Writers Strike!

[Crafty_Pat]

Figured it was time we pulled this out of the Razor Flashbacks thread. I'll start.

Here's an article about how the strike is actually beneficial to the studios.

"With hopes for resuming negotiations having cratered and TV skeins going dark, early layoffs have already hit the TV sector hard. But the pain will likely extend to other areas over the next month as companies use "force majeure" clauses to negate term deals and reduce actors' paychecks.

Because force majeure clauses usually require six weeks after a strike has started to kick in, there's a lurking suspicion that the companies won't push for a quick return to the bargaining table."

Basically, the studios can use the strike to invoke a rare clause to fire nearly anyone or rewrite nearly anyone's contract. Ugh.

[Crafty_Pat]

[Wolverine]

While this is a rather disturbing development, I still think that the writers have the higher ground. It really does seem like the AMPTP is being the unreasonable party in this struggle.

I hope it doesn't have to come down to State government having to exert pressure, but I wouldn't be surprised if they did - especially in L.A.

[Crafty_Pat]

Why Writers Get Residuals

[Forcegypsy]

Leading Dems won't cross picket line.

The Democratic frontrunners for the presidential nomination have all announced that they will forgo CBS News' upcoming presidential debate unless the network can reach a resolution with its employees who have authorized a strike.

Speaking earlier in the day, Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-NY, declared that: "The workers at CBS News have been without a contract for close to two and a half years. It is my hope that both sides will reach an agreement that results in a secure contract for the workers at CBS News but let me be clear: I will honor the picket line if the workers at CBS News decide to strike."

Hours later, her chief opponent for the nomination, Sen. Barack Obama, D-IL, weighed in as well, issuing the following statement through his campaign: "If CBS News is unable to reach an agreement with its workers and they decide to strike, Barack Obama will not cross the picket line to attend the debate."

Finally, former Sen. John Edwards, D-NC, offered his support for the strikers, declaring that he and his wife Elizabeth "will also honor any picket lines at CBS News, up to and including the CBS presidential debate on December 10th... I hope that in these disputes, management and the union are able to agree on a just settlement. But until those settlements are reached, I will stand firmly with these workers in their fight for a better life."

The pressure builds...

[Crafty_Pat]

The pressure builds...

Awesome. The next year's gonna be... interesting.

[VisualStatic]

Possible change in the wind.

http://blog.wired.com/underwire/2007/11/studioswriters.html

[Crafty_Pat]

"Some say back-room dealings involving major political figures as go-betweens got the sides kibitzing again."

That sounds like the B plot for a Sorkin-era West Wing episode.

[Wolverine]

"So this strike thing is all over, right?"

EDIT: And the Strike has reached ICHC.com:

[Crafty_Pat]

Latest from the front: Writers Rebuff AMPTP' "New Economic Partnership"

Seems like we're in for reruns for a while longer.

The news writers appear to have managed a preliminary agreement, though. That's almost a shame to me. I was kinda looking forward to seeing which Democratic candidates reneged on their promise not to cross the line. Or what the Republicans would do/say if none of the opposition showed up.

[TheAuldGrump]

As a note - the Variety site is the most power hungry website I have seen in a long time, with adverts that ad-block will not touch. It slowed my machine to a crawl.

The Auld Grump

[Crafty_Pat]

As a note - the Variety site is the most power hungry website I have seen in a long time, with adverts that ad-block will not touch. It slowed my machine to a crawl.

Sorry. I sometimes forget my home machine is rather butch, though I don't have much trouble at work either and that machine is downright archaic.

[TheAuldGrump]

My home machine is also fairly rugged - but those stupid Flash ads sucked it right down. Ad-Block Plus (on Firefox) should have stopped them, I should think, but they rolled right over it.

Once Flash ads reach a certain saturation you would hope that the advertiser would realize that getting computer owners annoyed with them is not an effective market strategy....

The Auld Grump

[Nepenthe]

Nothing like a laptop for spotting the load-heavy webpages. Yet to see a page slow me down, but when that old rotor blade starts spinning, you know something's going on!

[Crafty_Pat]

Pencils to Media Moguls!

The latest result of the strike is... kinda good for the fans, actually.

Donate some money to buy pencils to be shipped to the six media moguls in charge of the studio response to the strike (with any left-over cash going to charity), list the show you're supporting, and maybe get a prize from the creators/actors of the show!

Some of the amazing things on raffle...

Lost: Win one of three prize packages ranging from signed copies of the Season 3 DVD set to calls from the creators and/or actors to - get this - a call from Damon Lindelof, Carton Cuse, and Matthew Fox wherein they try to personally answer your questions about the show's mysteries!

Battlestar Galactica: Get a call from Mary McDonnell, Tricia Helfer, Michael Hogan, Jamie Bamber, or Michael Trucco, a towel actually worn by Jamie Bamber, or the chance to see a hockey game with Aaron Douglas!

Smallville: Get a call from Lex (Michael Rosenbaum)!

Eureka: Get a call from Colin Ferguson co-creator Jaime Paglia!

Army Wives: Get a call from Drew Fuller, or Kim Delaney and series creator Katherine Fugate!

More will almost certainly arrive soon.

I'll be supporting at least one show, starting with Lost but probably also BSG. How about you?