse on streaming, which is not anywhere near the $20,000 currently paid for a rerun on networks; the fact that jurisdiction over original programming for the Internet had not been granted; and no change to the residual formula on downloaded programming from the current DVD rate.

WGA leaders indicated that they needed to break until Tuesday because they were caught off-guard by the fixed-rate residual proposal. Initial reaction indicates they will respond by contending that payment for streaming needs to be tied to use.

Meanwhile, execs say they don't understand why the WGA opted to take a relatively long break from the talks with the strike nearly a month old, or why it used such dismissive language in Thursday night's statement, especially because, execs believe, top showrunners are getting antsy about the slow pace of talks.

Execs also talk about the lack of showbiz negotiating experience of WGA West exec director David Young.

"None of these people have ever concluded a deal of this magnitude," said one topper. Execs have also expressed disappointment over being painted as being uncaring about the biz when, they say, they've all come up through the ranks.

One exec expressed particular disappointment over the WGA's sudden departure Thursday.

"This does not help move things along," he said. "In bargaining, you need to build the process before you get to the point of give and take, creating a sort of snowball effect like at a seventh grade dance. What's happening here is that every time we make a move, they break off talks, so that's a real momentum killer."

For now, the CEOs don't anticipate taking more drastic steps, such as going to the bargaining table themselves or bypassing the WGA leadership and taking their case directly to the members.

Despite the length of the strike, no organized public opposition within the WGA has yet emerged, and members appear to be strongly backing their leadership on the issue of coverage for work on the Internet.

A widely distributed email from "Without a Trace" creator Hank Steinberg urged members to view the AMPTP pronouncements with a jaundiced eye and keep picketing. "We're still in good shape to make a fair deal, and we shouldn't allow their tactics to dampen our spirits or forget what it is we're striking over in the first place," he said.

In New York, picketing resumes Tuesday at News Corp. headquarters at Sixth Avenue and 48th Street.

[Hurmoth]

WGA STRIKE COVERAGE: CBS, NBC Unveil Midseason Plans

Big Brother and Law & Order: Criminal Intent are both returning to broadcast television this winter as the networks continue to lay out their evolving first-quarter plans in the shadow of the ongoing Writers Guild of America strike.

CBS unveiled a new schedule highlighted by a winter edition of traditional summer hit Big Brother. The reality favorite is slated to return Feb. 12 and then air Wednesdays and Sundays at 8 p.m.

The network will also debut rookie comedy The Captain Monday, Jan. 28, at 9:30 p.m., and the 16th cycle of Survivor will debut Thursday, Feb. 7 at 8 p.m.

Feb. 12 at 10 p.m. marks the return of Jericho, the little-watched sophomore serial that was supposedly saved by an outpouring of fan support (and nuts).

Jericho had a solid start in the fall of 2006, but a midseason hiatus blew up the post-nuclear-war drama?s ratings momentum. CBS picked up a limited seven-episode second season in a move that was part publicity stunt but now gives the network some fresh fare during the strike.

Other shows returning to CBS' air include Drew Carey-hosted game show Power of 10 and The New Adventures of Old Christine. The network said it also completed production on a run of game show Do You Trust Me but has not given it a time slot as of now.

NBC is replacing the rookie pairing of Bionic Woman and Life Wednesdays from 9 p.m.-11 p.m. with L&O followed by its CI offshoot.

The original L&O was initially set to return on Sunday nights, while CI has been airing on NBC cable cousin USA Network this season.

NBC will begin with a two-hour L&O Jan. 2 before kicking off the Dick Wolf double-headers Jan. 9.

[Hurmoth]

^ :laugh:

[Rappy Veteran]

^ :laugh:

Thats to funny :laugh:

[Hurmoth]

'The WGA is confident we are close to a deal'

While there's no word yet on the progress of today's talks between the WGA and the AMPTP, the union has posted an extensive analysis on its website today about the latest offer from the companies worth $130 million over the next three years and expresses hope that "if the AMPTP is serious about this figure, the WGA is confident we are close to a deal and hopeful that the companies will respond positively to our sincere movement to partner with them."

According to the report, most WGA writers earn "middle class wages" averaging $62,000 annually over a five-year period. Since, 2000, however, revenue for the entertainment companies have grown from $63 billion to $95 billion, the analysis claims. "WGA members have actually fallen behind," the report says. "While entertainment segment revenue has grown at an annual rate of 7 percent over the last 7 years, writers' earnings and residuals have grown only 3.5 percent."

As a result, the union says it has proposed a $151 million deal over three years that doesn't include a plan to improve the DVD formula, which it claims is equal to $57 million over the life of the contract. The WGA estimates their proposed payout would break down to $1.68 million per year from Sony; $6.25 million per year from Disney; $4.66 million per year for Paramount and CBS each; $11.2 million from Warners; $6.04 million from Fox; $7.44 million from NBC/Universal, and $320K for MGM. All the other companies would assume the remaining cost of about $8.3 million per year.

"We are pleased that the companies have stated their willingness to make a three year deal worth upwards of $130 million," the report concludes. "While we do not see how their proposal adds up to that number, we do know that our proposal is a serious, reasonable, and affordable attempt to bridge the gap between us. If it doesn't, it will bring into question how serious the companies really are about making a deal."

[Rappy Veteran]

oooo new heroes in March :shifty:

Joke :D

[Hurmoth]

oooo new heroes in March :shifty:

Joke :D

If the strike were to end this week or next, it could happen :yes:

It depends on how quickly the writers can get back to writing (holiday season could halt writing for the rest of this month) and whether or not NBC would want a short season or if they'd be willing to extend it until the summer.

[ShaneSparky_YYZ]

I heard 24 has been delayed till 2009 of January, as the 24 spot has been filled already with something else.

I'm really upset if it doesn't air till then, it's one of the few shows I bother to watch nowadays.

However, I do support them for striking.

[Rappy Veteran]

I heard 24 has been delayed till 2009 of January, as the 24 spot has been filled already with something else.

I'm really upset if it doesn't air till then, it's one of the few shows I bother to watch nowadays.

That is true and probably won't change either way to late now for that show to be completed.