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thatcrazycajunFor the few who may somehow have avoided hearing by now: After finally hammering out a deal both Hollywood's writers of films and TV shows and their producers could live with, the Writers' Guild of America held a vote of its members on the proposed deal yesterday. With an overwhelming 92.5 percent voting to ratify the deal, today found most of the Guild members back on the job after four solid months on picket lines that kiboshed the remainder of most network series' 2007-08 seasons, crippled at least a couple of major awards shows and even threatened the Oscars' annual ABC telecast.
So now that everyone in the industry and the audience gets to let out a sigh of relief, was it worth it? The New York Times David Carr weighs in here with his analysis of whether the writers got everything they wanted...and the long-term consequences of the strike and its fallout for both the major mediacorps and the creative community. They did get a cut of so-called "new media" usage (Internet streaming, cellphone network feeds and downloadables) But one thing I'm not seeing mentioned in coverage of the deal is an increase in royalties for home video releases (VHS/DVD), listed early on as a demand by the writers, who have chafed for a full two decades now under the pittance-per-unit rate they settled for in the deal that ended the 1988 strike.
The new contract is for only three years and shows every sign of being renegotiated at the end of that time or sooner; WGA-W prexy Patric Verrone calls the new agreement "not all that we hoped for, and it is not all we deserve." That said, the strike had one salutary effect: It united the profession as it has never been before, making them much stronger for such future bargaining and getting them a foot in the door on the ground floor of a new era in this business they call show. And now nobody has to worry about being called a "scab" for showing up to work...or to walk the red carpet.
What have you heard/read/seen about the new deal? About what's next for your favorite shows? And do you think the strike was worth it? Post here. Word I have is Heroes and 24 won't be back until fall, and information continues to trickle in about other shows.
So now that everyone in the industry and the audience gets to let out a sigh of relief, was it worth it? The New York Times David Carr weighs in here with his analysis of whether the writers got everything they wanted...and the long-term consequences of the strike and its fallout for both the major mediacorps and the creative community. They did get a cut of so-called "new media" usage (Internet streaming, cellphone network feeds and downloadables) But one thing I'm not seeing mentioned in coverage of the deal is an increase in royalties for home video releases (VHS/DVD), listed early on as a demand by the writers, who have chafed for a full two decades now under the pittance-per-unit rate they settled for in the deal that ended the 1988 strike.
The new contract is for only three years and shows every sign of being renegotiated at the end of that time or sooner; WGA-W prexy Patric Verrone calls the new agreement "not all that we hoped for, and it is not all we deserve." That said, the strike had one salutary effect: It united the profession as it has never been before, making them much stronger for such future bargaining and getting them a foot in the door on the ground floor of a new era in this business they call show. And now nobody has to worry about being called a "scab" for showing up to work...or to walk the red carpet.
What have you heard/read/seen about the new deal? About what's next for your favorite shows? And do you think the strike was worth it? Post here. Word I have is Heroes and 24 won't be back until fall, and information continues to trickle in about other shows.
