Spring Break
The shows go back on
Andrew Myzska
Issue date: 2/15/08 Section: Opinion
For those who have not been watching the news lately, the Writers Guild of America has finally ended its strike. This should be happy news to the many fans of "Grey's Anatomy" or "Heroes," just two of the many television shows that have been forced to either end the season early or be put on hiatus.
While I am glad production can begin again with these popular series, I am surprised it took Hollywood three months to give the WGA writers dues that were deserved from the beginning.
Three months ago, Hollywood writers went on a strike because they were not getting the dues they felt were owed to them. The writers were getting paid only for the television series that were still currently running. While this may seem like the norm, the writers were taking losses on what they should have been earning. The writers felt they had the rights to television shows that have been sold in DVD form or over the Internet and downloaded from sites like Amazon.com or through iTunes.
Production companies and actors were getting financial cuts from these ever-increasing sales, but the writers -the life and breath of a television series - were left in the dust. Thankfully, their new contract will entitle them to percentages of their work that is even now streaming over the Internet.
I believe this is the right course of action taken, and it fully supported the WGA writers in their fight. While I can understand that many fans of the affected shows have been angry at the writers' strike, I would like to remind you that if it were not for these people, the entertainment you value would not exist. Movies and television shows are not picked up by the cast alone; it takes a team of talented writers to constantly bring ideas to the table and create weekly episodes that attract millions of viewers online.
I think everyone knows how they would feel if something they worked hard on and got paid for suddenly was downloaded by an incredible amount of people per day, but instead of getting their fair share, they were given the shaft. This strike was not motivated by greed; it was a statement to the entertainment industry that the WGA writers know what they deserved and should be entitled to it. I hope the writers, now that they are back to work, can make up all the lost wages they have had to suffer because of the fight they put up to get what they, by all rights, should have had in the beginning.
This strike has been an expensive one. According to the Los Angeles Times, the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp. estimates the local economic losses to be more than $3 billion. That amount boggles the mind; yet, in my opinion, the outcome is worth the cost. Now, though both sides have had to make key compromises, the WGA members have taken a big step toward getting more money for what they work hard to create.
Before any readers get all worked up over the loss to the precious studios, the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp. also estimated that the per diem earnings of the entertainment industry are approximately $1.3 billion dollars. I think next season we will see a recurrence of new television shows, just like every year; the difference is that the people who work hard to create and write them will be getting their dues.
While I am glad production can begin again with these popular series, I am surprised it took Hollywood three months to give the WGA writers dues that were deserved from the beginning.
Three months ago, Hollywood writers went on a strike because they were not getting the dues they felt were owed to them. The writers were getting paid only for the television series that were still currently running. While this may seem like the norm, the writers were taking losses on what they should have been earning. The writers felt they had the rights to television shows that have been sold in DVD form or over the Internet and downloaded from sites like Amazon.com or through iTunes.
Production companies and actors were getting financial cuts from these ever-increasing sales, but the writers -the life and breath of a television series - were left in the dust. Thankfully, their new contract will entitle them to percentages of their work that is even now streaming over the Internet.
I believe this is the right course of action taken, and it fully supported the WGA writers in their fight. While I can understand that many fans of the affected shows have been angry at the writers' strike, I would like to remind you that if it were not for these people, the entertainment you value would not exist. Movies and television shows are not picked up by the cast alone; it takes a team of talented writers to constantly bring ideas to the table and create weekly episodes that attract millions of viewers online.
I think everyone knows how they would feel if something they worked hard on and got paid for suddenly was downloaded by an incredible amount of people per day, but instead of getting their fair share, they were given the shaft. This strike was not motivated by greed; it was a statement to the entertainment industry that the WGA writers know what they deserved and should be entitled to it. I hope the writers, now that they are back to work, can make up all the lost wages they have had to suffer because of the fight they put up to get what they, by all rights, should have had in the beginning.
This strike has been an expensive one. According to the Los Angeles Times, the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp. estimates the local economic losses to be more than $3 billion. That amount boggles the mind; yet, in my opinion, the outcome is worth the cost. Now, though both sides have had to make key compromises, the WGA members have taken a big step toward getting more money for what they work hard to create.
Before any readers get all worked up over the loss to the precious studios, the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp. also estimated that the per diem earnings of the entertainment industry are approximately $1.3 billion dollars. I think next season we will see a recurrence of new television shows, just like every year; the difference is that the people who work hard to create and write them will be getting their dues.
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