Writers' Strike

As you probably know by now, the TV and movie writers are on strike in LA and NY. When I take the HB to school I get to drive by a live strike picket! The strike doesn't affect me much since I don't watch any episodic TV (though I am a The Daily Show and The Colbert Report viewer). Just gives me more time to watch sports.

At issue is how much money the writers will get for each DVD, download, and whatever we haven't thought of yet method of watching TV and films. The strike is rooted in the last contract where the studios completely got over on the writers in terms of their residuals from DVD sales (literally pennies).

I'm of several minds about strike:

1) The studios gotta open their wallets on this one. Their talk about waiting to see if people really want to download TV shows/movies before deciding what the right compensation should be is laughable. All they have to do is call their friends at the record companies.

2) Another problem for the studios is that people watch less TV now than they have before, especially network TV. Yes, if you're jonesing for Heroes you'll run back to the TV when new episodes pop-up, but you'll get used to doing other things with your time when you are not watching all the other crap.

3) The writers need to be VERY careful. For every striking writer there are probably five who would LOVE to write for TV and the movies and could give a rats ass about the WGA.
The strike will drive more independent (read: non-union) production.

4) The writers are looking to profit more from their creativity, which I think is good. I look forward to them doing the same for set builders, painters and costume designers.

5) When non-physical labor unions (e.g., writers, directors, baseball players) go on strike they ask for support of other unions. After all, if the Teamsters don't show up, nothing gets produced for a TV show/movie. Google "writers support" teamsters strike and tell me what comes up.

6) Both sides should realize that the American public doesn't need them. It's not like when the longshoremen go on strike and important goods don't get moved. People lived their lives just fine before Grey's Anatomy came on TV and they'll live just fine afterwards. Without their fave TV show they'll go bowling more, surf the internet and (gasp!) have more conversations.