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11/6: Writers strike’s impact on TV
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
From what I’ve been reading and hearing, this writers strike could be long and ugly. It’s basically a battle for a share of the digital world and how much money the studios are willing to pay the writers in that burgeoning realm. The writers, who felt they were gypped on DVD sales, want more on the Web, the cel phone, the iPod. Studios are worried that it’s too early to ascertain what is the right level of compensation for such mediums because they aren’t generating much income right now. They are also worried about setting a precedent for actors and directors to jump on next year when SAG and DGA negotiatve contracts.
This strike has been a long time coming so both sides have prepared. Studios have been stockpiling scripts. The Writers Guild has been stockpiling a strike fund to give low-interest loans to its members. So far, both sides appear to be far apart even after the writers took raising DVD residual payments off the table.
There are about 12,000 WGA members, of which half are employed at any one time. The residual payments from repeats and DVDs have helped keep many writers going between full-time gigs.
Here’s what will happen:
Already, starting last night, the late-night shows such as Leno, Letterman, Conan, “The Daily Show,” Kimmel and “The Colbert Report” are on repeats. They all use writers and they aren’t going to go on without them. “The View” and ‘Regis & Kelly” are talk shows that will go on as normal because they don’t use WGA writers.
The upcoming ABC show “Cashmere Mafia” starring Lucy Liu has already been postponed. And NBC has said it won’t be doing the “Heroes: Origins” episodes, which were to be a precursor to a possible spinoff.
In a few weeks, soap operas will run out of scripts and shut down.
If the strike lingers, scripted shows such “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Heroes” will run out fresh episodes and networks will be forced to air repeats, reality fare, game shows or newsmagazines. By February, broadcast TV will look suspiciously like summer. New shows such as “Pushing Daisies” and “Gossip Girl” may see momentum stymied. Netwokrs will have to decide if they are going to air only a few episodes of “Lost” and “24” or none at all. (For “24,” it might end up being none at all given how important it is to run the entire show in sequence with no repeats.)
Shows such as “American Idol,” “Survivor” and “America’s Next Top Model” are not affected since the folks who do edit or refine the storylines on these shows are not part of the Writers Guild (despite efforts to do so.).
Broadcast TV is already struggling this fall. This could be just another kick in the groin as viewers wander elsehwere. In 1988, the last time the writers struck, the broadcast networks lost about 9 percent of their viewers, many of whom never came back.
For the film industry, the impact won’t be immediate given the advance time and the ease of stockpiling scripts.
How do you all feel about this? I’m just depressed it’s even happening. I need my weekly “Office” fix!
Comments
Commenting is now closed for this entry.
By mel
November 5, 2007 8:59 PM | Link to this
The Office has an interesting problem since Paul Lieberstien, Mindy Kaling, BJ Novak and Steve Carell have all written several episodes & are actors on the show.
By Bud
November 5, 2007 9:33 PM | Link to this
Broadcast TV blows. I hope the writer’s strike wipes out CBS, ABC, and NBC combined. Never underestimate America’s ability to watch reheated leftovers on TV over and over and over again. Plus, there could never be too many reality shows, eh?
By Deirdre
November 6, 2007 8:46 AM | Link to this
I am certainly going to miss my favorite shows…The Office being one of them. Many people think that the last writers’ strike in the late 80’s is what started the proliferation of cable TV. I shudder to think about what the networks will come up with to replace the scripted shows. Late night TV is gone for now(except for reruns)plus The Daily Show and The Colbert Report. I’ve heard that the soaps will run out of scripts in about a month.( some people wouldn’t consider that to be bad news :-))
I do know that hoards of writers are looking for jobs elsewhere. Rodney, I can email you with the details on that if you’re interested.
By Jeff
November 6, 2007 8:59 AM | Link to this
I watch very few shows on broadcast TV, but I LOVE the ones I do watch!
Maybe, just maybe, though, it will actually HELP one of mine in particular though:
Journeyman.
If you can get through the Pilot, you’re hooked. I know I was. The more you watch of this one, the more you WANT to watch, because there are just SOOO many questions being raised.
As I’ve said, give me a full season of it. After that, cancel it if you must. But PLEASE give me a full season!!
The others I watch may or may not be affected much, I honestly don’t know.
Reaper: New show, but doing well according to Rodney. Should fare decently well through this.
Bionic Woman: Losing steam already, this could kill it.
Smallville: This is the season they turn Clark into Superman. (In fact, according to internet sites I’ve seen, the Season Finale is titled ‘Superman’.) As such, I honestly don’t think the strike will hurt it very much.
CSI: They’ve got enough of a fan base and enough episodes to repeat that this will have a MINIMAL, if any, affect.
Power Rangers: Completely unaffected. Shot in New Zealand using material originally developed in Japan. The current season is ending next week (maybe in two weeks, as the Season Finale is generally a two-parter), and the new season begins in February.
WWE RAW: Compeletely unaffected. Vince McMahon is having enough trouble, and daughter Stephanie is the head of the Creative side of things. Plus, son-in-law Paul Levesque (aka wrestler Triple H) is one of the main draws in RAW, and several of the other wrestlers are HIGHLY loyal to Vince McMahon personally. Even if every single writer for WWE walked out, they have enough talent with a deep understanding of the business that they can continue on. (That, and with Chris Jericho returning soon, their ratings are only going to go up.)
By Neil
November 6, 2007 11:02 AM | Link to this
At some point, Jay & Dave will contact the WGA and settle with their writers. The reason will not be the writers themselves, it will be the tech people. Remember, if the writers are out, the tech people (camera, sound, lighting, make-up) are also out of work. Those poeple don’t make nearly as much as writers, After a month, they will be hurting.
Fot the person above who mentioned the writing team of The Office, they are in the union, thus they are on strike. Just like Tina Fey at 30 Rock. If NBC hires scabs, those people will have to decide what to do, meaning crossing the picket line or not. If the last time was any indication, the networks will not hire scabs, which means my scripts for “Viva Laughlin” will never get produced.
By Al
November 6, 2007 1:53 PM | Link to this
Well…..Two Guys Garage with Atlanta’s own Sam Memmolo has a full season of all new episodes! Sundays on The Speed Channel. No millionaires walking a picket line. Just good automotive repairs and advice!!
By Steve
November 6, 2007 4:01 PM | Link to this
Don’t forget about My Classic Car starring Dennis Gage, also on The Speed Channel. A whole season’s worth of episodes ready for broadcast!
By Randall Bloomquist
November 6, 2007 4:07 PM | Link to this
I’ll cross the picket line. Deskins is going to throw my sorry behind out of the Building of Death any day now, and we all know I’ll never work in radio again, so I might as well destroy the television industry.
By Larry
November 7, 2007 8:32 AM | Link to this
Don’t forget about Super Chevy Show starring Ted Jones & Don Garlits, sponsored by Mothers Car Polish on ESPN2.
By IN THE NEWS
November 7, 2007 9:20 AM | Link to this
SUPPORT THE IMPEACHMENT OF DICK CHENEY You can Email Speaker Pelosi and all of the Judiciary Committee Members for whom we have identified good Email addresses all at once by signing this petition.
By Cheney
November 7, 2007 11:21 AM | Link to this
Support the Impeachment of Kucinich. The charge? That ridiculous Hitler hair style.
By Deirdre
November 7, 2007 4:43 PM | Link to this
I just read that Steve Carell has refused to cross the picket line and production of The Office has stopped! Who’s next?
By Barry Meguiar
November 8, 2007 8:29 AM | Link to this
Don’t forget about my show, Car Crazy starring Barry Meguiar on The Speed Channel. Our writers can think for themselves and don’t need a union!
By Stacey David
November 8, 2007 8:40 AM | Link to this
Have to plug my car show on ESPN: Stacey David’s Gearz. A whole season of episodes already filmed and ready for broadcast!
By Katie Couric
November 8, 2007 8:42 AM | Link to this
If this writer’s strike does not end soon, I’m going to flip my top. Soon, I will have to report actual news instead of the usual liberal hate propaganda I enjoy espousing on you people.
By xfan
November 8, 2007 1:58 PM | Link to this
Oh, no! How horrible! You mean TV might come to a standstill!? Oh, the horror!
Maybe people will start to READ again. What a concept!
By Zach
November 8, 2007 11:36 PM | Link to this
Oh how I hate unions. Seems every other day someone else is whining about not getting paid enough. Then they strike and it does absolutely nothing for the world except screw me and everyone else living in it.
Urgh. It’s just like organized crime.
By plutarch
November 9, 2007 8:47 AM | Link to this
Katie…if you removed your top you’d get much better ratings!