Why the WGA strike is good news for TV viewers

why the wga strike is good news for tv viewers
note: this article has nothing to do with validating your operating system

occupying most of the television news this week (as i\'m sure most people are
fully aware) is the growing concern over the number of writers, who are part of
the writers guild, joining the picket line in this strike for a bigger slice of
dvd profits and revenue from sales made over the internet (in relation to tv and
movies).

in a nutshell: greedy writers spitting their dummies out over money they seem to
think they\'re owed. this has happened before, a similar strike with the writers
guild happened back in the 1980\'s. the big networks combated this by showing
re-runs and re-shot tv shows based on old scripts.

it seems, based on the shows apparently going to be affected by the strike, that
it\'s all the shows that are showing the poorest writing (the simpsons, heroes,
prison break and more) and making the most money. so, these shows are making
more money off worse material than other shows out there ... and the writers are
complaining that they want more? seriously, you don\'t deserve the right.

just look at the shows which will be affected: the tonight show with jay leno,
late night with conan o\'brien, last call with carson daly, the daily show with
jon stewart, colbert report, scrubs, and heroes. awful repetitive shows that
will inevitable slowly fade out anyway. (most people probably weren\'t even aware
that scrubs was still airing.) these shows need to understand that television
isn\'t the only means for distribution. new comedy show pariah island has
realised that peer-to-peer file sharing is another great way to distribute
television made by passionate people. adult swim\'s web site hosts all of their
greatest material one-day earlier than they air on tv. this is all derived from
passion and innovation, something which most prime-time shows are lacking.

so why is this whole strike a good thing? well, it weeds out all of (for lack of
a better term) the pussy-writers; the writers who are afraid to challenge
people

next time please list the source so i can avoid the writer of that drivel in the
future. there are just so many ridiculous statements in there. if you want to
see how important writers are--how much they are worth, despite the authors
baseless claim that the shows with the poorest writing make the most money--just
look at the simpsons. that show, its following, is built on great writing.
from year to year you can see when they have good writers and when they
don't--and it makes all the difference in the world.

the strike isn't bringing back any brilliant shows that deserve to be back on
the air. studio 60? i watched every episode, loved it, and it's not coming
back. jack and bobby? ditto. jericho? invasion? these are examples of special
writing? seriously? and hbo (home to big love, tell me you love me, six feet
under, the sopranos, sex and the city, rome, dead frickin' wood...that hbo)
dropped carnivale because it was not mainstream enough?

the article is, to put it bluntly, a piece of crap. the good news is that the
strike is great news for tv viewers. as we all know better than just about
every other person out there, the future of television is on the internet. as a
fan of great tv, i'm glad the writers are making their stand now so they don't
have to later.

you're reading it from the source, haha.

was it meant to be ironic? i mean, your username is ctu_bauer after all. and
24 is one of the most repetitive shows out there. but i don't see why the
writers should get less than every other person associated with the show. i
keep tuning in...or downloading, actually.

nice writing, btw. it's just the logic/assumptions that i can't get behind.

i've been a fan of 24 since the early days, and i'd like to think i'm a bigger
fan of jack bauer than the show itself. the name just kinda sticks after a while
(using it here and there.)

i don't believe the writers should get any less, i just don't see why anyone
gets so much money for half of the crap on these days. the few examples i
mentioned were just some of the ones that came to mind in the 30 minutes or so,
that i wrote this. there's a whole lot of shows, movies, music artists etc. that
i think deserve more for their work than some of the crap getting thrown at us.

in summary, getting rid of some of the more common stuff, weeding out the weak
writers who aren't really there to write, but to run a business, will make way
for some of the more passionate writers. and only with passion comes art.

by the way, i'm glad you questioned this and gave your own opinion. most people
wouldn't.

the writers of the supposedly good shows that you mentioned (most of which, i
find, is either crappy, or boring (or both if you are studio 60) are also part
of the wga. so, even with the lack of shows, these writers will not write for
those shows because they are
part of the same union as those who are on tv now.

and while technology is playing a big part in changing the entertainment
landscape, the guilds are still the best place to get a job in the industry.
maybe in ten years time or so, more will drift to other technologies, but right
now, the best ways to make a living is still through the studios.

i also find it annoying when people say that all tv shows should challenge
people's mind. people look to tv mostly for entertainment purpose. while it is
good that there are shows doing that, i would hate it if all shows on tv has to
push its ideals and agendas, or forced to tell me about how dire our world is.
there need to be a balance between the just mindless (for lack for a better
word), and ones that push the envelope. after a tiring day, i would rather enjoy
an episode with ellen than get preached to about how aaron sorkin is always right.

"it's all the shows that are showing the poorest writing (heroes)"

i laughed out loud.

"who cares about heroes or
scrubs?"

people who want to watch decent tv instead of the same old reality crap and law
and order/csi/*insert crime drama here* (most regurgitated crap-filled anything,
ever) spin-offs?

"the shows that do nothing but repeat the same bullshit every week"

yeah, scrubs was considered innovative for nearly it's entire run (and is coming
back strong this season after a lackluster 6th) because it repeats the same
crap. are you sure you aren't thinking of, i dunno, every other crappy show
like csi, desperate housewives, law and order, ugly betty, etc. etc.?

o yes! great! with the big shows gone let's restart jericho, carnivale and
invasion! someone get to writing these ...

aaaw shucks!

.

heres a simple solution, if you're gonna ask for a cut of something, ask for a
percentage, instead of amount.why would they ask for just a few cents each
knowing inflation alone would diminish that amount?, let alone dvds huge
popularity.they're just gonna strike again years later when they think they
need a few more cents, the problem won't go away even if they get what they
want.

and dvds really existed in last strike of '88?.thought cds were barely popular
yet.

the contract term covering dvds currently was originally written in for vhs
tape.

a deliberately low temporary residual rate was negotiated so that cost
overheads wouldn't slow down the growth of the (then) infant video market.

problem is that the studio/networks have point blank refused to increase the
rate ever since.

yeah, but why didn't they use percentage rate, wouldn't it have meant they
wouldn't have to renegotiate?.

writing in hollywood has to be one of the most competitive, cut-throat
industries out there. i can't imagine that there are many non-passionate and
weak writers hanging around. if i had to guess, i'd guess that you are against
unions in general, and believe that unions protect low-quality workers, but i
don't think the writers' union protects writers the same way a teachers' union
protects weak, non-passionate teachers. the business of tv is just so
competitive and profit-driven.

as for the point about there being so much crap on tv now...i'm not sure how to
argue that. you've left the realm of economics and entered the realm of pure
subjectivity. i tried to get my friend jon to start watching dexter because i
love it. you know his response to me? "yeah, yeah, i know. best show on tv.
do you know how much i hear that? you should watch the shield, you should watch
the wire, you should watch rescue me, you should watch dexter, you should watch
weeds. there are just too many good shows now." and i think he's right. so
csi: miami is a big pile of stinky poo that people like to watch. there are
lots of good alternatives out. enough that i haven't seen an episode shows that
i have heard are brilliant, like the wire.

but what you or i or my friend jon thinks isn't really important. people watch
tv in huge numbers, and that is worth something. and the writers are partly
responsible. as more and more of those huge numbers choose to watch on dvd and
online, it's only fair that the writers get an equivalent cut on alternative
platforms to what they get on normal broadcasts.

if you want a silver-lining, then take the time to go back and try some shows
that you've never watch before but have heard are pretty good. yeah it sucks
that jack and bobby, studio 60 and freaks and geeks were all dropped long before
they should have been. but rather than hoping those would come back, i'd try
catching up on something current and good.

i'm going to check out the wire, it's always sunny in philly, maybe jericho or
friday night lights, the big bang theory, and weeds.

the new concern now is also about 'new media', which seemed to be the most
important, since i've heard that the dvd issue is dropped. right now, the
writers do not get anything for shows that are sold on itunes or other online
download company, and also none when shows are being streamed on the network's
website. these are probably the way shows will be viewed in the future, and
hence i find that the writer has the right to take a stand now and demand to get
paid, or writers in the next generation will suffer as more and more of this
media pops up and the current system being into obsolete.

you sir, are an idiot.

is tina fey a "pussy-writer"? i don't think anything about 30 rock was made for
the intention of being mainstream, it's so different to anything else i've seen
for a long time.

in an op-ed for the los angeles times, marshall herskovitz (co-creator of my
so-called life and thirtysomething) addresses many issues including the strike
and the effect of corporate interference on artistic creativity

can read it here: http://thebiz.fancast.com/2007/11/socalled_suits_ruining_tv.html

long but interesting

and

http://www.quarterlife.com/ is also worth a look