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Make sure you’re sitting down before reading further: Today TV bloggers formed a virtual picket line to support the Writers Guild strike. We’ve been refreshing Ramblings of a TV Whore all day, hoping for some blogging scab to post something!
All this strike activity is becoming quite the trend; CBS News writers are expected to join their more gifted and talented “creative” colleagues who are entering week two of the strike. The CBS News scribes insist it’s not because they're jealous of all the attention the other writers are getting, but because of long-stalled contract negotiations with the network.
First, the fake news writers for shows like The Colbert Report go on strike, now real news writers and TV bloggers. Can real news bloggers be far behind? Enjoy posts like this while they last; you could soon be left to sift through the Gothamist archives for old news reruns and vintage panda porn.
While the Writers Guild East grumbled and walked in dizzying circles (pictured) downtown at Battery Park today – apparently to send a message to greedy pigeons – the Broadway stagehands strike entered day four. With the strike costing the city lost revenue to the tune of some $5 million to $17 million a day, Mayor Bloomberg reiterated his offer to mediate the strike, which was declined by the stagehands’ union without comment. A Post editorial criticizes the union – surprise, surprise – for “spurning” Bloomberg’s “wholly impartial” offer, which the league of producers was eager to accept. Our fair and balanced view? The union is understandably apprehensive about being cornered into talks mediated by a billionaire, aggressively pro-business mayor; if the talks collapse it’s not hard to imagine which side will be painted as the spoiler.
Still catching up on why the Broadway strike is even happening in the first place? Cleanse that briny Post editorial from your palate with a shot of this short Times article on just what the stagehands really want. For the completist, Steve on Broadway has a running compendium of every relevant Broadway strike article you’ll ever need to impress your waiter, plus insightful commentary. But the best blog analysis of the day award goes to The Playgoer, who takes dead aim on the head of the producers' league, Charlotte St. Martin, and reminds us of the big picture in Bush’s America:
Make no mistake. The producers have quite strategically decided to play hardball on this strike. Maybe because they know we live (still) in a right-wing, pro-business, anti-labor political climate and they don't care about the sympathy of average workers.We only hope that as the Broadway strike plods forward, theater bloggers don’t take their cue from TV bloggers and go dark, leaving us stranded without any good pull quotes.But it's also clear that new president Charlotte St. Martin has ushered in a new era in Broadway business relations. For starters, she comes from the mega-corporate hotel management--I'm sorry, "Hospitality" sector. The hotel services employees union is famously huge and powerful--but because it's huge I imagine St. Martin is used to dealing with labor impersonally and ruthlessly.
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Gothamist as real news.... hmmm.
"The CBS news scribes insist it’s not because they're jealous of all the attention the other writers are getting, but because of long-stalled contract negotiations with the network."
Is long-stalled how one describes having worked without a contract for 2 years?
Also, the TV Bloggers "strike" is only for today; they'll be back tomorrow. I'm sure your breathing is much easier now!
brilliant.
About the CBS News WGA strike vote: Strange snark, coming from a half-baked wannabe newsblog like this. What's more, your facts are wrong: CBS newswriters, editors, graphics artists & others, who've been without a contract (or a raise) for 2 1/2 years while the ex-Tiffany Network pissed all over them, will indeed vote on a strike. But the timing isn't influenced by the entertainment writers' strike, and the vote hasn't happened yet. It takes place this Thursday and Friday, with results due on Monday. I've actually enjoyed reading Gothamist most of the time, but this makes me wonder about the pajama factor in your alleged reporting about my city. You might want to get out a little more and actually take a look at the world, and keep in mind that -- what? 80, 90%? -- of the stuff you appropriate for this blog comes from the real work of real reporters and writers and editors.
@ Brumyr: Is facetiously suggesting that the CBS news writers are striking because they're "jealous of all the attention the other writers are getting" snark? Really? To me it's a tongue-in-cheek way of adding a bit of levity to what might otherwise be a dry read. One would think you'd be happy the CBS writers got some attention here, and a link to the fully informative story on their contract struggles, which space didn't permit in my post. And while the vote to strike has not happened yet - my error - it's all but certain they will vote to strike.
And I resent the "pajama factor" accusation. I am at my desk at the crack of dawn every morning immaculately dressed in a seersucker suit that would make Wolfe just die. Further - and this part is true - I personally went down to the WGA picket line this afternoon. That's where the photo in this post is from. I spoke with the writers and did an interview with John Oliver from The Daily Show, which is a very funny program. When new episodes are aired again - and we all hope sooner than later - you should check it out and lighten up a bit.
I just want to let everyone know, that tomorrow, in solidarity with our fellow b.s.'ing brothers and sisters in the WGA and Broadway unions, all of NYC's PR people will also be striking. I predict widespread panic, as people receive truthful news stories for the first time since 1909. In addition alcohol and heroin sales will spike, and we will see an increase in Brittany Spears withdrawal related homicides. Many other citizens will also realize that models are not very smart,Oprah is a creep,Tom Cruise is actually gay and Angelie Jolie is really not that attractive.
It ain't "tongue-in-cheek ... levity." It's snark. On the other hand, I like that seersucker suit. :-)
No comment on the New York Times article about where all the money in Hollywood goes?
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/12/business/media/12strike.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
Like everything else in this new global economy, it's winner take all. The top actors, directors, and producers take home most of the money. Maybe the writers should tell the actors coming down to the picket line to go screw themselves.
Goddammit, give them what they want! I need t.v. back!
Newsflash - the producers will start importing writers from Mexico, and the NYT will say nothing, since they support illegal immigration "modern & open borders"...
FROM POST:
"All this strike activity is becoming quite the trend; CBS News writers are expected to join their more gifted and talented “creative” colleagues who are entering week two of the strike. The CBS news scribes insist it’s not because they're jealous of all the attention the other writers are getting, but because of long-stalled contract negotiations with the network."
Adding a bit of levity to a dry post? Please, John. A good newswriter does not have to include false information in order make a story punchy and readable (or listenable, or viewable, depending on the medium).
I join with the others here. Get your facts straight on the CBS Newswriters before you write. A simple five minute call to the WGA East offices on W. 57th would have cleared everything up.
As a newswriter, let me tell you it's not fun working for 2.5 years without a cost of living raise, while you read about Katie sucking in tons of money and Les making enough dough to buy the city if he so desired.
BTW, did you know ABC writers have been without a contract as long as CBS writers? And that they'll be probably be next in a strike vote?
Take care. I'm off for my shift that begins before sunrise. Another joy of newswriting.
FROM POST:
"All this strike activity is becoming quite the trend; CBS News writers are expected to join their more gifted and talented “creative” colleagues who are entering week two of the strike. The CBS news scribes insist it’s not because they're jealous of all the attention the other writers are getting, but because of long-stalled contract negotiations with the network."
Adding a bit of levity to a dry post? Please, John. A good newswriter does not have to include false information in order make a story punchy and readable (or listenable, or viewable, depending on the medium).
I join with the others here. Get your facts straight on the CBS Newswriters before you write. A simple five minute call to the WGA East offices on W. 57th would have cleared everything up.
As a newswriter, let me tell you it's not fun working for 2.5 years without a cost of living raise, while you read about Katie sucking in tons of money and Les making enough dough to buy the city if he so desired.
BTW, did you know ABC writers have been without a contract as long as CBS writers? And that they'll be probably be next in a strike vote?
Take care. I'm off for my shift that begins before sunrise. Another joy of newswriting.
@ Newsyspice: You're right - I should have never deceived readers by suggesting that the news writers are voting to strike because they're jealous of the screenwriters. I've been up all night worrying about the "false information" I've spread, panicking about all the news consumers out there who are now convinced the writers' union is being riven by petty envy!
@ JDS: First snark, then denial, now sarcasm! According to Kubler-Ross the next stage IS ALL CAPS.