The writer's strike officially ended within the last couple of days and I'm torn between supporting the writers and their goals for better working condition/pay and being perterbed by the fact that the economy lost 20 billion dollars from it. I'm all for the writers being paid what they deserve because they are the reason people watch tv; they create the plots we all anxiousely wait for and they're the ones who kill off the characters we all hate. If the only thing we could watch was reality televisioni for the rest of our lives would you watch it? I wouldn't, well...I would watch "The Hills" because that's pretty much as close to scripted tv as I can get, (and I love Lauren Conrad). On the other hand hundreds of people had to go without work and pay to support their families and they didn't have the skills needed for other types of jobs. Crew members are trained to be just that, part of the stage crew, with no need for them on television what will they do. I don't know, I'm just happy that it's over so that I can get back to my normally scheduled programming.
What do you think? Do you think the writer's strike was right even though it put so many people out of work or do you think the writers should've gotten over themselves and continued to do their jobs?
-Hannah
Yes, that's the beauty of capitalism. The unions will shut out when their members are being treated unfairly. Supply and demand, people want their shows again so the companies settle, besides 20 billion dollars wouldn't have helped the economy anyway.
Unions are a complete waste of time! I mean, think about it: If Mike is right (and I'm pretty sure he can be), when one boss starts paying shit, the workers can just quit and offer their services to the best offer. With a union, there have to be contracts, memos, agreements, a flat pay fee...It's retarded. If you were to just pay each one as a writer (you write for House, you get $2 per viewer; write for Lipstick Jungle you get $1 per viewer or something), they'd be much happier.
Nicholas Aden
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Yeah, but what do you do when all the bosses start paying like shit? Do you know the writers wanted?
Something like 2% on DVD's and online stuff, transparent book keeping, and to keep rights to characters they came up with.
"-bah!! Pardon the "bah!" I feel several "bahs!", but out of courtesy I only say one."
H.P. Lovecraft
Then the writers work for which ever "shit" is the best. And if it all sucks too much, they quit and wait. Not as a collective, but as an individual. They've got the power to kill the market (it's more than a $20 billion loss. No Golden Globes was about that much. The award shows bring in BILLIONS upon BILLIONS of dollars in jobs and alcohol). And I think the writers should be better paid (Who watches anything online? DVR is way easier and has better picture quality!)
Nicholas Aden
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The problem is this. It is hard to really hurt the industry anytime soon without writers. There are tons of unmade scripts. Also, most writers are freelance, so you sell to whoever will pay. That is the best shit. Also, the golden globes wouldn't have been affected except that the other guilds backed up the writers.
Really, there's only one reason the strike ended so quickly and with benefits for the writers. Demons and Angels. Apparently, it was decided that this time around they needed a decent script.
"-bah!! Pardon the "bah!" I feel several "bahs!", but out of courtesy I only say one."
H.P. Lovecraft
Good point, I forgot about that one problem with unions. Hmm, well then I still stand by what I said, but I'm not too keen on unions. Now if unions were fair then I wouldn't have a problem. Then I get stuck with that unions are just in business and unless they encroach on a person's right or break a promise then they can do what they want. What can I say I'm a contradiction in my views because I don't know which is right, but I want to right answer...as in the correct moral answer.