As most of you who watch any television must know, the Writer's Guild of America (Television Writers Union) is on strike. For a great place to find up to date information on the strike from the Guild members themselves and not the Corporate Owned News Outlets (especially MSNBC or FoxNews) go to United Hollywood.
Thanks to fellow Ignatiophile and WGA member Karen Hall I am happy to share this little clip which does a nice job of illustrating just how important writers are to what you see on scripted television, and what you can do to help the writers.
I will freely admit that prior to this, when I missed an episode of my favorite ABC shows I would just click on over to ABC.com and use their wonderful new streaming video player to catch up on what was happening at Seattle Grace or the Pie Hole or Mode Magazine. I had no idea that every time I did that I was cheating the writers out of royalties for that episode which was being shone (with commercials so ABC gets revenue when I watch, but the writers get bubkis).
I also love NBC.com and spent an entire summer watching the webisodes for the Office which the writers wrote and (get this) the actors acted in for absolutely no compensation. They were posted on the web which because of add revenue for every hit garnered NBC huge profits and the writers and actors got NOTHING again.
So, now that I know, not only thanks to Karen Hall, but also thanks to my 21 year old daughter who is on a sympathetic strike from her MySpace and Facebook pages until her beloved WGA writers get what they deserve (not only just compensation, but respect for what they bring to the table --her words, not mine), I will no longer be watching any streaming Internet content, and I will be doing everything else I can to support the Writers of the shows I love. Like going here to sign the petition.
This strike may last a good long time. See how long you can live with an entire television diet of The Great I Love to Project Surreal Survivor Biggest Bachelor Loser Dateline Singing Bee With The Stars Or No Deal. I know I am verclempt just thinking about it.
Pax
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3 comments:
Oh crud. Guess what my plan was later today - watch the "Grey's Anatomy" that I missed on Thursday (can't believe they schedule it opposite "The Office" )
Oh crud. Guess what my plan was later today - watch the "Grey's Anatomy" that I missed on Thursday (can't believe they schedule it opposite "The Office" )
I know, I hate not watching on ABC.com but Shonda Rhimes has asked everyone to honor the strike by not downloading internet content. I will do what she asks.
If you want to get a glimps of McDreamy go to Operation Hollywood, he was on the picket line with the rest of the cast.
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