2008 Woodie Awards
Writer's strike raises questions about future of television
Madora Brown
Issue date: 12/5/07 Section: News/Features
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There's a lot of junk on TV these days. With the plethora of crime drama spin-offs and terrible sitcoms, it's easy to think that having out-of-work television writers may be a good thing. No new shows would mean no bad shows, and perhaps people would fill the gap left from "Sponge Bob Square Pants" by reading "Moby Dick." Yes, we'll have to learn to live without Meredith Grey and Jack Bauer, but it can be done. Television will just be one less distraction to live with. Right?
The writer's strike is a good thing for now, but not just because it means a respite from television. The strike provides a view of labor demands in a modern society on the cusp of technological innovation.
Labor unions have always been controversial for a variety of reasons, but their intended function is a noble and democratic one-uniting the workers to bargain collectively with employers. Unions have the ability to level the playing field and to foster a fairer working environment.
Strikes provide leverage for worker demands and are a fundamental part of their negotiating power. In a time when large corporations control our nation's legislators, run small competitors into bankruptcy and use their power to influence the legal system, it is uplifting to see the Davids of the entertainment business willing to take on the Goliaths of NewsCorp, NBC and ABC.
This summer, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers began negotiations on their new contract, the Minimum Basic Agreement (MBA). The demands of the WGA are several: they want a doubling in the payment writers get from DVD sales, they want to start receiving residuals on the airing of shows on "new media" outlets (including the Internet, smart phones, and on-demand television), and they want extension of MBA coverage into the reality and animated genres.
After several months of negotiations, both sides were at an impasse, and the WGA voted to strike, which has sent reverberations throughout the nation as Americans realize that their favorite television shows will not be airing any new episodes until the strike is resolved.
The writer's strike is a good thing for now, but not just because it means a respite from television. The strike provides a view of labor demands in a modern society on the cusp of technological innovation.
Labor unions have always been controversial for a variety of reasons, but their intended function is a noble and democratic one-uniting the workers to bargain collectively with employers. Unions have the ability to level the playing field and to foster a fairer working environment.
Strikes provide leverage for worker demands and are a fundamental part of their negotiating power. In a time when large corporations control our nation's legislators, run small competitors into bankruptcy and use their power to influence the legal system, it is uplifting to see the Davids of the entertainment business willing to take on the Goliaths of NewsCorp, NBC and ABC.
This summer, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers began negotiations on their new contract, the Minimum Basic Agreement (MBA). The demands of the WGA are several: they want a doubling in the payment writers get from DVD sales, they want to start receiving residuals on the airing of shows on "new media" outlets (including the Internet, smart phones, and on-demand television), and they want extension of MBA coverage into the reality and animated genres.
After several months of negotiations, both sides were at an impasse, and the WGA voted to strike, which has sent reverberations throughout the nation as Americans realize that their favorite television shows will not be airing any new episodes until the strike is resolved.
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