WGA Strike: Your thoughts?

Yok/0 · Post by **Yok/0** » Mon Nov 12, 2007 4:48 am

First Time I ever started threads like this in a long time forgive me.

Past few days everyone knows about the Writers Guild Of America on strike against Network channels such as FOX, CBS, and ABC, and even Comedy Central.

While Media seems to be quiet about this, I've found this very interesting, So interested that I've even subscribed to a youtube accound of the WGA who record their days counting up of their protest.

While My opinions are a bit mixxed with this. I like to know what everyone else thinks of this as well.

Most of all, is the protest effecting you in some sort of way, like a TV show is airing reruns due to this or do you prefer that the goals don't meet to do their hate towards the internet?

WGA Videos

KholdStare88 · Post by **KholdStare88** » Mon Nov 12, 2007 4:59 am

As someone who only watch anime and game shows plus some reality series, I can't say it will affect me much. I will miss Family Guy, which is pretty much the only thing that will get affected. But overall, the amount of anime that I haven't watched is still pretty much infinite since I don't watch anime 24/7.

About the strike itself I really don't know what it's about. I've heard mixed reviews on this too, one side saying who cares because it's the rich wanting more money from the richer and it's just another Hollywood battle, and the other side arguing about fair share and how the richer is too rich. I'm leaning 60% for the first argument though, since I'd rather hear more important news about the world than this, but I recognize the impact that the strike has in America at least.

Yok/0 · Post by **Yok/0** » Mon Nov 12, 2007 5:30 am

When it comes down to it, I feel for the same way about the Rich wanting more money from the even more Rich Body, but a deal of recieving only 3% of dvd royalty sales does sound pretty fucked.

Though I support them a little abit, i get this uncomfortable feeling that they think we need them to entertain us. For Starters heres the 2 cops/Writers of Reno 911 talking about how they're not gonna work for free.
Reno 911

The link pretty much explains itself. Though this is the part I was saying earlier of it affecting us in any way?
How greedy can you get they won't even share the Internet

JaddziaDax · Post by **JaddziaDax** » Mon Nov 12, 2007 9:51 am

I watch self scripted crap on youtube more than I watch television... and the television I DO watch is like cartoons or stuff that's rather old and is already on DVD.

pretty much it's all DRAMA and squabbling over money... the rich want to get richer so that they can get that 5th car that they will never use. and the richer don't want to give up any of the money they are already making so they can get that 10th car that they don't use.

It's stupid and we throw away way too much at the people in Hollywood that the market is saturated and aspiring actors/film makers/writers/production staff have no room to go anywhere or achieve anything if they want to get into the business.

I say support the INDEPENDENT FILM INDUSTRY, or foreign films, neither seem to have their heads up their ass as the American Film and Television Industries.. (Most of the better movies/shows I've seen lately were from those genres anyways)
~~~~~~~~~~~

and for the record most musicians receive less that 3% on CD sales.

I think that some of these writers are being rather selfish, and not looking at the big picture, acting like they alone carry a show when it takes several people to pull off a good show.

But I do believe that contracts for purely digital media should be negotiated but only because they don't exist yet. such as iTunes sales and amazon.com has been doing digital download sales.

Orwell · Post by **Orwell** » Mon Nov 12, 2007 10:38 am

I think it's hilarious myself, with Comedy Central declaring it 'comedy month' all of a sudden. Otherwise, good, go on strike, maybe they'll hire somebody who CAN write. Really, the companies should just hire a few people to find decent writers if they don't have staff who's at least marginally equipped to do that anyways, and terminate any contract they may have with the WGA.

CodeZTM · Post by **CodeZTM** » Mon Nov 12, 2007 10:43 am

Meh.

My Television watching includes: Law and Order (Old);The Nanny(Old); and Food Network. This doesn't really affect me.

But!

I think maybe a little raise in pay could be in order. Writers need to be appriciated more.

dokidoki · Post by **dokidoki** » Mon Nov 12, 2007 11:22 am

http://revver.com/watch/469121/affiliate/99434/

Serv0 · Post by **Serv0** » Mon Nov 12, 2007 1:56 pm

RIGHTEOUS CAUSE!!!

BasharOfTheAges · Post by **BasharOfTheAges** » Mon Nov 12, 2007 1:58 pm

Remember back when the actor's union decided to strike and they created a big campaign for old movies to be seen in theaters? People got excited and the strike ended up folding. I figure people will find enough other things to do or other things to watch. The only ones that'll raise a fuss will be the writers themselves and the people that can't physically get out of the house.

dokool · Post by **dokool** » Mon Nov 12, 2007 2:16 pm

God there's a lot of stupid in this thread. Shame on you all.

The writers currently get 4 cents per DVD sold. They'd like 8. That's from 0.2% to 0.4% if you assume an MSRP of $19.99, less if you count a box set (I dunno, maybe they'd count it by episode? Who knows.)

On a whole, this does not seem unreasonable to me.

The writers would also like a cut of internet sales. The studios are trying to claim that because stuff like online viewing is for <i>promotional purposes</i>, it counts as advertising and they don't have to pay.

Promotional purposes, yet viewers are forced to endure advertising they can't skip, proprietary players, mandatory browsers, that sort of thing.

I'm not going to claim that the writers are perfect, especially in the realm of films - I think when the press is quoting the guy who wrote <i>Deuce Bigalow 2</i> then you're not exactly in a position of strength. However, when it comes down to it, for TV? Shows live and die by the writing and the acting. The average schmuck with the remote doesn't care about the direction, or the cinematography, or the soundtrack - they care about what the characters are saying (the writing) and how good they look while doing it (the acting).

The writers aren't exactly innocent, but the studios and producers are by far the bigger douches at the moment. And god dammit, when they run out of new episodes of Pushing Daisies there'll be hell to pay.