Writers' Strike Week 5: At An Impasse

AP:

A few days ago, hopes were high that a deal to end a costly five-week strike by thousands of Hollywood writers was imminent. But optimism that writers and producers would soon sign a new pact all but crumbled Friday, as talks broke down and the sides blamed each other for the stalled negotiations that have sidelined many prime-time and late-night TV shows.

"We're puzzled and disheartened by an ongoing WGA (Writers Guild of America) negotiating strategy that seems designed to delay or derail talks rather than facilitate an end to this strike," the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers said in a statement.

Read the whole story: AP

Comments

[Champlain13]

09:41 PM on 12/09/2007

only the self abosrbed twits in Hollywood think this issue is more important then washing dishes.

[MikeMoore]

01:19 PM on 12/09/2007

TV was plenty crappy and cable companies and satellite dish networks were already robbing their subscribers blind before the strike.

So many of the cable and satellite channels, especially cable channels, have us paying for multiple stations that are "public access" channels. Those channels are nothing but some crappy radio station playing music, and ads running on the screen. Then there are the endless reruns over and over of the same movies, and marathons of rerun TV shows.

Way over 90% of us get our TV reception from either cable or a satellite dish subscription service. Now, with this strike turning into a protracted thing, and with the quality now descending even further, do you see our monthly subscription fees descending? NO!

We should all be demanding rebates from these companies, who are now going to be giving us nothing but re-runs and ill-conceived reality shows. We should all demand a discount at least until this strike is over.

[JudyGee]

11:26 PM on 12/08/2007

$250 is the cost of one producer's lunch. It is typical of their so-called negotiating. This is a very important strike and it has to be won. There is no surprise the strategy is to keep the union exhausted and bullied. That's the slave labor ethos now, regardless of the nature of the work. Let's hope the writers stick to their demands, because the producers know what a big win this would be for the broadcasting and production unions, and for all american workers. Everyone is watching this, most of all the corporate slave bosses in every industry, who have forgotten to remember that workers of every stripe who are united have the power to defend themselves against grossly unfair labor practices and scummy wages. Otherwise, we'll have to stop the trains.

[Mort]

08:55 PM on 12/08/2007

With all the mindless crap they put out, do they really think they deserve better?

[tililek]

06:35 PM on 12/08/2007

And of course, one always believes the Alliance since it has more money and we all know that the ones with the most money are always right and thus deserve to be honored and to win any argument. Ain't that how the world works?

[porkbarrel]

04:15 PM on 12/08/2007

What if the bulk of TV 'entertainment' went away and nobody cared? I used to stay up for the Daily Show and Colbert, but find I'm just as happy to read and get a little more sleep.

[onlythetruthcounts]

03:17 PM on 12/08/2007

These people need to get back to work before their fan base moves elsewhere. I suggest a mass firing followed with a mass hiring. This way we can morn our old shows, then move on to new ones.

[wadenelson1]

01:01 PM on 12/08/2007

Is the AMPTP Stupid?

Don't you think BOLLYWOOD is 100% capable of stepping up and delivering tv and movies for the American public.

Get yer asses back to the table and work out a deal.