Medium Dreams

7 opinions for How Do You Feel About the WGA Strike Poll

• Betty
  Nov 29, 2007 at 6:26 pm

  I think the writers have a right to be paid for something other people are raking in profits from - it’s only fair and I don’t think it is unreasonable.

  I do take issue with your #2 choice, because I believe what they are striking for is much more serious than being asked to pick up coffee on the way to the office. I hope you meant that as a joke.

• Tom
  Nov 29, 2007 at 7:44 pm

  Hi everyone, just wanted say that it won’t be long before Medium comes back in January although, I did expect it to be back sooner.

  Also want to wish everyone a great Holiday season to you and your families.

  And lastly, I want to thank Katelyn for doing such a great job hosting this website. I know others feel the way I do, great job!!!

  Tom

• Katelyn
  Nov 30, 2007 at 7:02 am

  Betty,
  I actually did an informal survey of friends to write the poll. While I, as a writer, am a big fan of option one, some people do feel that being asked to write a few extra episodes is no different than all the unpaid extras their bosses ask them to do for a paycheck.

• Dawn
  Nov 30, 2007 at 10:31 am

  Katelyn, I am still torn about this strike issue, because as I’ve told you, I am against unions and striking as a rule. But I do understand what the writers are asking for and I think they should get their fair share. I thought that option #2 was funny, and I agreed with it somewhat and I even considered voting for that one. I don’t know any writers personally but in a way, it does seem to me that the whole concept of fighting over internet revenue is ridiculous because most of what is airing is stuff that has already been written and the writers have already been paid for. But I wonder if the actors are getting residuals for every time one of these episodes is aired or downloaded from the internet. I have a feeling that we’re going to be hearing a lot of the same kind of complaining when the SAG contracts come up for renewal in the summer.

• mellonmarshall
  Dec 8, 2007 at 9:53 am

  Dawn, the actors are at the moment not being paid for it. Hence the possible of strike for the actors in June,
  Hell if you watch to really hear it go here, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzRHlpEmr0w
  I mean it something when youtube is being sued for $1billion by Viacom for letting people put Daily show clips and South Park clips on the site but then say that there is no way to know the value of it.

• Tom
  Dec 12, 2007 at 11:57 am

  Now that I saw mellonmarshalls comment, I am beginning to see why maybe so many actors/actresses are supporting the strike. Maybe they feel if the writers get their way, perhaps the actors may stand a better chance in June when they have an opportunity to strike.

  I also understand and can relate to Katelyn’s comment abouy uncompensated overtime. I just hope this comes to an end soon. One of my favorite shows bit the dust for this year because of this strike (i.e. 24)

• Betty
  Dec 13, 2007 at 3:11 pm

  I think a lot of people have forgotten that back in the day, actors were not paid for shows they starrred in that were later sold into syndication and have run again and again and again. While someone else is pocketing money each time these shows run, the actors get nothing and probably the writers and others. Just think how many times some of these shows have run since they went off the air. At the time a lot of these shows were made, there were only 3 networks and a couple of local channels. I don’t think anyone thought that there would be hundreds of channels available one day. Now within 6 months of being in the theater, full lentgth movies are available to purchase on DVD. Pretty much every sticom and drama is now available on DVD within a few months of the season finale and more and more shows that were filmed in the last 15 to 20 years are becoming available. The reason it takes longer for some than others is that they must get permission for the music and all in the shows and work out payments to those people. Now full length television shows are available over the internet only one day after broadcast and even downloadable to IPods and such.

  Keep in mind also that most writers are not on “hit” shows as most actresses and actors are not lucky enough to land on big hit shows and in big movies that make billions. At one time, I think I read where if you take all of the actors/actresses listed in SAG, the average annual salary would be about $4,000 each. For every working actor/actress you see, there are many, many more who are not working or working regularly. I’m sure the writers don’t make anywhere near the $40 million a picture or $1 million an epsiode someone like Ray Romano was rumored to be making in the last season of “Everybody Loves Raymond”. A certain percentage of that is also divied up to the agent, publicist, etc.

  We are entering a time when shows and episodes are being specifically written for broadcast over the internet. Ratings are even based on Tivo and other DVR’s now in addition to shows watched live. I don’t think it’s unfair to want to be paid for this work.

  Anyone here remember Dick York, the first Darrin on “Bewitched”? He was bankrupt and living on welfare because he had back problems and emphysema and could not work, yet repeats of “Bewitched” were running somewhere around the world since it went off the air, but at the time he starred in it, the actors were not given any rights to be paid for future broadcasts. You can be sure someone else is getting rich from the re-broadcast, just not the actors and probably not the writers either.

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