The end of the writers' strike, and what it really means
Television is too powerful. Those who control it are too powerful. And too rich. They are in the position of controlling the greatest media outlet to ever exist. Those writers who give the producers the content they need to maintain their power, wealth, and control are themselves in a fairly powerful position. Though I use that term loosely here--powerful.
The members of the Writers Guild brought Hollywood to a standstill (sort of) with a demand for wider recognition of their work. This week they got it (sort of). So everyone who lives by the tube can rest assured that Lost will have its full season of at least 16 episodes rather than 8, that 24 fans will see the show return next season with a full cast and a full "day" in the life of Jack Bauer, that Daily Show and Cobert Report viewers will get their daily fix of fake news.
Good for the viewers. Even better for the writers who are covered by the contract negotiated for them by the Guild. Or is it?
A strange and complex problem exists in how the Guild is really designed to ensure the rights of the Hollywood writers. With so much money at stake the primary goal of any company is going to protect the product. When coal miners strike, the mine owners are most concerned about their losses and the movement of their product. So goes Hollywood.
The contract machine of the Guild is really designed to protect the product for the controllers, not the creators. Consider the need to perpetuate the widespread dinner-table conversations about the hilarities of the latest Jack Black or Ice Cube movie. (Which by the way brought box office draws of $8.2mil and $49.6mil respectively. Modest amounts for a couple of mindless B-comedies.) Yes, there were writers behind these films who likely got paid quite nicely for their work, but when producers have viewers anxious to fill seats in the theaters, knowing almost for sure viewers are going to shell out millions, the protection of the product becomes the primary objective.
The writers holding out for this long was a strong statement in solidarity, especially when going up against the most powerful entities in the world. But did the writers really gain any footing? Okay, so the production companies are recognizing Internet revenue in a world where there is a significant falling-off of reruns on broadcast TV. Good for them. A nice, polished sound-byte to air on NPR and CNN. Sounds good to the masses. It's something they see as tangible. But remember, those masses are the same ones chagrined, or even fuming, about the Late Show reruns and cancellation of 24 and countless other shows. If it means TV is back on and the summer blockbusters are a sure thing, the masses will listen to whatever the media has to say. After all, that's what the media is designed to do to ensure the masses just smiles and nods and keeps on watching.
The members of the Writers Guild brought Hollywood to a standstill (sort of) with a demand for wider recognition of their work. This week they got it (sort of). So everyone who lives by the tube can rest assured that Lost will have its full season of at least 16 episodes rather than 8, that 24 fans will see the show return next season with a full cast and a full "day" in the life of Jack Bauer, that Daily Show and Cobert Report viewers will get their daily fix of fake news.
Good for the viewers. Even better for the writers who are covered by the contract negotiated for them by the Guild. Or is it?
A strange and complex problem exists in how the Guild is really designed to ensure the rights of the Hollywood writers. With so much money at stake the primary goal of any company is going to protect the product. When coal miners strike, the mine owners are most concerned about their losses and the movement of their product. So goes Hollywood.
The contract machine of the Guild is really designed to protect the product for the controllers, not the creators. Consider the need to perpetuate the widespread dinner-table conversations about the hilarities of the latest Jack Black or Ice Cube movie. (Which by the way brought box office draws of $8.2mil and $49.6mil respectively. Modest amounts for a couple of mindless B-comedies.) Yes, there were writers behind these films who likely got paid quite nicely for their work, but when producers have viewers anxious to fill seats in the theaters, knowing almost for sure viewers are going to shell out millions, the protection of the product becomes the primary objective.
The writers holding out for this long was a strong statement in solidarity, especially when going up against the most powerful entities in the world. But did the writers really gain any footing? Okay, so the production companies are recognizing Internet revenue in a world where there is a significant falling-off of reruns on broadcast TV. Good for them. A nice, polished sound-byte to air on NPR and CNN. Sounds good to the masses. It's something they see as tangible. But remember, those masses are the same ones chagrined, or even fuming, about the Late Show reruns and cancellation of 24 and countless other shows. If it means TV is back on and the summer blockbusters are a sure thing, the masses will listen to whatever the media has to say. After all, that's what the media is designed to do to ensure the masses just smiles and nods and keeps on watching.
posted by Tim Kenyon at
6:14 PM
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