Tori’s Review: The WGA Strike
Tuesday, November 6th, 2007 | 83 comments
One Office Fan’s Completely Biased View of the Strike ( … or how you can help the writers of The Office)
Turn off your televisions and get out a pen; or in support of “new media” — write an email.
The people who bring us The Office each week are picketing outside the set, on a vacant cul-de-sac in the middle of nowhere with no media attention. Why? Because the Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers can’t come to an agreement about the amount of money the show’s writers should receive from DVD sales, and/or “new media,” a blanket term for shows that are downloaded or streamed on the Internet.
While new media might not seem like a big of a deal right now, it will be in the future. One day, you’ll park your flying car in the garage, float “Second Life”-style to your couch, and have the biggest urge to watch “The Injury.” In less than a second, your home’s central computer will download it to your 200-inch television.
Your DVD player will be rotting in your attic next to your original limbs.
The way it stands now, the cast and writers of The Office won’t be paid for the download. Sure, it looks like they make decent money, but what if by then, one of them has thrown it away on gambling and booze. This could mean bail money. And more importantly, it means income for working writers throughout the WGA who don’t make what a writer on The Office makes. The level of need isn’t the point. It’s partially their money. They created the show.
When the strike started Monday, the AMPTP reminded writers they can resign from the WGA and continue to work without losing their benefits, and demanded all other workers show up for their non-writing jobs. Instead, showrunner Greg Daniels and other actors on the show joined the picket line in an attempt to shut down production on The Office.
As a fan, it might seem like we are being punished with the show out of production. We’re missing out on Michael being an idiot. Possibly, Jim and Pam’s first fight. Maybe, Dwight and Angela’s reconciliation. And definitely, the hilarious black man. This could mean the end of Season 4.
But, it’s part of something much larger: true teamwork, and the only power they have to try and end the strike quickly, and pave the way for future deals with SAG and DGA.
The AMPTP and studio hoped to buy more time by getting The Office to stay in production. This would allow them to find alternate programming like reality shows, sports, and game shows. It wouldn’t help end the strike, only ensure we spend the rest of the season watching “The David Copperfield Show” or “Are You Smarter than a Studio Executive?”
With The Office out of production, in two weeks, the studio will be forced to end November sweeps in reruns.
Don’t watch the reruns, or any alternative programming. Turn off your television and spread the word. Take the remote from Grandma if you have to. Do not let her watch “Deal or No Deal.” You’ve been promising to take her to bingo; now is the time!
Demand what you want to see. You know the impact you can have — your campaign got the Season 2 finale supersized! You’re basically responsible for Pam not getting married. You are powerful!
Here is what you can do to support the writers on The Office:
Write polite, but firm letters to the AMPTP and NBC/Universal. Let them know intelligent viewers are not going watch anything but the television shows we have received from the talented people in WGA.
Just, whatever you do, please do not threaten to burn anything to the ground.
- Jeff Zucker
30 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, NY 10112 - AMPTP contact form
- Universal Studios
100 Universal City Plaza
Universal Studios, CA 91608 - NBC Studios
3000 W. Alameda Ave.
Burbank, CA 91523
Footnotes:
- Information gathered from various online sources, including www.wga.org and www.amptp.org.
- I have no reason to believe any writer or cast member associated with The Office has a potential gambling problem, drinking problem, or is at high risk of being arrested.
- “The David Copperfield Show” is not a real television show, and I admit “Are You Smarter than a Studio Executive” is a low blow.
–
Tori Weber is a Web Producer and writer for a television news station in Orlando, FL. Writing keeps her sane, and ice cream makes her happy. Dogs are good too. Visit her here.
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Can we burn Utica to the ground?
A little belated but Tori thank you so much for this. In solidarity!
What about buying the episodes On Demand? Frowned upon?
Stephanie– DVR counts in the ratings. (not the stuff you’ve already recorded though… I don’t think)
Be sure to cancel your regularly scheduled recordings :)
The link to the comment site is so great! Even if you just take the time to type a few sentences, the AMPTP will know that you are ONE MORE person in support of the writers. It’s the only way to voice your power as a consumer.
My comment to the AMPTP:
I am just officially submitting my intention to stop watching online episodes of television shows, visiting show websites or watching any other programing that, in two weeks, may replace any network shows I usually watch. I watch quite a lot of shows regularly and frequently view “new media” content. However, in the coming weeks my TV will be OFF for The Office, Grey’s Anatomy, The Big Bang Theory, Pushing Daisies, Desperate Housewives, Samantha Who, Back to You and Ugly Betty until the strike is over. I know it’s not much, but I’m just want the AMPTP to know that there are people who care and that myself and millions of other viewers will be using our power as consumers to help turn the tide.
Hey – does anybody know if DVR/Tivo counts towards the ratings? Will watching my DVR add fuel to the fire? What about the stuff it is already recording? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated…
RE: 70 | Too Late Kev
I agree that the letters would have more meaning if they were all individually written, but I bet there are some people who just don’t have the time to write their own. If there was a form letter, then the people who wouldn’t send one because of time would. It would just up the volume of letters. And I doubt the studio heads are reading them all beginning to end anyways :) Volume is what is going to make an impact, i think.
I wrote in:
I’m writing in support of the WGA strike. End the strike and give the writers a fair deal. Writers deserve the extra 4 cents the industry promised them 20 years ago. You need the writers and they’re not backing down any time soon. Settle. Settle and get The Office back on the air. In the meantime I’m certainly happy to watch my DVDs and various youtube fan videos for my Office fix. I can wait till you come to your senses. The fans will wait. Don’t think for a second we’re gonna turn on the people that have brought us so much laughter and entertainment. Give the writers what they deserve. It’s really your only option.
62,
The writers do own what they write, and that’s how their compensation is measured.
To use the McD’s example, a burger flipper is paid based on the number of hours worked. A writer is paid based on the number of times their writing is used. Say McD’s decided that certain hours worked were new and experimental (maybe those hours are spend making a new burger for test marketing), and the burger flipper will not be paid for those hours.
That’s what is happening to the writers when they aren’t paid for Internet and other new media use of their writing.
Melissa- They need their money. Chill.
HELP THEM?! Yes, they are brilliant, but this is a bit outrageous. I’m a big fan, but this much drama will cause me not to watch the show anymore. They have problems, but they shouldn’t take them out on us.
This makes me wonder if the demands are met and there will be more compensation for online media does that mean prices will increase for us to view it? Will everyone still be supporting the writers when they have to pay more for downloading an episode or purchasing a DVD? I guess it kind of makes me think of how freakishly upset everyone got over the whole I-Tunes deal, which I think shows some similarities to the current situation.
Kate (#68): Actually, it wouldn’t be better to watch a lot of online stuff — maybe after the strike is resolved, but not now. The point here is to not watch FOR A REASON, to make a point. If people aren’t watching online stuff because they’re not interested, then networks lose money forever. But if people aren’t watching because they’re boycotting, networks know things will change when demands are met. That’s how we use whatever power we have.
And I’d like to point out that the outcome of this strike affects all the other unions about to renegotiate their deals. It’s easy to point at the rich and make fun, but it’s the people who are struggling to get by who really need the rich and well-known to fight for them.
Kate (#68), I think the right thing to do is to NOT watch the online content, but we have to make sure AMPTP knows we’re not watching it. The link up above marked AMPTP Contact Form is a really easy way to do this!
A silent boycott of online content won’t help. A loud one may help. Let’s flood the AMPTP Contact site!
To the person who was interested in a sort of ‘form letter’ — it’s probably more effective if people use their own words. Tell the AMPTP what you’re going to do and what you think they’re doing wrong with regard to the writers.
I understand people’s will to join the fight and the good cause, and #49′s point, but turn off my Kid Nation and I Love NY, no way! This thing will blow over in a few weeks/days… hopefully. The writers will win because they are awesome, and they are like locusts. To quote Presidental nominee Stephen T. Colbert, “as any farmer or biblical scholar will tell you, locusts are damn hard to get rid of!”
I get what your saying, but in theory, wouldn’t it maybe be better if we did watch a LOT of the online content. I mean, if we’re not watching it, then the studios aren’t making much money off of it…which just “proves” their argument for gypping the writers.
I’m totally in support of the writers. I think they need all of our support-they are trying to get a fair deal for their futures. I wish we could send paperclips or something to the studio.
Also, it’s great to have fansites like this so we don’t have to patronize NBC.com
#62 I respectfully suggest you learn more about the issue. It is not “just because”.
The WGA has created a video to explain their side. Very informative.
Tanster, thank you for keeping us updated on this.
I am a long-time poster on the NBC Office message board, but have decided not to visit the entire NBC site until this is resolved.
#62 Who decides what is “too much”?
I had only heard a little bit about this strike. Now that I am informed, I’m shutting off my tv in support. I agree w/Jennifer, someone should open a site for signatures of support for these fantastic writers.