0
Usenet Posted 21 years ago
Screenwriting
Reality TV Show Writers Seek More Pay
By DAVID BAUDER, AP Television Writer
Tue Nov 15, 2:03 PM ET
NEW YORK - Television's reality intruded upon network entertainment chiefs Tuesday when disgruntled reality show writers barged in to a gathering of industry leaders to seek more pay.
ADVERTISEMENT
More than 1,000 TV writers want their benefits to catch up with scribes of comedies and dramas, and about a dozen of their representatives interrupted a discussion with the entertainment presidents of ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, UPN and the WB at the Waldorf Astoria.
They dumped leaflets on hotel's banquet hall tables and Susan Baronoff, a writer for "Starting Over" and other shows, climbed onto the stage.
"Will you please today think about it and go back to your office and do what you know is the right thing to do?" she said.
The entertainment chiefs looked puzzled and uncomfortable, and the protesters quickly left the room.
"Their voice needs to be heard," Peter Liguori, Fox entertainment president, said later. "We'll figure it out."
The representatives of the Writers Guild of America say reality show employees don't have the health and pension benefits of colleagues on scripted shows, aren't paid enough for overtime and don't participate in syndication profits.
It's not the most comfortable topic for television executives anyway, since acknowledging all of the writers indicates there's something less than real about reality TV.
"They make wads of money from reality," Baronoff said. "It's not a little genre anymore. It's a behemoth."
Another indication of changing times for TV came within the discussion itself. For about the first half of the annual gathering - traditionally an opportunity for television executives to take stock of the fall season - the talk was about business and technology, not about programming.
In only a couple of months, ABC announced it was selling copies of some shows for use on video iPods, CBS and NBC made deals to offer programming for on-demand purchases and there's been a flood of new programming offered through the Internet.
The executives said they believed that the large-screen, living room television will remain the main choice for their medium.
But Kevin Reilly, NBC entertainment president, said the broadcast companies are trying to act quickly to set a price for their content so that - unlike the music industry - consumers don't get used to getting it for free.
"We looked at the music business and we are all aware that we have to be ahead of things," said Dawn Ostroff, UPN entertainment chief.
Tue Nov 15, 2:03 PM ET
NEW YORK - Television's reality intruded upon network entertainment chiefs Tuesday when disgruntled reality show writers barged in to a gathering of industry leaders to seek more pay.
ADVERTISEMENT
More than 1,000 TV writers want their benefits to catch up with scribes of comedies and dramas, and about a dozen of their representatives interrupted a discussion with the entertainment presidents of ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, UPN and the WB at the Waldorf Astoria.
They dumped leaflets on hotel's banquet hall tables and Susan Baronoff, a writer for "Starting Over" and other shows, climbed onto the stage.
"Will you please today think about it and go back to your office and do what you know is the right thing to do?" she said.
The entertainment chiefs looked puzzled and uncomfortable, and the protesters quickly left the room.
"Their voice needs to be heard," Peter Liguori, Fox entertainment president, said later. "We'll figure it out."
The representatives of the Writers Guild of America say reality show employees don't have the health and pension benefits of colleagues on scripted shows, aren't paid enough for overtime and don't participate in syndication profits.
It's not the most comfortable topic for television executives anyway, since acknowledging all of the writers indicates there's something less than real about reality TV.
"They make wads of money from reality," Baronoff said. "It's not a little genre anymore. It's a behemoth."
Another indication of changing times for TV came within the discussion itself. For about the first half of the annual gathering - traditionally an opportunity for television executives to take stock of the fall season - the talk was about business and technology, not about programming.
In only a couple of months, ABC announced it was selling copies of some shows for use on video iPods, CBS and NBC made deals to offer programming for on-demand purchases and there's been a flood of new programming offered through the Internet.
The executives said they believed that the large-screen, living room television will remain the main choice for their medium.
But Kevin Reilly, NBC entertainment president, said the broadcast companies are trying to act quickly to set a price for their content so that - unlike the music industry - consumers don't get used to getting it for free.
"We looked at the music business and we are all aware that we have to be ahead of things," said Dawn Ostroff, UPN entertainment chief.
Top answer
[nq:1]By DAVID BAUDER, AP Television Writer Tue Nov 15, 2:03 PM ET The representatives of the Writers Guild of America ... [/nq] So why is it that these writers aren't considered scabs? I thought the WGA had pretty well locked down the major television networks as union shops.
- [nq:1]By DAVID BAUDER, AP Television Writer Tue Nov 15, 2:03 PM ET The representatives of the Writers Guild of America ...
- [/nq] So why is it that these writers aren't considered scabs?
- I thought the WGA had pretty well locked down the major television networks as union shops.
- Clearly this isn't true, but the whole "reality" television thing is such a slap in writers' faces it feels strange that the WGA's reaction is so mild.
- html
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
8 Answers
0
[nq:1]By DAVID BAUDER, AP Television Writer Tue Nov 15, 2:03 PM ET The representatives of the Writers Guild of America ... health and pension benefits of colleagues on scripted shows, aren't paid enough for overtime and don't participate in syndication profits.[/nq]
So why is it that these writers aren't considered scabs? I thought the WGA had pretty well locked down the major television netwo
So why is it that these writers aren't considered scabs? I thought the WGA had pretty well locked down the major television netwo
00
[nq:2]By DAVID BAUDER, AP Television Writer Tue Nov 15, 2:03 PM ET[/nq]
[nq:2]The representatives of the Writers Guild of America say reality ... paid enough for overtime and don't participate in syndication profits.[/nq]
[nq:1]So why is it that these writers aren't considered scabs? I thought the WGA had pretty well locked down the ... "reality" television thing is such a slap in writers'
[nq:2]The representatives of the Writers Guild of America say reality ... paid enough for overtime and don't participate in syndication profits.[/nq]
[nq:1]So why is it that these writers aren't considered scabs? I thought the WGA had pretty well locked down the ... "reality" television thing is such a slap in writers'
00
This is doubtless an embarrassingly naive question, but what exactly does a reality show writer write? Are we talking about general formats or (presumably) something more specific? It's not a genre I tend to watch: my experience of the UK form is limited to Big Brother, and on that show the only overtly structured bits are the regular "tasks" (I assuming that the US version is much the same) and i
00
[nq:1]This is doubtless an embarrassingly naive question, but what exactly does a reality show writer write? Are we talking about ... think themselves entitled to the same money as the writer of a drama. Or do I have this all wrong?[/nq]
I imagine they script the events that make the "reality". In other words, they're charged with creating complications and conflict, which is what writers do,
I imagine they script the events that make the "reality". In other words, they're charged with creating complications and conflict, which is what writers do,
00
[nq:1]This is doubtless an embarrassingly naive question, but what exactly does a reality show writer write? Are we talking about ... think themselves entitled to the same money as the writer of a drama. Or do I have this all wrong?[/nq]
They shoot a week's worth of raw footage, and produce a 1-hour show. The "writing" as I suggested in an earlier post consists of deveoping a storyline out of
They shoot a week's worth of raw footage, and produce a 1-hour show. The "writing" as I suggested in an earlier post consists of deveoping a storyline out of
00
[nq:1]They shoot a week's worth of raw footage, and produce a 1-hour show. The "writing" as I suggested in an earlier post consists of deveoping a storyline out of all the tedium, and looking for visuals and selecting incidents that support the storyline.[/nq]
I'd have thought that was producing (or directing, depending on your semantic preference). In either case, is it really comparable with
I'd have thought that was producing (or directing, depending on your semantic preference). In either case, is it really comparable with
00
[nq:2]They shoot a week's worth of raw footage, and produce ... looking for visuals and selecting incidents that support the storyline.[/nq]
[nq:1]I'd have thought that was producing (or directing, depending on your semantic preference). In either case, is it really comparable with starting with nothing and finishing with a drama script?[/nq]
Of course not.
**** hath no fury like
[nq:1]I'd have thought that was producing (or directing, depending on your semantic preference). In either case, is it really comparable with starting with nothing and finishing with a drama script?[/nq]
Of course not.
**** hath no fury like
00
[nq:2]In either case, is it really comparable with starting with nothing and finishing with a drama script?[/nq]
[nq:1]Of course not.[/nq]
It was rather in the nature of a rhetorical question. But I'm glad to hear that you agree.
Bert
www.bertcoules.co.uk
[nq:1]Of course not.[/nq]
It was rather in the nature of a rhetorical question. But I'm glad to hear that you agree.
Bert
www.bertcoules.co.uk
0
Related Questions