NewsCorp president and COO Peter Chernin doesn't need writers:

"A strike is probably a positive for the company."

— "Fox's Chernin: Strike Likely A Boon For Net," Broadcasting & Cable, Nov. 7, 2007. Chernin said that Fox was in better shape than its rivals because it had more reality programming (like American Idol), its scripted shows are "about a year ahead" in production," and a strike would actually cut costs because "we save more money in term deals and story costs and probably the lack of making pilots than we lose in potential advertising."

Do you hear that, people? Peter Chernin doesn't need writers:

For the speech, Mr. Chernin's head of communications, Teri Everett, reached out to various writers and drew material from Greg Garcia, the creator of "My Name is Earl," a sitcom Fox produces; Nicky Weinstock, vice president for comedy development at 20th Century Fox Television; and Mark Hentemann, a writer for the Fox program "Family Guy."

— "Man Walks Into a Celebrity Lunch... and the Jokes Are All Written for Him," NYT, Oct. 30, 2006, describing how Chernin killed at a celebrity roast for Tom Freston....thanks to jokes written for him by "some of the considerable talent on the lot at Fox Entertainment, one of the company's big subsidiaries."

Upshot: Peter Chernin doesn't need writers — except when he wants stuff written!

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