SAG Prez Ken Howard To Speak At CES About “Ideas & Strategies For Producing, Promoting, Profiting From Media Content”

COMMENTS (12)

• Hahaha! Awesome! Maybe Ken will tell everybody about the internets and how it’s all connected by a series of tubes. It’s the wave of the future, boys and girls.

  Comment by Hank Yablonski — Monday January 4, 2010 @ 2:13pm PST  Reply to this post

• Let the man speak. Then, perhaps, SAG actors will begin to understand how completely clueless he is. Better yet, let the man take some questions. This guy has NO IDEA what he’s talking about.

  Comment by Matt Mulhern — Monday January 4, 2010 @ 2:23pm PST  Reply to this post

• Scale for actors working under SAG’s New Media contract is ZERO. Yes, ZERO… our fee is negotiable and often ends up being lunch and maybe a tiny backend on content that rarely makes any money. SAG even negotiated away the requirement they used to have to split 6% of gross between the cast members. There will be NO profiting from New Media content for SAG actors under Ken’s “leadership.”

  Comment by Former SAG Board Member — Monday January 4, 2010 @ 2:59pm PST  Reply to this post

• I had to pull in a couple of favors but I’ve got a copy of Ken’s speech:

  Hi, I’m the President of a union that has basically given away any chance of our members to make any money off of the “future”.

  We all know that we need at least ten,twenty more years to study the profitibility of the millions of commercials currently running on the internet.

  This future technology will one day be the staple for distribution of content. Yes, one day people will watch movies,TV shows, and cats in washing machine videos more than TV.

  I know it sounds like science fiction, but I really think that will happen. I also think one day, people will talk on phones not connected to a land line, they also will be able to go to the moon.

  I know it sounds crazy, but I believe people will be able to fly across the country in 4 hours(instead of waiting for the Mississippi to freeze over to cross!)

  So, let us look to the future, when we can get Actors even more work in this exciting,new, future sci-fy technology called on-line content.

  Good night and God bless the Sreen Actors Guild!

  Comment by Shaka Zulu — Monday January 4, 2010 @ 5:00pm PST  Reply to this post

• President Howard will read a script written by Amy Aquino. He does not answer questions, nor does he speak extemperaneously.

  Comment by Current SAG Board Member — Monday January 4, 2010 @ 10:15pm PST  Reply to this post

• Only nitwits and sour-grapes losers would prejudge a man and his activities in such ways. Ken Howard is a thoughtful person of great integrity with no personal agenda beyond serving to the benefit of the membership of SAG. That’s a breath of fresh air compared to his creepy predecessor and his sore-loser followers that the members of SAG have so thoroughly rejected in recent elections. These whiners have never really participated in any aspect of Guild government, nor have they even bothered to actually meet or listen to Mr. Howard.

  Comment by truthteller — Tuesday January 5, 2010 @ 2:12am PST  Reply to this post

• Mr. Howard is an oaf and clueless when it comes to new technology. I’m sure he will speak from a prepared text afraid to take questions and be found out by an international tech savvy audience. He is the front puppet man for a group of cowardly and ill informed actors that have given away and/or failed to negotiate contract terms actors need to survive. His NY girlie men didn’t want to take a stand at a crucial point in industry technological evolution. Perhaps actors will wake up when they can no longer sustain a living wage. I guess they deserve what they voted for.

  Comment by former SAG Board member — Tuesday January 5, 2010 @ 2:14am PST  Reply to this post

• “President Howard will read a script written by Amy Aquino. He does not answer questions, nor does he speak extemperaneously.”

  Which would be a relief from one written by David Jolliffe.

  I hear Ken Howard speaks “off the cuff” quite well.

  And that he knows how to spell “extemporaneously.”

  Comment by Ted Simon — Tuesday January 5, 2010 @ 9:29am PST  Reply to this post

• As a candidate, Ken Howard refused to debate Anne Marie Johnson and/or any of the other SAG prsidential candidates. So, therefore, it may be obvious, especially to anyone who has served with Ken that, Mr. Howard is simply not the best-informed, interested, or knowledgeable president the SAG membership has ever elected. In fact, I understand that, apparently, Mr. Howard just sat in the back of the Cagney boardroom (the few times he attended board meetings during his prior service as junior board member) with both feet up, reading a newspaper. Those who served with him say he contributed very little, if anything. Therefore, Ken most probably won’t be asked to answer any questions since it’s doubtful he knows anything. He’ll just defer to someone who knows the answers. It’s likely that he’ll be given a prepared script that somebody, (it might be Amy but I really doubt it) has written for him to read; perhaps, contracts and/or legal staff.

  Comment by Writing from under the Moderate Bus... — Tuesday January 5, 2010 @ 4:29pm PST  Reply to this post

• Truthteller would benefit from actually telling the truth: he is Tom Ligon. Anyone who occasionally drops in over at the den of anonymous vipers, Sagwatch, knows that.

  Look, SAG is going right down the tubes: the A-listers who said “it’s not a good time to fight for a fair contract in the middle of a terrible recession!” (uh… “2009 – record year!” Bad call, Alec, George, Meryl, Tom etc.)and the UFS faction in Hollywood, who formed over taking away the right to vote for many SAG members – “qualified voting”(which Ken Howard signed and agrees with, by the way), plus the NY and RBD boards, who are closed shops, allowing no dissent from their anti-SAG, pro-ARTRA, pro-merger party line, have created a tiny majority on the national board by the electoral hedge they have created.
  hed. Is that too harsh?

  The mistake Alan Rosenberg made was thinking he could talk logic to them. And look where we are: they decapitated his leadership by violating CA state labor law, by NOT sending the never-before-used-for-anything-approaching-such-a-serious-matter “written assent” rule of the SAG constitution, to ALL NATIONAL BOARD MEMBERS. That was, unfortunately for the “moderates,” NOT in compliance with CA not-for-profit labor law when they used it (you have to notify ALL national board members when using “written assent.” They only notified and sent the document to the “yes” votes).

  The issue is now finally going in front of a NEW judge, after the four who filed the lawsuit had the immediate Temporary Restraining Order turned down and turned down again on appeal. That judge went with “majority rules” over “um, we are required by state labor law to let the minority vote” – and by the way, the “minority” was short of the “majority” by a handful of votes.

  It’s like the US congress debates an issue, the whip takes the count, knows he has the majority, then allows a vote, but doesn’t tell the rest of the congress about it. No, EVERYONE votes in a democratic governmental situation, NOT just those who favor the legislation. CA state law says the SAME applies to CA not-for-profit corporations. Like, uh, SAG. OOPS!

  Duncan Turncoat Ireland, SAG council, then and now, is conveniently trying to bring SAG into compliance with state law by calling for an upgrade in the “written assent” rule in the SAG constitution to bring it into complaiance with state labor law.

  Now, WHY would he do that, if he had FOLLOWED the law when he allowed the decapitation of the duly elected leadership of SAG by “written assent” in the MIDDLE OF A NEGOTIATION?

  Because he KNOWS what was done was unlawful, and that HE was, and is, responsible for what happened by his ignorance of the law, which, last time I checked, is no excuse for BREAKING IT, that’s why.

  Used to be Hollywood was impregnable, and, of course, the Hollywood division, since they live where the vast majority of the work is, where SAG headquarters is, where SAG was founded, formed and incorporated, has almost always been straight in their thinking: that tough-nosed negotiations, with threat of strike authorization and, if necessary, strike, were ALWAYS the ONLY real weapon SAG has ever had in negotiations with the AMPTP.

  Every time SAG violates that approach? SAG members lose. EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.

  ALL the benefits and protections we enjoyed, until this last contract, came from SAG leadership that understood and USED SAV and threat of strike, or strike itself. EVERY. SINGLE. ONE.

  Have you seen how, now that everything appears to be headed to a subscription-based system, the PROVIDERS of the content WE MAKE, have been demanding higher fees from the cable giants who DELIVER their content? (Time/Warner – Fox, Cablevision – Scripps).

  So, why DIDN’T, and ISN’T, SAG, who MAKES THE CONTENT, on threat of withholding that content, demanding the same?

  Because the moderates are pussies, that’s why. They want to weaken SAG, merge with AFTRA, a VASTLY less democratic union, then allow a bunch of leadership running over and over for re-election unopposed (the way AFTRA operates now), to steer the union the way THEY want, with little input or power of the vote from the FULL MEMBERSHIP.

  Do you know, at the last AFTRA convention, Roberta Reardon, President of AFTRA, ran, AGAIN, UNOPPOSED? Imagine that in SAG. Unthinkable. Do you know, AGAIN? Why? THAT’S how AFTRA rolls, and that’s what these SAG “moderates” are PINING for: the chance to merge with AFTRA, so they can make sure the union for actors is, from now on, run UNOPPOSED by any dissent that arises from the producer butt-boy policies they implement.

  Translation: FAR less money for members, residuals gone, product placement protections gone, clip consent gone, force majeure gone, protection of the upper 2% or so of the actors in the merged entity, and WalMart worker status for the rest.

  THE OPPOSITE OF EFFECTIVE, TOUGH UNION LEADERSHIP. A Republican’s dream. It MUST be pointed out: the “moderates” behave like modern day Republicans: secrecy – Membership First OPENED meetings to members. GO to a meeting in L.A! Watch the “moderate” leadership!

  The “moderates” OPPOSE live streaming and immediate archiving at SAG.org, with time code, so all members can see controversial moments and JUDGE FOR THEMSELVES – of ALL national and division board meetings – which I, and others, have proposed. Why? It’s OUR UNION. THEY work for US. The American public can see the American government, via C-Span, work. So, WHY CAN’T WE SEE OUR SAG government work?

  The “moderates,” who want things done quietly, behind closed doors, with an absolute minimum of membership awareness or participation, that’s why.

  Same with NY and RBD? CLOSED! SORRY! Can’t view meetings! Lying, cheating, the party of “NO!” Protecting the rich, fuck everybody else. And there are many “moderates” who are FAR from rich, but like modern day Republicans, they are too DUMB to understand the policies being proposed are AGAINST THEIR OWN FINANCIAL BEST INTEREST.

  The times the moderates have snaked into negotiations, and gotten what they want, have been disastrous for the union (VHS/DVD, cable), terrible rates that sailed away once made by these knuckleheads, who took the producers word that they would “return to it and raise the rates to fair levels once they established the business model and profit stream.” 20 and 22 years later, with VHS/DVD and cable? NO change.

  NOW, they are relying on a “sunset clause” for new media, that has NO FORCE OF LAW. Translation: the producers don’t HAVE to change squat. So, do you think they’ll give us a fair deal, because we have a “sunset clause!” Um…

  “Fool me once, shame on YOU, fool me twice, shame on ME, fool me THREE times, I’M A FUCKING MORON!”

  That’s my proposal for the “moderates” call to arms.

  But precedent doesn’t matter in “moderate world.” Only selfish interests, that have zero to do with the betterment of the membership of SAG.

  Want proof? How’s the 2009 contract? Did you read what they settled for in the post above? “no minimums in new media and little or no residuals, where content already is, or is headed.”

  Awesome work guys. And they blame Rosenberg and Allen for not getting anything done. Rosenberg and Allen couldn’t get anything done with the “moderate” leadership voting unanimously to support Rosenberg and Allen, then working to defeat any attempt to gain an SAV from the membership (that the “moderates” WROTE!) and screaming bloody murder at meetings when they heard a raise in the DVD rate was STILL on the table.

  Now, remember, “a raise in the DVD rate” is what Alan Rosenberg was ELECTED TO DO. TWICE!

  It’s like the “moderates” were frothing at the mouth screaming “you mean you told the producers they COULDN’T rape and pillage anymore?! How will we ever get a deal if you say THAT!?”

  I mean, you can’t make the level of gelatinous ineptitude up.

  Well, it’s all falling down.

  Hollywood? Business “UP!! RECORDS BEING SET!!!”

  SAG? On the verge of total collapse.

  Well done “moderates.” They are a cancer. If we let them get to the 2011 contract, starting in 2010 October, it’s going to be remarkably ugly. Have you heard what, if any, ideas they have for how to get a fair contract, after giving away the store in 2009?

  Me neither. (hint: they don’t have any. Compliance, capitulation and merger. That’s the plan.)

  Comment by Matt Mulhern — Wednesday January 6, 2010 @ 11:21am PST  Reply to this post

• Did anyone notice Gas Bag Ken Howard’s cameo in It’s Constipated, that movie starring some of the actors and wives of actors who championed SAG’s giving away it’s future use as a union?

  Comment by Simon — Wednesday January 6, 2010 @ 12:55pm PST  Reply to this post

• Here is an article I wrote back in October,an obsrvation on the first thirty days of the Howard_Aquino administration after reading the comments here, Although my oppinions have changed somewhat regarding some issues, I thought it might be appropriate to post. I hope you find it interesting.

  A New Reign is Underfoot at Screen Actors Guild
  (An Observation of the first 30 days of the Howard-Aquino Administration)
  Sept 25, 2009- The night of the S.A.G elections and all the board members gathered to hear the results of the election. I was nervous even as an observer, my stomach felt tight we sat and waited watching, soon to be newly elected board members file in, Gabrielle Carteris, Robert Hays, Valerie Harper, Hill Harper ( no relation that we know of), Alan Ruck, and Connie Stevens ( looking flawless as ever), just to name a few, all were there. As we sat waiting I scanned the pensive the faces of well known actors and those not so well known as two political factions, Membership First and Unite for Strength, were vying for control of the most famous labor union in America. Who would get control? Which direction would S.A.G. take? Would there be a push for merger or no merger? All questions would be answered by the population of the new board and the newly elected leadership positions of President and Secretary- Treasurer. As the evening drug on and actors mingled primarily amongst their own political faction, I could hear the marriage of voices engaging in minor chit chat, finally the nominees were asked to line up and told they would be entering a room one by one to see their voter results and whether they won a seat on the National board, or the Hollywood division board. Most of you already know the results and have already heard that Membership First lost a number of seats on both the Hollywood division and national boards but retained slim control of the Hollywood board, but, lost control of the national board to Unite for strength, leaving the pro-merger party in control of the final governing body in the union, meaning they could have the last say on all important matters pertaining to the Guild.
  Finally it was time for the press conference. Pamela Greenwalt spoke first at the podium greeting the media and some members, myself included, then gave us the results of the election, you by now that Ken Howard of Unite for Strength won the presidency and over Anne- Marie Johnson of Membership First and Amy Aquino (UFS) over Connie Stevens (MF). Amy Aquino who is surprisingly tall and statuesque in person, exuding a commanding presence, spoke eloquently and clearly giving notice that things were definitely “a changin”, she introduced our New President Ken Howard a massive, broad shouldered man, with a no-nonsense countenance and frank forthright speech; the two together seemed like the team to beat and were very serious about their business.
  My First impression of Ken Howard was that he was a hardliner, totally intimidating, knowing exactly what he wanted in terms of the direction the union would take and would be unwilling to listen to divergent points of view…and that he looked very, very, presidential; However, as I listened to his acceptance speech, if you will, and heard him speak of his desire to act in the best interest of the rank and file, I was less worried and more hopeful that we had a president that was reasonable, and although pro-merger ( I am not), would be willing to use diplomacy in his approach to all concerned even those opposed to merger with AFTRA. When I asked Pres. Howard about the issue of qualified voting and if the new faction intended to institute that policy, he explained that that affected or qualified voting was intended to discourage those who were producers and rarely acted, but held a SAG card from being able to vote on contracts that affected actors the most, but was misinterpreted to look as if UFS ( Unite For Strength) was trying to disenfranchise rank and file and keep those who would aspire to work (auditioning) under a certain contract(s), and/or those who had not worked that contract for a certain period of time, from voting on that particular contract, and once that got out, it was hard to get the truth out, so to speak. I understood, however a fellow actor brought it to my attention that any producer could just hire themselves as talent and circumvent such a rule. That being said Pres. Howard told me that his faction had agreed to take the affected voting issue off the table for the duration of his and Ms. Aquino’s time in office. Secretary-Treasurer Aquino reiterated the need for unity within SAG ranks, and I found myself liking our newly elected officials and could not help be excited about what the future might hold.
  It seemed to me that the new leadership was presenting itself and positioning itself as a reasonable, diplomatic leadership, and although having its own ideas of what direction the union should take, would be willing to listen to the membership at-large understanding that they represent the masses not the elite and would engage in action truly representative the rank and file. I remained in faith that my union still belonged to me along with 119,000 other actors and that I had a leadership that would listen, and not disenfranchise the rank and file.
  I left that night wondering what the future may hold for Screen Actors Guild and relished the thought of a strong formidable union fielding obstacles, and unapologetically territorial in regards to jurisdiction. I wondered what this administration would do, to work towards those ends or if that was even a part of their plan. What exactly was their plan? I knew that UFS wanted merger with AFTRA, but Pres. Howard had stated that they would not visit that issue until after the 2011 theatrical contract negotiations. I supposed their plan would be to strengthen SAG towards those ends; however shouldn’t membership at large have a better idea of exactly what the Howard-Aquino administration plan is, to move us forward? What has been done already? Well, the permanent hiring of former Interim National Executive Director David White to Nation Executive Director, a position of enormous power within the Guild seems to be one. Usually a candidate is researched and vetted, if you will (corporate lingo for rigorous background check), a process that most if not all previous candidates for N.E.D. have been subject to. I wondered why Mr. White had not been subject to the same process, and why the national board, on the same weekend of our national annual membership meeting, simply moved to hire Mr. White without a thorough search and vetting process and input from membership? Were their other candidates? Isn’t that what usually happens? Why the rush? Answers to these questions are not readily available and you would not be able to view the minute until January, subject to board approval.
  As a seventeen year member of Screen Actor Guild, but who is only newly involved in the Guild due to the pro-democratic, pro-transparency, pro-rank an file leadership of the Rosenburg-Stevens Administration, I wondered if we were supposed to have input in the selection of the new NED, and took note that some in the Hollywood branch were not particularly fond of David White, and eyed the rush to hire him with suspicion. I thought it might be a good idea to take a look at the constitution and by-laws to get an idea of what exactly was supposed to happen in regards to the hiring of a National Executive Director, this is what I learned.
  According to the constitution and by-laws it is the National Board not the membership as many members think that has the highest authority and most of the time the final authority on matters concerning the Guild and it is at the sole discretion of this board to hire the NED as they see fit, without search, without vetting, without anything if they so decide..And they did.
  At the National Membership meeting Pres. Howard spoke in praise of David White, his abilities, his history, his happiness in the choice made and his belief in the man’s abilities to steer the guild in the right direction. Pres. Howards lauding of David white was so exhaustive and adjective laden I half expected an auctioneer to stand up at the podium and announce; Sold! To the highest bidder! Nevertheless Pres. Howard was so sincere in his delivery and his assessment of David Whites capabilities and his integrity, I found myself hopeful and almost ready to dismiss the fact that there was a detour in the usual way an NED is hired, and at the same time done by the book. Pres. Howard, spoke again that evening about the need to listen to the rank and file and reiterated his desire to do so. He spoke of his desire to know what membership was thinking and feeling, and that he desired our input. I felt a certain amount of reassurance and hope again held sway.
  Not much has happened since then, except our interactive contract was not ratified an agreement that would have required actors to perform what is called atmospheric voices ( like background), a combination of up to 20 or 30 voices in one session for , in spite of an impassioned speech by David White to accept; It now goes to AFTRA membership. We’ll see what happens. In the mean time we have had another Hollywood Division board meeting (somehow I did not get an email alert for this) where SAG actors can come and observe, how issues concerning them are dealt with and taken into consideration.
  It seems to me, and I could very well be wrong, that membership is getting restless and becoming more informed. They do not want shoddy contracts from producers, or a partnership with a sister union that poaches our jurisdiction and our jobs, leaving us with an all time high in unemployment, in an attempt to force us into a merger. I would think that the present leadership would want to know just where the membership stood, before moving head long into a merger. I would think they might ask us, what is your vision for Screen Actors Guild? What would you like to see happen? How can we make this guild batter and more responsive to its members? These are the questions that need to be asked, the answers, listened to, documented, studied and implemented to the best of leadership’s ability. What is your vision for Screen Actors Guild? If someone, say Pres. Howard were to ask me this question, while understanding that I might have to modify this vision in compromise with 119,000 other actors, this is what I would say:
  First, I would like to see a recount of both the election and theatrical ballots and/ or re-vote where the theatrical ballots are concerned; there seems to be discrepancies in the ballots that were sent out and those received and also the issue of voter eligibility whereas members didn’t realize that they could vote because of the impending dues period at the time, even still I’m not sure I truly believe that 76% of the membership voted for this theatrical contract. I’m more inclined to believe that 76% actually voted against it, at least in Hollywood, and then I would like to see the final results implemented retroactively; in regards to the elections are there is a concern as to whether the votes for secretary treasurer were counted properly and I would really like to know if that were so.
  Second I would like to see a search and vetting of the NED, the way it’s always been done for God knows how long, but all but suspended when it came to the hiring of David White, I would also like the board to consider making this position an, elected position, just like the President, and Secretary-Treasurer. All members having whatever qualifications an NED is supposed to have could run for this office and be elected by membership-at-large. This would be the only salaried elected position because of the member elected would surely have to put his career on hold for the duration of his term, another actor pointed out to me that we could also hire someone from the labor board, who is pro- labor for probably less than half the, reportedly $400,000 a year Mr. David is getting.
  Third, I would like to see transparency on the national level with open national board meetings, just like we have in Hollywood, allowing viewers to observe the national officers at work, this can be done nationwide via the internet and at meetings room at branches nationwide, and since as I understand meetings are recorded, the audio version could be sent via email blasts for those not able to attend and/or the minutes within in 24 hour adjournment of the meeting; I am not able to see why we must wait three months for the national board to approve minutes of their meetings. What does the board have to approve? There minutes for heaven’s sakes. They need not be edited for spelling, if there is an executive session, the minutes can simply say executive session, and let that be that. I would also like to see the minutes from the Hollywood board meetings emailed to all Hollywood members within 24 hrs after the meeting has been adjourned.
  Fourth, I would like to see SAG take back jurisdiction in all areas of motion picture, television, film, cable, video games animation, and what not; any and all jurisdiction we originally held reaching back as far as the 1950′s when we had jurisdiction over all television including live television, bringing all scripted comedies and dramas under one roof, the Screen Actors Guild Roof!
  Lastly, Fifth, I would like to see our union with our own building. A fellow actor has found a great building. There is no reason we should not look into it and act upon it if it is a good fit, and sublet our current offices as mentioned by former Secretary-Treasurer Connie Stevens in previous issues of SAG Actor magazine. As a member I would like it if my President was in his office more often and would return my phone calls (hint, hint to former Pres. Rosenburg), and I would like it if 1st Vice Pres. Johnson had an office, an ext., and an assistant of her own, based at headquarters so when the President was unavailable the Vice President would be. This is my wish list for my union.

  In Solidarity,
  -Jamillah Nicole

  Comment by Jamillah Nicole — Sunday February 7, 2010 @ 2:52pm PST  Reply to this post