Is it going ahead or not?, dammit...i can't afford to lose my greatest US shows!

Oh damn!

http://www.latimes.com/ne...&cset=true

They could always improvise

Non scripted TV shows Who knows?

PANDURITO said:

now that would b must see tv

I don't know what the latest is on that, but I support their cause. The writers are the driving creative force behind film and TV and yet they get treated like cattle. They get replaced at a whim, don't have any real say whatsoever, don't get appreciation or recognition, and are forced to sign away any artistic integrity as soon as they start working. The least they deserve is a salary that stands in proportion to the profit their work generates.

retina said:

that totally sucks

I support the writers' cause, too.

The problem is, reality TV has proven to be a cash cow for networks and studios -- and benefit little the writers in Hollywood. The networks have been churning out reality TV and game shows with frightening regularity.

The writers don't look to be in such a strong bargaining position, which is crucial if you're going to strike.

And, yes, it's going forward:

Hollywood writers go on strike

LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- The strike by Hollywood writers is on. Writers and studios broke off talks late Sunday after 11 hours of negotiations.

The talks between the Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers were called by a federal mediator. The producers said a deal couldn't be reached.

The writers want more money from the sale of DVDs and a share of revenue generated by the sale of TV shows and films over the Internet. The studios say the demands are unreasonable and will hamper attempts to experiment with new media.

Picketing starts in the morning in New York and Los Angeles.

The walkout will affect late-night talk shows first, then daytime talk shows and soap operas. Studios have stockpiled movie scripts and prime-time TV has completed shows in hand to last until early next year.

Hollywood writers and studio representatives held last-ditch negotiations Sunday in an effort to prevent a strike, the writers union said.

A federal mediator called the meeting between the Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television producers at an undisclosed location.

The first picket lines are scheduled to form at New York's Rockefeller Center, followed by picket lines at various locations in Los Angeles, the guild said.

The studios say the demands are unreasonable and would hamper attempts to experiment with new media. Watch a report on the dispute »

The last time Hollywood writers went on strike was in 1988. The walkout lasted 22 weeks and cost the industry about $500 million.

WGA board members voted unanimously Friday to begin the strike unless studios offered a more lucrative deal. The two sides have been meeting since July.

"The studios made it clear that they would rather shut down this town than reach a fair and reasonable deal," Patric Verrone, president of the western chapter of the guild, said at a news conference. Watch Verrone discuss a 'bad contract' »

J. Nicholas Counter, chief negotiator for producers, called the writers' strike "precipitous and irresponsible" in a prepared statement.

Producers believe progress can be made on other issues but "it makes absolutely no sense to increase the burden of this additional compensation" involving DVDs and the Internet, he said.

The first casualty of the strike would be late-night talk shows, which are dependent on current events to fuel monologues and other entertainment.

"The Tonight Show" on NBC will go into reruns starting Monday if last-ditch negotiations fail and a strike begins, according to a network official who spoke on condition of anonymity because the person was not authorized to comment publicly.

Comedy Central has said "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" and "The Colbert Report" would likely go into repeats as well.

Daytime TV, including live talk shows such as "The View" and soap operas, which typically tape about a week's worth of shows in advance, would be next to feel the impact.

The strike would not immediately affect production of movies or prime-time TV programs. Most studios have stockpiled dozens of movie scripts, and TV shows have enough scripts or completed shows in hand to last until early next year.

Talks between writers and producers will likely impact upcoming negotiations between the studios and unions representing actors and directors.

All those unions believe revenue from content offered on the Internet, cell phones and other platforms will grow tremendously in the years ahead, even though it's now minuscule compared with DVD sales.

Consumers are expected to spend $16.4 billion on DVDs this year, according to Adams Media Research.

By contrast, studios could generate about $158 million from selling movies online and about $194 million from selling TV shows over the Web.

Studios argue that it is too early to know how much money they can make from offering entertainment on the Internet and on cell phones, iPods and other devices.

Producers are also uncertain whether consumers prefer a pay-per-view model over an advertising-supported system. They say they want the economic flexibility to experiment as consumer habits change in reaction to technology.

Well, I hope the strike doesn't last too long. I would hate for it to cause problems for my favourite TV shows.

ThreadBare said:

Oh, I think their position is strong enough. Almost all TV shows need writers, even to some extent the reality shows since they're often narrated etc. I think a strike will finally demonstrate just how much the film and TV world are depending on writing, and I'm sure lots of people will be quite shocked since writers are so rarely recognized or even thought of. We'll see though...

It's on, but I'm not much of a TV person so I don't much care.

I am going to be a scab writer. So if you have anything funny to say, please say it quick so I can steal it and send it to Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert.

This is my big chance, so don't let me down.

The last hollywood strike was in 88 right?

I remember hearing a blurb about it in NPR news stating that it was financially devastating to Hollywood's T.V. and affiliated industries. It even affected things like construction, car rental, and cleaning companies, etc. etc.


I believe all the writers are asking for here is a fairer share in what is distributed on the Internet and 'alternative' distribution means, right? The Industry claiming that they can't do it cause they don't have a business model set up for that wouldn't be an excuse I'd put up with either.

RodeoSchro said:

Also, one of my wife's friends produces "The David Letterman Show" so I could totally do this.

If you people will STEP UP with the humor, I might let you in on some royalties.