Chernin Tells Super Pals “Strike Is Over”

COMMENTS (79)

• I hope there is a good deal, and not just posturing on Chernin’s part to somehow pressure the WGA into backing down.

  Comment by Furious D — Sunday February 3, 2008 @ 4:43pm PST  Reply to this post

• It ain’t up to Mr. Chernin to decide when the writers strike is over. That call will be made by the writers.

  Comment by Ashley Gable — Sunday February 3, 2008 @ 4:46pm PST  Reply to this post

• We all hope so, but don’t hold your breath. If all this leaked positive news turns out to be horse shit, I hope the shareholders “awareness” meetings come fast and furious, and the “Companies” undergo a relentless PR blitz that even their worst nightmares could conjure up.
  Given that….here’s to positive thinking!

  Comment by Post Production Guy — Sunday February 3, 2008 @ 4:54pm PST  Reply to this post

• Hold on a sec…didn’t you just write a few hours ago that the WGA presidents sent out an email saying that it wasn’t. Okay now i’m a bit confused. Please elaborate.

  Comment by Confused — Sunday February 3, 2008 @ 5:06pm PST  Reply to this post

• What does this mean? Is Chernin running his mouth or does this really mean the strike IS over?

  Comment by James — Sunday February 3, 2008 @ 5:17pm PST  Reply to this post

• Just received a call from the WGA. The recorded message stated (in a nut shell) that the strike isn’t over ‘ till it’s over.” I hope this isn’t a mind f u c k. by the AMTP.

  Comment by lalocal — Sunday February 3, 2008 @ 5:34pm PST  Reply to this post

• Love how these CEO’S have hysterical hissy fits when others breach an agreed upon media blackout, but they can violate it all they wish.

  These guys are one-way streets, bad faith businessmen through and through. And they’re so smug that they’re masters of the universe. But they’re not. They’re fools who made a mess of this whole affair. A truly superior businessperson is one who can succeed with good faith tactics. It’s easy to be a schmuck.

  Comment by CEO of another industry — Sunday February 3, 2008 @ 5:40pm PST  Reply to this post

• Chernin has a pinched unattractive face. Looks like he might’ve been kind of attractive when he was young, but now he just looks old and mean.

  Comment by Gen Y viewers — Sunday February 3, 2008 @ 5:48pm PST  Reply to this post

• Hmmm… even if Chernin IS saying that, the actual end of the strike is sort of up to the WGA’s Neg Comm, its Board (West) and Council (East), and, of course, its rank and file membership. So it might be prudent to wait to see whether any proposed deal passes muster with the writers.

  Comment by Stuart Creque — Sunday February 3, 2008 @ 6:23pm PST  Reply to this post

• That is incredibly awesome news. Thanks for sharing the scoop, Nikke! If they can get language drafted up quickly and make an official announcement by this time next week, I will be one very happy TV viewer.

  Comment by Charles — Sunday February 3, 2008 @ 6:28pm PST  Reply to this post

• Chernin-tastic!

  Comment by Chris Crosby — Sunday February 3, 2008 @ 6:30pm PST  Reply to this post

• You all can yell and call me names but all I can say is THANK GOD!

  Comment by Danica — Sunday February 3, 2008 @ 6:33pm PST  Reply to this post

• The news this weekend is very encouraging, of course, but even as Patrick Verrone issues yet another edict to his members about how they must conduct themselves, I respectfully issue this one to him: NO DEAL until a majority of THE MEMBERSHIP votes for it. I love my union, but I will not have WGA board members taking from us, the members who have walked the picket line these many weeks, our precious right to collectively determine this strike’s outcome. And no Oscar waiver, either. If you like the deal, Patrick, let the members vote it up or down. The MEMBERS. This news blackout is one thing; an end run around the rank and file would be quite another.

  Comment by StickingWithMyUnion — Sunday February 3, 2008 @ 7:27pm PST  Reply to this post

• I’m not a writer and have very little to do with Hollywood (even though I’m SAG eligible — thanks, alien robot movie).

  I’ve been following the strike from a unique perspective — I am an aspiring writer and sometimes actor who hasn’t joined a guild yet. Seeing how well the WGA takes care of its on, I’m now more than ever ready to jump in with renewed vigor and work to be a part of the same guild with great writers like Ron Moore and the late, great Michael Piller.

  Although I’m optimistic that a deal will be reached so that I can start typing out my ideas and other writers can get back to work, I feel like all this talk is putting the cart before the horse.

  Don’t get me wrong. I think a fast deal would be great, but when I do reach my goal and manage to sell my first screenplay or spec script, I want to join the guild knowing that a FAIR deal was made instead of a hasty one.

  Good luck, and I hope to work with you soon.

  Comment by Brad — Sunday February 3, 2008 @ 7:41pm PST  Reply to this post

• Really? Then DVDs must be back in the contract, because that’s the only way it’s getting my vote.

  Comment by WriterBob — Sunday February 3, 2008 @ 7:42pm PST  Reply to this post

• Oh, I’m just so relieved. I can’t even tell you what this means to me.

  More bad TV !

  Comment by Maxine — Sunday February 3, 2008 @ 7:42pm PST  Reply to this post

• “The strike is over”? Or “we lowballed them but they’re afraid not to take it as we can then blame their leadership for being unreasonable and inexperienced like we did before?”

  When Patrick, David Young and John Bowman say it’s over, then and only then will I believe it. And hopefully that will happen tomorrow. But if not, back to picketing we go. Sorry, Oscars.

  Comment by George Glass — Sunday February 3, 2008 @ 7:51pm PST  Reply to this post

• If today’s Variety is to be believed, it’s a crappy deal: Industry sources said the WGA’s streaming deal still included a combination of a flat fee for the first year (excluding a two- to three-week window of free usage for promotional purposes) followed by a percentage of distributor’s gross.

  On the issue of paid downloads, the WGA’s proposed pact is said to be identical to the DGA deal, which more than doubles the residual payments from the old homevid formula for titles that sell more than 100,000 units. And on the issue of new-media jurisdiction, the terms also are said to mirror the DGA agreement, giving the guild jurisdiction over projects with budgets of more than $15,000 per minute, $300,000 per program or $500,000 per series, whichever is lowest.

  If we ratify this shitloaf, it’ll be 1988 all over again, and we will be the writers who sold out all future generations.

  Keep marching!

  Comment by Ruthie — Sunday February 3, 2008 @ 7:53pm PST  Reply to this post

• Let’s say it was true. If you’re Chernin, why say anything? Let’s say it’s not true. Let’s say the deal is only 60% of what the WGA wants and you’re trying to get the membership to get excited and then disappointed and then exhausted and thus accept the deal. Ahhh, then you float the rumor that the deal is done.

  If it’s true, it makes no sense.
  If it’s a lie, it does.

  Occam and I call BS on this one.

  This is the last week the AMPTP has to save the next 2 TV seasons and the Oscars. If the Oscars don’t happen they show they have lost control of the town. Time for more lies and spin…

  This doesn’t mean I wouldn’t be happy to be wrong. I just don’t think so…

  Comment by Working Writer — Sunday February 3, 2008 @ 7:59pm PST  Reply to this post

• Huh, I thought the writers have to vote on it before the strike’s over.

  Comment by That's wierd... — Sunday February 3, 2008 @ 8:25pm PST  Reply to this post

• I wonder how Chernin knows how I’m planning to vote?

  Comment by TV Staff Writer — Sunday February 3, 2008 @ 8:32pm PST  Reply to this post

• i’ll believe it when it’s believable.

  Comment by studio Plant — Sunday February 3, 2008 @ 8:38pm PST  Reply to this post

• Yeah, well, Peter Chernin doesn’t get to decide that the strike is over. There’s this thing called the WGA membership, and we’ll wait to hear what our leadership is recommending and then have this thing called a “vote.” If we vote yes on the offer, THEN the strike will be over. And until our leadership tells us otherwise… we’ll still be out there on the picket lines tomorrow morning.

  Comment by Kitty — Sunday February 3, 2008 @ 8:59pm PST  Reply to this post

• It’s not over. The Guild (or else someone with my unlisted phone number) sent out a robocall from Larry Gelbart, which says:

  “This is Larry Gelbart. In all my decades as a member of the WGA I’ve learned a few lessons about strikes and negotiations, the most important being that it’s never over ’til it’s over, no matter how much the lady singer might weigh. As fellow and sister members of the Guild, you know how important the issues are for all of our futures, and for those to whom we will one day hand our pens. Over the coming days you will be getting calls asking you to join in to continue with the picketing. I ask you to set aside all the rumors, all the second-guessing, I ask you to set these aside and pick up a picket sign instead. I cannot stress how vital it is for all of us to show our commitment to our leadership during this current round of negotiations. Thank you.”

  The call hit my message machine between 6 and 8 p.m. on Sunday night so that suggests the WGA is not yet ready to quit the fight.

  Comment by A WGA member in good standing — Sunday February 3, 2008 @ 9:02pm PST  Reply to this post

• Jebus! You writers are certainly ready to keep fighting until all of us Below the line folk are broke. How thoughtful of you. It must be hard for you Above the line folk to cut back on your maid, and your starbucks. Please stop thinking about yourself: I don’t care! Please think beyond your selfish lives, and think about the rest of us who don’t make the bucks that you do. Keep putting out the hits, but don’t pee on our heads!

  Comment by Pissy boy — Sunday February 3, 2008 @ 9:19pm PST  Reply to this post