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Monday, December 3rd – Members of the WGAW Board and/or Negotiating Committee join the picketing lines at all studios, for all shifts, “to discuss the relevant issues and address questions and/or concerns”.
Also, singles will gather for a picket line party at the Bronson Gate of Paramount Studios.
Wednesday, December 5th – The WGA Black Writers Committee is hosting Diversity Picketing Day at Paramount Studios.
Friday, December 7th – A Reality & game Show Rally and Informational picket takes place from 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm at FremantleMedia North America, 4000 W. Alameda Blvd (1 block east of Pass Avenue) in Burbank. According to the WGA, “FremantleMedia is a major international content provider and producer of a slate of highly profitable shows that includes: American Idol, The Price Is Right, Family Feud, Temptation, The Next Great American Band, Farmer Wants A Wife, Million Dollar Password and America’s Got Talent. While Fremantle reaps huge profits from these projects, they do so at the expense of their writers, who work without standard industry benefits including health insurance, residuals, pension contributions, and proper credits.”
Editor-in-Chief Nikki Finke - tip her here.
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I wonder if Drew Carey, who was so good to his writers on his sitcom (good to the whole crew, actually — cruises, etc.) will stick up for his new writers on The Price Is Right? I bet he has the clout to get them into the Guild. He’s pulling in great numbers, so the producers need him.
And I wounder if we can convince cold-hearted Simon and the hosts of Idol to do the same? They have the clout too.
Wanna know how Drew Carey is good to the Writer’s who are on strike right now? Just go to SWINGERS restaurant show ‘em your WGA card and order some food. Then leave a nice tip, and smile everytime you hear the name Drew Carey. He is a mensch.
By the by, how much real writing is on “American Idol?” Just doesn’t seem like a WGA fight.
Oh, and can we mellow it out a bit on the “singles” Day picket and Party Picketing. I mean I get it, the days are long, walking in a circle is boring, but we are on strike, not on the prowl for hook-ups. No wonder the BTLers are getting pissed.
Thanks, Nikki, for publishing picketing plans. Anybody who’d like to join us is welcome. I hope everyone will remember that the WGA cannot afford to lose this fight. If original online programming isn’t covered by the WGA, for instance, nothing will end up covered — all delivery will be via some form of the internet; it isn’t far away. And that is only one issue. I hope anyone who believes that all working people have the right to fair payment for the use of their work (and reuse — that’s why there’s copyright), decent health and pension benefits and all that, will understand that we are being subjected to union busting techniques, and that you will be next if we fail. Also — for people who say “I don’t have these benefits, why should you?” What’s wrong with you? What you need to say is: “They have these benefits — why don’t I???” We want to keep them. We want everyone to have them.
Of course, there’s real writing done on “American Idol.” Someone is writing Ryan’s host copy and putting together those behind-the-scenes packages, and it sure ain’t Simon. Fremantle also runs a number of game shows that’re certainly written and provides no health insurance, residuals or pension to those writers. Solidarity, people!
Freemantle is actually supposed to cover any game show — these are already covered under the Minimum Basic Agreement with the WGA. Freemantle and others have found a way to twist certain programs into the “reality” category when they are game shows. It’s just not true. Their writers (and yes, you’re right, there are plenty of writers) should be covered, but the company just won’t do it. They deserve to be picketed!
So why aren’t we picketing ALL SHOWS? I’ve seen plenty of “packages” during Monday Night Football. Surely THOSE are written. My point is, I believe in the CORE issues of this fight, but when you start comparing the people who write, “We’ll be right back after this” with the people who write “The Office”, personally, I think you’re diluting our goals.
I have worked in many genres of TV and I really believe that the job of putting together “Reality show arcs” and writing Host copy and game show questions – just ain’t the same as writing scripted television.
When we lose our focus, we lose.
Last thing…for now…
Aren’t animation writers a bigger priority?
Just take a look at the schedule redblack, and you’ll see why the number of scripted jobs are fewer and fewer. Reality shows are here to stay and the WGA better get a hold of them before it becomes the latest way for networks to avoid their union agreements.