Writers strike

[WebLady]

The Writers Guild of America is on strike (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/w/writers_guild_of_america/index.html), I just recently heard about this. I was wondering why I was seeing alot of reruns on TV lately.

I don't really know all the details, like what they want or anything, but apparetntly alot of popular shows are being affected. It may be take some shows off the air :whoa:

[SouthernQueenBride]

I know!!! It is really horrible! Today I saw the entire cast of Grey's Anatomy picketing with the writers on the news! That is one of my FAVORITE shows and they said they will not be filming probably in one more week b/c of it!

[miranda]

I was just watching a Jon Stewart rerun and he said something about it. Boo! Even Jon Stewart!?

[Danielle9608]

Oh no! No TV and beer make Danielle go something something .... :geek:

[bichonlvr]

It just started though..most shows have one more episode, not the night live shows though!! Darm people are SOOO greedy!!!

[WendyNC]

I think it is the studios that are greedy, not the writers. They just want a cut of dvd sales, which didn't exist 5 years ago, so they are not contracted for it.

"24" is cancelled btw

[Danielle9608]

"24" is cancelled btw

OH NOO!!! I love Jack Bauer

[bichonlvr]

yeah that's what I meant.....they are all greedy!!!

24 NOOOO>..FH and I were talking about it last night..he is going to be BUMMED!!!

[ikkin510]

I know!!! It is really horrible! Today I saw the entire cast of Grey's Anatomy picketing with the writers on the news! That is one of my FAVORITE shows and they said they will not be filming probably in one more week b/c of it!

No! I don't know if I can handle not being able to watch Grey's Anatomy! I got crazy in the off season. I went out and bought the past seasons on DVD to fill my carving!

[StarCoveter]

I know!!! It is really horrible! Today I saw the entire cast of Grey's Anatomy picketing with the writers on the news! That is one of my FAVORITE shows and they said they will not be filming probably in one more week b/c of it!

OH NOOOO!!!:bawling:

[lizardbnorton]

Hopefully it is just being delayed, which is what it states here:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2007/nov/08/television.usnews?gusrc=rss&feed=media

I'm going to die if this show gets canceled. I finally got Robert caught up on it. lol

[frenchie]

Oh I was really liking this season of Grey's too.
I wonder - will How I met Your Mother be affected?
And Desperate Housewives?
and what about Heroes? Scrubs?

I watch SOOO many shows lol...

[WBandMe]

I am SO upset about 24!! It is the ONLY tv show I ever watch and I have been waiting and waiting for it! And of course everyone knows my love for Jack Bauer, and I keep getting messages going "Hey, you know 24 is postponed, right?" Yes, yes I do, thank you. :sob:

[WebLady]

I wonder how long all t his will go on.

[SouthernQueenBride]

The PAIN! The AGONY!!!!! What do they expect us to do with no shows??? Sit around putting together puzzles???? Aghhhhh!!!

BTW - just an interesing tid-bit: John Stewart from the Daily show is paying his writers out of pocket so their lifestyle will not be hindered ... kinda crushing on him now! I thought that was so sweet!

[twu]

The PAIN! The AGONY!!!!! What do they expect us to do with no shows??? Sit around putting together puzzles???? Aghhhhh!!!

BTW - just an interesing tid-bit: John Stewart from the Daily show is paying his writers out of pocket so their lifestyle will not be hindered ... kinda crushing on him now! I thought that was so sweet!


The strike affects my life in no way whatsoever since I don't watch TV anymore, but I just had to chime in at the mention of John Stewart BECAUSE HE IS THE MOST AWESOME, ENDEARING PERSON EVER.

[frenchie]

When I told Daniel that there was a strike in the States for once, he was surprised (usually those are a french thing - we're famous for it!).
When I told him that it would affect us, he was even more surprised.
When I told him it was the TV show writers, he couldn't believe it and was incredibly frustrated!! Like me.

[TangoWedding]

Good for the writers. They have it hard enough as it is.

However, it SUCKS for tv. The last time they had a big strike, that's when all the stupid reality shows and game shows started...because the networks didn't have to pay writers for those.

I remember a better time and place...a time without reality television (minus a handful..mostly on cable). *sigh* I miss real writing.

[EarlyBird]

ya they said that sunday was the last day things were handed in and that this weeks shows and some of next week shows are okay but there will not be any last minute changes (i guess there usually is)-- i heard everything was handed in sunday and they said its "as is- no changes!"

ohhhh no!

[WebLady]

Good for the writers. They have it hard enough as it is.

However, it SUCKS for tv. The last time they had a big strike, that's when all the stupid reality shows and game shows started...because the networks didn't have to pay writers for those.

I remember a better time and place...a time without reality television (minus a handful..mostly on cable). *sigh* I miss real writing.
Yeah, I saw something saying we may see more reality type shows :rain:

[Whitewater]

Excuse me, greedy? Um, no. Writers are just about the most underpaid people in Hollywood. And I know whereof I speak because I was/am trying to get my two movie scripts to sell . . . now of course I'm going to have to just bide my time!

Most writers make their living off of either a union standardized hourly wage (once they've been hired by a show's production staff) OR a per-script stipend. If you sell your script, you get money. If not, it's back to delivering pizza for Dominos until something else sells.

And would you like to know how much a new writer's television script will sell for? 500-$2000. If the studio buys the pilot they MIGHT hire you on to write more scripts on speculation (they might also buy your pilot, then hand it to their staff writers for THEM to work on), but you'll only get paid for those spec scripts if the show actually goes into production. Which means that off of one script (unless you have a REALLY good agent, and those don't work with newbies) you could get paid a maximum of ten grand. Probably the studio will buy your pilot for pennies and then hire people they know and trust to do the rest of the work.

And right now for every show that gets the pilot actually shot, about 40 more get dumped in the round file. Great odds, eh?

Still think that's a living wage?

Frankly, I can't believe they didn't strike before this. After all, just about everybody involved in the television business (that is, if you have good agents) gets a cut of the royalties from the merchandising, which includes the DVD's and tapes. I was shocked and horrified to hear that the writers weren't getting their fair share.

It's about time they stood up and asked for what everybody else is getting.


Whitewater

[sjk1431]

good thing I have a lot to catch up on that is on my dvr. :bblol:

[HisMuse]

I totally behind the writers strike but it's hard because I love my shows so much. That's one of the best parts of this time of year for me...having my favorite shows to watch on a day I'm stuck inside from the snow.

I'm particularly worried about Scrubs as it's their last season...

[ikkin510]

I saw on the news today that Grey's Anatomy will be out of shows by the end of the month!!!:whoa:

[rainbowtreat]

Thre are alot of shows that I watch that I am afraid wont finish the season. Greys is one of them. Bu tI ahve hsows that will keep me acupied until things clear up. I have The Amazing Race that started this past Sunday and Project Runway starts up next week. American idol will be back in Jan. And after Project Runway is Top Chef again I hope. Yes I will miss my shows but I will have time for these ones with out having to fill my DVR to themax lol. ( is there a max on that things? lol )

[Whitewater]

It's a radical thought, I know (:)) but since we're going to be out of new television shows for a while, perhaps we could all go back to doing what people did *before* television!

You know. Stuff like going outside on the front porch to talk to neighbors. Giving the dog a nice long walk that's more than a few blocks. Playing *with* the kids. And yes, doing puzzles, finishing knitting projects, making a home-cooked meal and eating it together, the sort of stuff that makes up a simple but fulfilling life.

And hey, maybe we can get our kids outside more. Let them play in the park, ride bikes, climb trees, and socialize outside of formal and somewhat contrived settings, like recess or Girl Scouts.

I don't think this strike is a bad thing at all. I'm going to catch up on my reading, learn to knit, spend more time managing my websites, and cuddle up to my FH more!

And maybe take the dog for tracking lessons this summer.


Whitewater

[Jess]

I just don't watch TV... is the news being affected? Doesn't someone write that?

[firespirit]

Oh so I caught a bit on this on the Adam Corollas show this morning. They had one of the simpsons guys on and were asking him questions.

So apparetly writers do get a cut of the DVD sales (4 cents) yes that's right a whole 4 cents...

Either way, the main reason for this strike is for a cut of the profits from digital downloads. I think they are also going for a larger portion of dvd's and other media (I think they wnat 8 cents).

Writers do get residuals for the airing of the shows and reruns (and on movies when it's put onto tv) but they aren't getting any for digital downloads and the thing is that a lot of those downloads make money, when you hav to watch an ad, or you are paying fo rit thought netflix or whatever.

[SouthernQueenBride]

I saw on the news today that Grey's Anatomy will be out of shows by the end of the month!!!:whoa:

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!! Say it isn't so!! This is horrible! What a tradgedy!!!! **Faints**
Greys is one of my most fav. shows!!!

[exoduslaughin]

As much as I totally understand why this is happening, and agree that the writers should fight for what they want... this sucks as a tv watcher! I hope this gets worked out soon!

[ikkin510]

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!! Say it isn't so!! This is horrible! What a tradgedy!!!! **Faints**
Greys is one of my most fav. shows!!!


I know, I was horrified when I heard that. I really hope something gets figured out fast!!! That is also my fav show.

[HisMuse]

I found this quote, very scary. I can't imagine being without my shows...it's too awful to imagine.

“If this strike lasts longer than three months, an entire season of television will end this December. No dramas. No comedies. No Daily Show. The strike will also prevent any pilots from being shot in the spring, so even if the strike is settled by then, you won’t see any new shows until the following January. As in 2009. Both the guild and the studios we are negotiating with do agree on one thing: this situation would be brutal.”
- Lost co-creator and head writer Damon Lindelof tells The New York Times (http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/11/opinion/11lindelof.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&oref=slogin)

[Nekochanpurr]

I really hope it works out for the writers. :)
I'm also lucky i don't watch much TV.. And i haven't caught up (not even first season..!!) of Scrubs.. So.. I'm going to have to wait anyway!