National conference call - Page 2

^ You guys are forgetting that the screenwriters going on strike is affecting other people too like all the crews, or will affect them if it is not settled quickly. Some people are lower paid and cannot afford to go on strike.

Most of the stuff on TV is crap anyway, but if you really want to help the screenwriters, do not watch TV this week so the networks ratings can hit rock bottom.

As a tv broadcasting major, I can say that the crews will not go on strike any time soon. TEAMSTERS is the union that represents the below the line unions. Even if there were no more screenplays being written now, TEAMSTERS will still have a ton of technical work to do. (Movies are still okay because they have a huge batch of screenplays.) Now if the TEAMSTERS go on strike, then the whole industry will shut down, so everybody will reach a settlement quickly. You don't have to believe me though. You can go check online.

^ if you really want to help the screenwriters, do not watch TV this week so the networks ratings can hit rock bottom.

as an afterthought, the unions really need to fix the problem of not being able to fire slackers...

People should earn their pay, not be entitled to something because there is someone fighting for them. Now those are freebies if you ask me.

Hmm.. The reason we're getting good shows like ER or Grey's Anatomy is because WGA sends the production companies really good writers. The problem is with production companies pocketing DVD and online downloads' profits and not giving any of it to the writers (since it wasn't in the contract, this goes back to the VHS days..) I think the writers should get some of that profit, don't you think? It's not asking for freebies. The writers are the ones that gave you the TV shows, so they should get a cut of the DVD/online download profits.

People aren't going to stop watching TV until the episodes run out. =D

Food for Thought ... the only way you will be able to affect TV ratings is if you're a Nielsen viewer. There's only about a thousand Nielsen viewers or somewhere in that range, so depriving yourself of TV to affect the ratings isn't smart at all unless you are a Nielsen viewer.

But back on topic, who is sponsoring the conference call?

Ummm, that was an ^. I agree it is sort of messed up but you are correct, it WASN'T in the contract, so the fact of the matter is, the companies do not owe them anything... what are contracts good for then?

That's the reason of the strike... It's not in the contract and they want a share of the profits, and that's why they are striking... The history of this dates back to the VHS. Writers didn't care for profits on the VHS. But look at DVD and online downloads. Tons of profits from that. A Heroes boxed set could cost 40 bucks but its production costs are far less.

Companies are just reaping the benefits of what the writers did.

How'd the call go, Latina?

Sorry guys I had a class at that time...
I thought someone might be interested..
It was sponsored by ILRC in San Francisco..
(Immigrant Legal Resource Center)

This was the turnout..I think some of the suggestions were pretty good:

http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dcjzh6w6_13dvc936