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November 04, 2007

The Crux of the matter.

Some of your favorite TV shows are most likely going to be going into reruns. Early. Seasons will be canceled, entertainment options dwindle, etc. Why?

Well, people with power (the TV studios) have decided that the people without power (TV writers) ought not to get a share of the money that they (the TV writers) are creating. It really is as simple as that.

It is actually worse than that. The studios have decided that since they have power, they will simply define the writer's revenue stream out of existence. DVD sales simply won't "count" towards "residual" sales in exactly the same manner as VHS sales. Also: since the internet doesn't "broadcast", writers (it seems) don't have the right to money from "rebroadcast".

Just so we're clear: when you buy a season of TV on VHS, writers are compensated. When you buy it on DVD or iTunes, they are not. Fortunately, the writers have the power to break the collective bargaining ability shown by the networks. They have formed a union for their collective defense.

As the writer's guild says " Our position is simple and fair: when our work generates revenue for the Companies, we deserve to be paid." Indeed.

Posted by Andrew at November 4, 2007 09:48 PM

Comments

I think you need to check your facts. The problem is not that there writers aren't getting paid differently for VHS than DVD sales--the problem is that they are being paid that what they agreed to when VHS tapes came out. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_Writers_Guild_of_America_strike#DVD_residuals

Furthermore the studios are arguing that the fee system from VHS tapes should apply to digital broadcasts.

Here's the WGA's proposal. http://www.wga.org/contract_07/proposalsfull2.pdf


Posted by: bogdon6 [TypeKey Profile Page] at November 11, 2007 06:46 AM

You're right. I'm wrong. I hate it when I'm wrong. The problem is that they're being paid differently depending on the medium. Which _is_ a problem...

Posted by: Andrew Cory [TypeKey Profile Page] at November 11, 2007 08:05 AM