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WGA 2007 – 2008 Strike

WGA 2007 – 2008 Strike. Shannon Barker Siena Heights University LDR 655 Professor Wallace. Who is the WGA?. Writer’s Guild of America Labor organization Two regional locations: East – New York, NY West – Hollywood, CA Majority of members are writers Television Animation

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WGA 2007 – 2008 Strike

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  1. WGA 2007 – 2008 Strike Shannon Barker Siena Heights University LDR 655 Professor Wallace

  2. Who is the WGA? • Writer’s Guild of America • Labor organization • Two regional locations: • East – New York, NY • West – Hollywood, CA • Majority of members are writers • Television • Animation • Work is viewable in a variety of formats • Traditional: television & theater • New Media: Internet, video games, CD’s, & DVD’s

  3. Who is the AMPTP? • Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers • Located in California • Entertainment industry's official collective bargaining representative • Negotiates 80 industry-wide collective bargaining agreements • Over 350 members • Movie & television producers • Studios • Broadcast & Cable networks • Independent producers

  4. WGA “Pattern of Demands” • Initial compensation and residuals for writing for the internet and other non-traditional media • Increased initial compensation in all areas • Increased minimums and residuals for The CW network • Increased home video (DVD and videocassette) residual payments • Expanded coverage of reality programs and animation • Address product integration

  5. The Cost of New Media

  6. Looking Back to 1988 • Strike between WGA & AMPTP lasted 21 weeks & 6 days • Costing the industry $500 million • Major focus: compensation for work viewed through advanced technology • Networks replaced television with reruns • Focused on reality shows: “Cops”

  7. Cost of 2007 – 2008 Strike • Primary shows affected • ABC: Desperate Housewives, Grey’s Anatomy, Ugly Betty, Boston Legal • NBC: The Office, 30 Rock, Law & Order, My Name is Earl, ER • CBS: Two and a Half Men, How I Met Your Mother, The Big Bang Theory, NCIS, CSI • Fox: Back to You, Bones, 24, House • CW: Gossip Girl, Smallville, One Tree Hill, Super Natural • HBO: In Treatment, Entourage, True Blood • Showtime: Weeds, Dexter,

  8. Trickledown Effect • Thousands of production workers affected: • Caterers, camera operators, makeup artists • Service industry that served entertainment industry: • Catering companies, hotels • Cancellation of Golden Globe Awards • Loss of $70 - $80 million • Affecting: hotel staff, dress makers, limousine drivers, ushers • Companies lost valuable advertising time $2.8 billion in lost output through the end of 2008!

  9. Trickledown Effect Continued…

  10. Minimum Basic Agreement (MBA) • WGA obtained jurisdiction over new media • When written by professional writer • Program is covered by the MBA • Production budget is above: $15,000 per minute, $300,000 per program, or $500,000 per series order • Higher residuals for new media. • 2% & 3% for streaming of their work online • Compensations for downloads • Doubles when over 100,000 units sold

  11. MBA Continued… • Payments for streaming on the internet will start 17 – 24 days after premiering online. • They also gave up the demand for a higher share of revenue from DVD’s. • They did not receive “jurisdiction over reality television or full jurisdiction over prime time animation

  12. Conclusion

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