Writers strike?, PLEASE don't tell me this is true! = ( Options

[sexy_conan418]

http://bulletins.myspace.com/index.cfm?fus...ec-8e2e4a0c8556
MySpace bulletin posted by Pierre Bernard Recliner of Rage, Oct 18, 2007 11:12 PM:

"I do have one more request...

Pray for all of us in television. In two weeks there likely will be a writers strike.
Which means tomorrow or the week of the 5th could be the last time you see new Conan or any other talk show on the air for a long while. This will also affect some of your favorite TV shows.

Prepare for more reality shows and repeats.

The last strike was in '88. I was told it lasted 5 months"

Why on earth would there be a writers strike? I really hope this isn't true

[Beyond_the_pale]

Some info for example here:

http://www.reclaimthemedia.org/labor_right...kpile_sh%3D5233

"The three-year pact between studios and the Writers Guild of America expires Oct. 31 and talks are scheduled to begin in July.

That gives both sides little time to resolve complex issues involving how much TV and film writers should be paid when their work is distributed on new media platforms, including the Internet, cell phones, digital media players and other devices. The writers argue the payments — modeled after the structures used for DVD rights — are too low.

Older battles also remain to be resolved, including the revision of a decades-old formula for compensating writers for work that appears on DVD."



They wouldn't tape Late Night with just music and guests, would they?

[latenightgoddess]

That story made me think of this song. At least for the New York writers. http://youtube.com/watch?v=9nXjt1gY45c

The supposed reason for the strike isn't THAT applicable to the LN writers. I mean they don't have seasons of shows out on DVD (thought that would be wonderful). Full episodes on the internet and clips on youtube and video iPod, yes. Ok, so maybe it's pretty applicable. I'd hope they would vote no to the strike though. A writers strike would be absolutely horrific. Isn't our love compensation enough? I read somewhere that the final decision about the strike will be announced later today.

[sexy_conan418]

I know! Late Night is definetely the happiest part of my day, going months without it would make me a wreck

I asked Aaron about it in a blog comment, hopefully he'll answer my question tonight!

[latenightgoddess]

going months without it would make me a wreck

I know! We would all wither and fade if the Late Night writers withheld their goods and services from us. It's almost not ethically (or even psychiatrically) right. It's a little concerning that Pierre said something -- that makes it seem like a pretty big possibility. I guess we'll see.

[Conan_the_shooti...]

Awe, Easy Street, song. It seems lots of the writers don't make that much. I could be wrong? I hope everyone is REASONABLE and a compromise is reached ASAP.

Here's to the sponsors! They really do help foot the bill.

[latenightgoddess]

WRITERS GUILD STRIKE AUTHORIZATION VOTE PASSES
WGAE
October 19, 2007
Vote Draws Record High Turnout

In an historic demonstration of unity, members of the Writers of Guild of America, East (WGAE) and the Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) have overwhelmingly authorized a strike in the event WGA negotiators determine that a fair and reasonable contract cannot be negotiated with the networks and studios. The current contract expires on October 31. Members of the two Guilds cast 5,507 votes with 90.3% voting for authorization. This vote represents the highest turnout in Guild history, surpassing the previous Guild record of 4,128 votes cast in the 2001 MBA contract ratification.

"I am both impressed and gratified by this vote. It shows an overwhelmingly engaged and activated community of writers who care about this negotiation and support our goals. It is now up to the AMPTP companies to begin to bargain seriously concerning the issues important to our members," stated WGAW President Patric M. Verrone. "Writers do not want to strike, but they are resolute and prepared to take strong, united action to defend our interests. What we must have is a contract that gives us the ability to keep up with the financial success of this ever-expanding global industry."

"We're gratified by the massive show of solidarity our members have given our negotiating team by voting in such overwhelming numbers for a strike authorization. Our negotiators can now begin the next round of bargaining strengthened by the knowledge that their hard work and commitment to a fair, meaningful contract - no matter what it takes - are so fully recognized and supported by television and screen writers across the country," said WGAE President Michael Winship. "This historic vote sends an unequivocal message to the AMPTP, loud and clear. We will not be taken advantage of and we will not be fooled."

"Writers have spoken in resounding numbers to give our negotiating committee the power we need to negotiate a fair deal that will protect our profession long into the future. A vote like this paints an extremely accurate portrait of where we stand as a Guild: united, confident, and strong," said John F. Bowman, chair of the WGA Negotiating Committee.

The official strike authorization ballot was mailed to members on October 1 and asked the following question: "Should the WGAW Board of Directors and the WGAE Council be authorized to declare a strike, if and when they deem it advisable to do so, in connection with negotiations for the 2007 WGA Theatrical and Television Basic Agreement?" Writers have answered that question.

The vote gives the governing bodies of the two guilds authorization to call a strike after the current contract expires on October 31. Negotiations began on July 16, but little progress has been made on the primary issues, including compensation and residuals for new media, contract enforcement, Guild jurisdiction, and a proposed increase in the DVD formula. Talks are scheduled to resume on Monday, October 22, at the WGAW headquarters in Los Angeles.
-----------

BTW, I'm pretty sure Chris Albers (Late Night's head monologue writer) is still the president of the Writers Guild, eastern division. Just a fun fact.

Here's an article from the perspective of a humble late night TV viewer who I pretty much love because he refers to his child as "demon spawn". He suggests that if there is a strike, there's a chance late night shows could come back without writers -- Letterman and Johnny Carson apparently did that back in '88. That's preposterous. I mean there can't just be a half hour of Conan blabbing off the top of his head in place of where the jokes and sketches were...

Better Late Than Never
By Ben Grossman -- Broadcasting & Cable, 10/22/2007

If the looming writers' strike happens next month, it could shut down the late-night talk shows.

Late-night was an early casualty of the last major work stoppage, which began in March 1988. That strike lasted 22 weeks, and the collateral industry damage was put at $500 million. That was back when a half-billion bucks was a half-billion bucks, and not just 1/20th the value of Facebook.

But let's forget the industry a moment and try to gauge the immense emotional toll. This late shift would make me much more stressed and infinitely less cool. Not to mention less entertained, informed and engaged.

Currently, a typical night in Casa Grossman has me pining for 11:35 p.m. First, the missus and I must chase our 20-month-old demon spawn until he runs out of things to stick in power outlets and goes to bed. This is followed by an hour of my pregnant bride blaming me for the fact that she can't imbibe her beloved beer(s) in said condition.

Finally, when she goes to bed, I can reunite with the late-night crew that makes me laugh so I don't start to cry: Dave, Jay, Jimmy, Jon, Conan, Craig and Spike.

Their shows let a complete tool like me at least fake being somewhat hip.

For those of us who don't know where all the cool video clips are on the Interweb (to quote the eloquent Tracy Jordan on 30 Rock), the late-night shows are there. And a Jimmy Kimmel monologue originally tipped me off that "Chocolate Rain" was a once-hot YouTube clip and not some bad 1970s porn film.

If history repeats, this is the kind of diverting stuff we'd sorely miss come strike day.

The 1988 strike gutted late-night. Johnny Carson and everyone else closed up shop immediately and aired repeats. Carson was the first to return in early May, sans writers. As the producer of his show, he was able to cut a deal with the Writers Guild a few weeks after he came back, and the Guild allowed his scribes to go back to work.

David Letterman came back live in late June, but without his other 12 writers -- �though he apparently did have jokes faxed to him quietly.

You can expect the shows to shut down at the outset this time, as well. And much like Carson in 1988, it may be Letterman and Jay Leno who dictate if and when the others go live again.

While Dave owns his show, NBC owns The Tonight Show, so don't expect side deals for Jay. But neither will want to stay dark too long and risk having to cut staff. And when one comes back, the other will follow.

If everybody returns without writers, some shows could be better positioned than others. True, some topical jokes write themselves.

For example, Playboy TV sent out a press release last week promoting new shows that now last just 10 minutes. I don't need a staff of 13 writers to know why that's funny.

Kimmel, however, relies heavily on video clips in his monologue, so he could feel free to insert his own comments. And unlike Monday Night Football producer Jay Rothman, most people find him pretty witty off the cuff, as evidenced by his annual killing at ABC's upfront.

Craig Ferguson's opening monologue is supposed to be just him riffing on a different topic every night. I guess we'd find out quickly how much of that opener is really Craig's own riff.

I'm not smart enough to know exactly what the writers and companies are fighting over. But here's what I do know: If this column gets increasingly bitter in a month, it's because I lost my late-night crew.

[Conan_the_shooti...]

Here's an article from the perspective of a humble late night TV viewer who I pretty much love because he refers to his child as "demon spawn". He suggests that if there is a strike, there's a chance late night shows could come back without writers -- Letterman and Johnny Carson apparently did that back in '88. That's preposterous. I mean there can't just be a half hour of Conan blabbing off the top of his head in place of where the jokes and sketches were...

You always seem to forget that Conan O'Brien is one of the BEST writers out there. He is very capable of writing his own sketches and hiring actors to play the parts. But it would be exhausting for him to keep doing that 5 nights a week. However, I would miss his regular writers whom I learned to really appreciate and care about.

[latenightgoddess]

You always seem to forget that Conan O'Brien is one of the BEST writers out there.

I never forget that Conan is an amazing writer. I just don't think of it as his primary function on the show. He's more of an editor (in my mind), and a joke deliverer and interviewer. So this hypothetical scenario would be a bit of a role shift for him. There's no doubting that he can write a great sketch and whatnot. But there's no way the format of the comedy (monologue jokes, a desk piece with ~12 little jokes or one big joke or 3 or 4 medium-sized jokes, and an act 3/4) would be the same as it is now without any other writers. That'd just be insane for one person to do all by themself, and especially 5 days in a row. So I'd have to think Conan would improvise in most of the places where (written) jokes would normally be.

[sexy_conan418]

I really hope everything gets back to working in a reasonable amount of time

Even if Conan is one of the best writers, that doesn't mean he can write an entire hour-long show five nights a week, that's just absurd. I would LOVE if it was just him talking about himself and what's going on in his life, but I don't know how much other people would enjoy that.

[Conan_the_shooti...]

I really hope everything gets back to working in a reasonable amount of time

Even if Conan is one of the best writers, that doesn't mean he can write an entire hour-long show five nights a week, that's just absurd. I would LOVE if it was just him talking about himself and what's going on in his life, but I don't know how much other people would enjoy that.

You know what, GOOD LORD, you think you know a lot for a 15 year old. ---I know you mean well ...but Trust me you DO NOT, no teenager does, even bright ones like you.
I need to do that late night survey,... For the record, I am an adult and have done enough theatre and have had plenty of work experience in the Arts to tell you it can be done--- as long as they have someone like Conan to run it. He is amazing and IS the reason it is called late night with conan and not late night with the writers. The writers are needed and will be missed and hopefully it will not go that far but like the article said Carson had to do it in the 80's and so could O'Brien.


Anyway, Conan would not have to do an hour of writing, I never said that absurd statement. He has interviews and he could add a few more to the list, plus his guest band... And Pierre with the graphics could do more of the 'if they mated', The Walker Texas Ranger Lever-maybe even pick another show to highlight and laugh about, Desk Driving, Conan's Legs, Conan and Max/Worm hang out- where they never really say anything just walk together and leave, etc... and the famous look alike shots. Conan could even bring in some broadway theatre people to do some ensembles like they did with Les Miserables.
Bottom line, if need be, Conan O'Brien, more than anyone, is up for the challenge in running HIS show, without the great and I mean great late night writers. Lets all pray it does not get that far!!!

BTW I like you Liz and think you are awesome and I mean that!!!!

[sexy_conan418]

Sorry, I really don't mean to sound that way! I just mean that in interviews Conan makes it sound like a lot of hard work doing what he does already, but with even more on his shoulders I couldn't imagine!

I think you're awesome, too!!

[Conan_the_shooti...]

Hey thanks, and that's OK. N/P I didn't mean to 'sound that way' either, sorry too!

[MsFrankenstein]

As of right now are we still unsure whether there will be a strike or not? I'm so curious because I'll be in NY the week of the 5th and was going to try for standby. That's obviously not going to happen if they won't have any new shows going on!

[latenightgoddess]

As of right now are we still unsure whether there will be a strike or not?

The current contract expires October 31 and if "a fair and reasonable contract cannot be negotiated with the networks and studios" by then, there will be a strike, authorized by ~90% of the Writers Guild members.

[MsFrankenstein]

The current contract expires October 31 and if "a fair and reasonable contract cannot be negotiated with the networks and studios" by then, there will be a strike, authorized by ~90% of the Writers Guild members.

I'll just have to pray and keep my fingers crossed then!

[sissarui330]

If worse came to worse and Conan had to fire all the writers, gosh that sounds horrible. Then he could for a while hire them from the UCB for the sketches, as performer/ variety acts or something. It would be a way of getting around the red tape, though I imagine that there would be serious anomsity because they would appear to be scabs and then there is also the idea that they would not be getting paid the same as they were before. This is bad for all parties envolved. . . I just thought of this! Conan is considered a writer for his show, he could strike aswell. I guess it comes down to what does Conan envision himself as a host or a writer and who does he support. Conan very well could strike with his staff, with all the ramifications that are involved if a strike comes to pass I hope that Conan is on the line with them. I can't imagine the dynamic for the writers and Conan if that wasn't the case. Just my thought though.

[latenightgoddess]

If worse came to worse and Conan had to fire all the writers, gosh that sounds horrible.

I'm kind of shocked anyone would suggest that Conan would fire his writers, at least over this. I think there is a mutual, genuine respect and admiration between Conan and the writers (personal and professional), and I think Late Night is their collective show and they see it as such. I doubt Conan would fire the uniquely talented group of writers who he has worked so closely with for so many years and who have all helped each other to get where they are today as a very brilliant, successful, Emmy-winning team. Each one of them is essential to the team, and I think Conan would be the first to realize that. I also realize that Conan is a member of the Writers Guild -- I think anyone who's considered a writer for the show is required to be a WGA member. As such, I think he'd be required to strike, too, so that's another reason I didn't quite understand the idea of him being able to come back without the staff writers.

[Conan_the_shooti...]

If worse came to worse and Conan had to fire all the writers, gosh that sounds horrible. Then he could for a while hire them from the UCB for the sketches, as performer/ variety acts or something. It would be a way of getting around the red tape, though I imagine that there would be serious animosity because they would appear to be scabs and then there is also the idea that they would not be getting paid the same as they were before. This is bad for all parties evolved. . . I just thought of this! Conan is considered a writer for his show, he could strike as-well. I guess it comes down to what does Conan envision himself as a host or a writer and who does he support. Conan very well could strike with his staff, with all the ramifications that are involved if a strike comes to pass I hope that Conan is on the line with them. I can't imagine the dynamic for the writers and Conan if that wasn't the case. Just my thought though.

Talk about a I know what you mean... I am sure Conan is sitting down and deciding what he must do if the Strike moves forward.

No one loves these writers more than you Sissarui330. You've even written them and got positive responses back. I know you are just putting it all out there, as a... OMG 'what if'! It did occur to me that since Conan is a writer and talk show host, what is the protocol or contractual legality for him in this matter? hmmm

[sexy_conan418]

Here's an article about it!

http://www.oregonlive.com/living/oregonian....xml&coll=7

TV writers' strike may not be a bad thing
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
The Oregonian

T he first thing you need to know about the writers' strike poised to hit the television industry next week is that it's not necessarily bad news for TV watchers.

In fact, an industry-freezing strike might be the best thing to hit American TV since the 1988 writers' walkout.

We'll get to that later. But first, let's take on the bad news.

The 5,000-plus writers' guild, which also represents movie writers, has been unable to reach an agreement with the alliance of producers about how writers should benefit from income generated by digital sales of the shows they write.

Last week more than 90 percent of the guild's members voted to approve a strike if their leaders decide one is necessary after their contract expires Wednesday, Oct. 31.

Once a strike is called, all writing for TV shows will stop immediately. Although many producers prepared for the strike by commissioning far more scripts than usual during the summer and early fall, the extra stock will only keep their shows in business for another few weeks. Most prime-time production will dwindle by early winter, then grind to a stop.

Assuming the strike continues for a while -- and the last major walkout, in 1988, dragged on for 22 weeks -- most prime-time shows will shift into repeats by midwinter, or else disappear altogether.

Fans of Comedy Central's "The Daily Show" and "The Colbert Report" will be the first to feel the pain, as their topical, writer-centric programs either vanish or shift into formats that emphasize guests, rather than prepared material. Late-night talk shows -- Jay Leno's "The Tonight Show," David Letterman's "Late Show" and Conan O'Brien's "Late Night" and so on -- will go through similar mutations.

Soap operas will burn through their backlog of finished shows (generally four weeks' worth) and then either go into repeats or leave the air. And while prime-time dramas and comedies that are already on the air will continue apace for weeks, midseason entries, such as ABC's "Lost" and Fox's "24," will be limited to either six- or eight-week mini-seasons, or else take the year off.

News writers are covered by separate agreements, so their work will continue. Only faster and far more furious as they spread out to fill the holes in the schedule. Expect blanket coverage of each and every celebrity meltdown and real-world disaster, and plenty of midseason football, basketball and hockey games, too.

Don't forget reality shows. Already beloved by the networks for being so inexpensive to produce, the quasi-documentaries and talent shows will become all the more valuable, thanks to their nonstriking writers. The "Lost" loss will surely be the "Survivor" gain.

All across the industry and on both sides of the screen, a writers' strike will be jarring and unsettling. A crisis, to be sure.

But crises can be invigorating, too, particularly for people locked into patterns that have grown stale or dysfunctional.

TV executives love to talk about taking chances and thinking outside the proverbial box. But once a strike truly takes hold, the brave talk is going to have to stop -- the network box will have exploded into powder.

All of their usual patterns, rules and expectations will be gone. You'll start seeing faces and programs you never thought you'd see on American TV. The networks may actually begin to surprise you.

Already, NBC is talking about replacing its own version of "The Office" with episodes of the original, and arguably better, British version.

Other non-mainstream shows, imports and domestic, may get a shot at the vast network audiences. Meanwhile, the late night talk show hosts will have the chance to prove their mettle as the stand-up comics most of them once were.

Recall how "Tonight Show" host Johnny Carson and then-"Late Night" host David Letterman reached unforeseen heights of weirdness, and often hilarity, by facing their audiences night after night with almost no prepared material. Letterman, famously, got a shave on the air. Carson was just his charming, bone-dry self.

And that's not the reason why so many network executives, top producers and even some creative types aren't exactly dreading the prospect of a Hollywood writers' strike.

The producers' keening need for new scripts early in the season has already thrown opportunities to relatively inexperienced writers who now have earned money and credits they otherwise wouldn't have received. Holes in the network schedule may open up showcase slots for shows that were either canceled quickly or never quite made it onto the air.

Meanwhile, network executives, already stung by the distinct lack of buzz and viewers for the new fall shows, are purported to be less than dismayed at the chance to pull the plug on so many underperforming shows at once. Usually such rampant cancellations imply failure on the part of the execs. In the midst of a strike it's someone else's fault: a blameless do-over.

Still, what really matters for viewers is what does, and doesn't, end up on the screen. No one likes the prospect of having their favorite shows vanish into the limbo of an open-ended labor dispute. But this time around you've got a whole Internet full of entertainment options to explore. And shelves already groaning with DVDs. Once the networks figure that out they'll have to redouble their efforts to draw viewers back to their own corner of the media universe.

It's impossible to say what they might come up with. And that's a good thing.

Peter Ames Carlin: 503-221-8562; petercarlin@news.oregonian.com