Overlooked: The Writers' Strike »
Posted by: Dakota 9 months, 2 weeks agoNewsquake looks at why Propeller users weren't interested in talking much about the writers' strike, and talks to a TV writer about what shows we'll be watching.
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KMFDM9 months, 2 weeks ago
Heck, I will scab. I can write better than half these over paid morons anyways. Come on cable networks, I will work cheap. Leave a message at my myspace page and we will do lunch.
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Beau78909 months, 2 weeks ago
Here's an interesting first-hand perspective I heard this morning:
http://www.npr.org/blogs/visibleman/
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Teech9 months, 2 weeks ago
I have mixed feelings on this one. I worked in the TV industry in tbe 60's and up to 1974. Never joined the Guild, but did lots of writing for daily "strip" shows. I churned out dreck, because that is what sold on daytime TV. It's what you laughed at...especially when we punched up the laugh track to TELL you what was funny and what was not. I got paid decently, but only for the weeks I actually worked. The competition and the pressure to perform was intense! No residuals or stuff like that. We taped 6 shows per week, and when we got ahead, went on production hiatus, no paycheck for me on those weeks. If the writers get what they want, obviously it will be worth it for the production companies.
What will I lose if this strike is protracted? Anything vital? Food, shelter, clothing, energy, air, water? I'll let y'all answer that for yourselves.
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Fangarius9 months, 2 weeks ago
First off, strikes are such a commonplace thing now in Hollywood and New York (where the big three are actually located), we've become rather de-sensitized to it.
Another factor people forget with 1988 vs. 2007 happens to be home video now. If the networks end up producing more Reality television shows, more than likely viewers will either go to their favorite rental place or vendor, and watch movies or classic television on DVD.
Therefore, the viewing public's not so concerned with how this strike will affect entertainment locally at home. However, in the box office, there might be some concerns, since I suspect feature films will be the next thing hit by this strike.
The truth is, most people nowadays don't watch television as a major source of entertainment anymore, thus, coupled with what I aforementioned, nobody really cares if the strike affects the industry or not.
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TOD3969 months, 2 weeks ago
This falls under the category of Newsquake trying to generate interest in something very few people, outside of the writers, care about.
Yawn...
It doesn't take too much intelligence to be a writer for TV these days. I imagine that most of these jobs can readily be filled with illegal non-English speaking immigrants and the general population would not notice a difference in the quality of the shows being produced.
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vor9 months, 2 weeks ago
Reminds me of what a boss once told me in jest. He said: "never feel like you have job security, that we could get a trained monkey in here tomorrow to do your job". Surely a "well trained monkey" could write many of these shows or Leno's monologue. The talent of these people is all in their own minds.
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Mintyfunk9 months, 2 weeks ago
They seem to cancel all the shows I like after a few episodes anyway, so I guess I didn't realize the lack of content was any different than usual ;)
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bill29369 months, 2 weeks ago
I don't watch much anymore either. The one big problem I have with TV is that over the years, a really good show comes on to watch, then after a few years, the show stops being about what it was originally, and becomes the social issue of the week show. I used to watch the 'law and order' shows, now reading the previews, it is nothing more than social issue what the government is doing wrong episode. I will watch prime TV for entertainment. Not for the news of the day. If I want to watch the news and opinions on the news, I will watch the news.
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Teagen9 months, 2 weeks ago
So tell me, does any actually care. TV has become so trashy with the language and story lines about whose sleeping with whom, it's no wonder our kids end up being drug uses. I'm not blaming them for all of our nations problems. But they certainly hold some responsibility. I think if shows decide to hire scabs or shows like Letterman write their own material, it might be good.
Then again, we'll get more game shows and "reality" shows, perhaps both sides should settle ASAP.
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joeblowe9 months, 2 weeks ago
Yeah - GWB is at the helm piloting our nation down the road to hell -- so a TV writer's strike doesn't seem all that important, I guess. Plus, as everyone seems to realize - it's mostly crap anyway...
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antitrust9 months, 2 weeks ago
If you've seen the move The Cable Guy (with Jim Carrey) at the end there is a huge black out of television and it shows people picking up a book for entertainment. Maybe this will be a good thing and open up new avenues for people and not be "zombified" by easily accessible, mindless entertainment.
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Charlson9 months, 2 weeks ago
These writers who are on strike are striking to get a fair piece of the pie. 50 per cent of the screenwriters of Hollywood made less than $10,000 last year, and that you can count on your fingers the number that made a steady income anywhere near the figure of $3,000 a month a critic claimed. More power to them, hope they win.
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Wolfie20079 months, 2 weeks ago
Charlson
This may be the only time we will ever agree on anything but I support the writers and your statement. BTW, to those on this board who think they can do as well at writing as the striking writers, well why not go for it? Send in your scripts to the networks, etal, and see what happens. lol
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PsychoHosebeast9 months, 2 weeks ago
Actually, I think a lot more people than realized are just like you... that's pretty much the way I am too.
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Wolfie20079 months, 2 weeks ago
Harbeas
Except for ESPN and golf, there are script writers for all the other shows you watch. Even TMC, not just the old movies but the monologues for the hosts and guests. Actually, the reporters and emcees on the sport shows probably have writers, too. But be of good cheer there are always reruns.
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Locky129 months, 2 weeks ago
Who are we to judge the writers who wrote such masterpieces like "Cavemen"?
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Harbeas9 months, 2 weeks ago
You are right wolfie. I guess I just might have to turn the tv off. No big deal either!
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slate9 months, 2 weeks ago
My guess would be that you have a group with lots of power that gets said power reading words that someone else writes for them; which in turn makes them experts on any subject, because they have read a script about said subject. Yet when they sit on a stage without a script you see just how devoid of logic they are when they have to actually say something of substance off the top of their heads.
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Eagle_Eye9 months, 2 weeks ago
Since most of the writing on TV is garbage and basically has all ready been done I don't care. I think the writing has gotten really bad over the last 10 years.
The only thing I will miss is the Daily Show and Colbert Report.
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shead9 months, 2 weeks ago
Food for thought: with writers on strike, and shows still in production, will the audience notice the difference?
I mean, does The Simpsons have to have a group of Harvard graduates determine what's funny? Non-IVY league writers are perfectly capable of turning out great television.
A shake-up might be good.
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Dakota
A reporter for Propeller, Dakota writes the Overlooked column for the web site. If you submitted a story and feel it deserves a second look ...
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