Writers Strike

[KingIsaacLinksr]

Strikes are never good for any of the parties involved. It's unfortunate it had to come to this and many people in the industry will be adversely affected. It may take a reasonable amount of time for the entertainment industry to get back on its feet if this strike goes on for long.

Personally, I won't be pleased that new TV won't be coming out for the next little while, but I guess I'll have to console myself with more WoW.

Yea, thats going to me too.  This is a pity, but we'll survive, i just don't see the Entertainment business doing so well.

King Linksr

[Geekyfanboy]

This is the one and only time that I'm glad I work in Reality TV.

[space_invader64]

The strike would be good for me if they would let me scab.  I could write a good episode of something.  Sign me up!

[jedijeff]

I agree that it is sad when Organizations go on strike, as even though they are fighting for their rights, it has adverse effects on others. From a few strikes I have seen, sometimes I think both parties comes out the losers in the end, as the people striking most likely never make back what they lost well on strike if it goes on to long, and business owners loss business that is hard to get back. Up here in Canada the one that always bothered me the most are when Teachers go on strike, as the students are the ones who suffer, and it seems like they could be set at a disadvantage to other students who are able to continue their education.
I know a few years back, the NHL went on Strike/Lockout for the whole season. There was a lot of press on the Players losing money, but it was much more sad for the people who worked for the teams, the league, the arenas, and other industries that support Hockey. My wife worked for a picture framing company, and a major part of their business is sports pictures, and mostly NHL, their business was affected even though they are not directly related to NHL. I fear this writers strike will have the same affect on people who might be indirectly involved, and maybe not even notice they are. Here in  Canada they film a lot of shows, so if they stop producing the shows after they run out of scripts, less money going into the economies, and people out of work. If it drags on to long, then when they do come back, they will have to really work to get viewers back, could take years, if ever.

[KingIsaacLinksr]

Its just like importing materials from other countries.  (oil too)  Its going to affect a lot more than just the entertainment business.  Its going to damage video stores, DVD sales, and stores that sell things related to this area like posters and such.  Sorry, just not many examples, but this is going to hurt everyone and it will have lasting effects. 

In my opinion, strikes only work 1/2 the time.  At least from what I've observed anyway.  Maybe 2 years ago, my hometown (Tillamook Cheese Factory) company had a strike on its hands.  Although, not as big a deal, they eventually had to return to work cause they couldn't afford it.  Whats annoying about strikes, is that ppl like farmers have to go there because they are not affected/don't work for the union.  But as they past the picket line, ppl...weren't happy.  I even heard some got cursed at.  /sigh.  Its terrible, but ppl have to work if they aren't part of the union. 

Wish there was a better way, but I guess there really isn't.  Whats going to be annoying, is that commericials on TV are going to be twice as long....so shows are only going to 1/2 hour for an "hour-long" broadcast.  Which is bs....oh well...its the way of the world.

King Linksr

[Geekyfanboy]

Wish there was a better way, but I guess there really isn't.  Whats going to be annoying, is that commercials on TV are going to be twice as long....so shows are only going to 1/2 hour for an "hour-long" broadcast.  Which is bs....oh well...its the way of the world.

King Linksr

They won't shorten episodes for more advertising.. if the strike goes on for a long time and they run out of scripts then we will see repeats and alot more reality shows (since they technically don't have writers.) Hour shows will still be roughly 43 minutes long and half hour shows will be roughly 21 minutes long. The good thing is that there has been grumblings for a while so the have stock piled scripts.

Let's hope it doesn't last as long as the last major strike.

[KingIsaacLinksr]

Idk Kenny, I'm going to start setting a timer on some shows because it feels like more than 1/2 of it is commercials.  But thats another story.

King Linksr

[Geekyfanboy]

Idk Kenny, I'm going to start setting a timer on some shows because it feels like more than 1/2 of it is commercials.  But thats another story.

King Linksr

Well there are FCC rules on how much time can be used from advertising.

[KingIsaacLinksr]

Hmm, well, the last shows I watched before leaving for college, I swear, no joke even my parents think so, it was 3-5mins, then COMMERCIAL for about 5mins, then 2mins, then commercial, and it went on and on and on to the point where I just left and played wow or something.  Its getting terrible.

King Linksr

[X]

I only have one question. Does this mean Flash Gordon will get better without the writers?

[markinro]

The strike would be good for me if they would let me scab.  I could write a good episode of something.  Sign me up!

Doubt the strike will affect Flash Gordon series.   I mean, come on !!   

[Geekyfanboy]

yeah.. i mean they never had writers to begin with :)

[X]

I was thinking at a scab might swoop in to save the show in the zero hour, but as an bladly scripted sci-fi show, I think that they can film scriptless shows and still not have a noticable difference. If so, that was a good move on the part of Sci-fi to pick up the show.

[Ktrek]

Just to throw my two cents in here, even though I know my thoughts will meet with resistance!

I think the whole strike thing stinks. The only real victims of all these shenanigans are the "consumers"! Yea! That's right! The writers care nothing about all the trickle down effect their demands will have on the industry as a whole. Ultimately if the producers give in and meet their demands for residuals who is going to pay? WE ARE the CONSUMERS! We will pay in higher cable rates, DVDs will be more expensive (like they are not already high enough!), advertisers will be charged more to advertise to make up the losses and it will be passed on to consumers in price increases. All because the writers think they are "owed" something.

I give you this parrallel...

Rico is a chemist right? Rico probably has a contract or an agreement with the company he works for to produce a "product"...right? Does Rico "deserve to have a share in the profits of anything he develops for said company while he is employed in said company for "residuals"? No! He is employed to perform a job and he does the job he does so that the company he works for continues to make a "profit" so said "profit" will guarantee, or at least ensure, his future employment. I see no reason that Rico would be able to lay claim to a residual any more than the guy who raises cows for slaughter for McDonald's deserves a residual for every hamburger sold! I certainly have never gotten a residual for contributions I have made in the industries I have worked in!

Now, if you are the "creator" of a TV show I think perhaps you may have some right to residuals but when you are hired to do a job then DO IT! I think that residuals should be something "earned" NOT a guarantee just because you worked on a show. If you have been in the industry and over time you have "proven" yourself valuable as a gifted and talented writer then, and only then, should you be able to negotiate your contract, with your agent, to get residuals as a benefit for your continuance with a project. It should be something earned because of your proven worth NOT a given just because you were a second or third rate writer on a successful TV show!

This strike is wrong in more ways than one! I won't even go into the moral reasons I believe it to be wrong!

But as I said earlier...my life goes on whether they strike or not! If their actions lead to less jobs available because of less advertisers, higher costs of DVDs, translating to sluggish sales, and less expendable cash, so be it! I owe nobody anything except my mortgage and I will be fine but millions of Americans will not and they won't soon forget those who helped boost our already sluggish economy further into a slump.

If I were those in charge of the industry I would tell them they can take their unions and shove them! I would scout college campuses for fresh, new and invigorating talent that can lead the industry forward into this new century! It wouldn't take long after that before many of those who think they have to strike on principle would come crawling back home to just have a paycheck (like the majority of us poor citizens out here)!

The ultimate victim in this and any strike is the consumer! We will always be the ones to have to pay for others greed!

Kevin

[KingIsaacLinksr]

Hear hear!!

*slams table*

I agree with that statement 100%

King Linksr