What the Writer's Strike means (as I see it)...

Quite a few people have asked me what the issue is with The Writer's
Strike and what do they hope to achieve...

I made a post about it the other day - but I thought instead of
peppering it with links, I's give my take on it - as simplistic as it
is.

OK the story is: The WGA (Writer's Guild of America) are on strike
because their existing contracts (with most Production Houses - such as
TV Networks) do not give them residual payments (kind of like royalties
for using your work) for transmission of any content (programmes/films)
utilising 'new media' such as internet downloads of movies/TV (whereas
Actors DO get residuals for this, writers currently don't). So, for
example, the axing of the Golden Globes was due to strike action aimed
at companies who are siding with the Producers Association.

NBC, the Network televising the Globes Awards, is one of the 'struck'
companies. The WGA (and in support the Screen Actor's Guild - which most
working actors in the USA have to be members of) was against the
Network's stance, not the Golden Globes (or the owners of the Awards,
the Hollywodd Foreign Press).

I have been asked how The Late Show can still go to air... well, David
Letterman is actually able to have SAG Actors appear on his show and use
a certain % of WGA material, because his company (Worldwide Pants Inc)
actually produces The Late Show independently from NBC and has struck a
seperate deal with the WGA, which means that The Late Show does not get
picketted (also, Actors in The Screen Actor's Guild, in support of the
WGA, will not cross a WGA picket line). Therefiore, because of this
separate deal, they can appear on The Late Show. I actually agree with
the WGA on this issue, as the Producers don't want to give the Writers
the 2.5% of income gleaned from official downloadable media, that they
are asking for - and writers deserve to get an equitable remuneration
for their work in line with other professionals in the field.

This being an open post, I am more than happy for any official
corrections from any members of the WGA (East or West) :)
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