Comments on: BREAKING: AMPTP Walks Out of Talks With Writers http://firedoglake.com/2007/12/08/breaking-amptp-walks-out-of-talks-with-writers/ Firedoglake weblog Sat, 28 Nov 2009 09:32:59 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: rdosser http://firedoglake.com/2007/12/08/breaking-amptp-walks-out-of-talks-with-writers/#comment-1138690 rdosser Sat, 08 Dec 2007 18:04:56 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2007/12/08/breaking-amptp-walks-out-of-talks-with-writers/#comment-1138690 <p>The producers of “Battlestar Galactica” might be a little more impressed with the email campaign if it spelled the name of their show correctly.</p> The producers of “Battlestar Galactica” might be a little more impressed with the email campaign if it spelled the name of their show correctly.

]]> By: BobbyG http://firedoglake.com/2007/12/08/breaking-amptp-walks-out-of-talks-with-writers/#comment-1138655 BobbyG Sat, 08 Dec 2007 17:09:33 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2007/12/08/breaking-amptp-walks-out-of-talks-with-writers/#comment-1138655 <p>Any chance the Suits could henceforth just go non-union for writing? Would all of the other industry unions stand up for the WGA? How much of the TV/Movie business remains unionized?</p> Any chance the Suits could henceforth just go non-union for writing? Would all of the other industry unions stand up for the WGA? How much of the TV/Movie business remains unionized?

]]> By: TheBear http://firedoglake.com/2007/12/08/breaking-amptp-walks-out-of-talks-with-writers/#comment-1138626 TheBear Sat, 08 Dec 2007 16:40:54 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2007/12/08/breaking-amptp-walks-out-of-talks-with-writers/#comment-1138626 <p>It’s gonna take solidarity to bust the moguls. They’re willing to LOSE $1 billion in their effort to break the WGA. They care not a whit about public opinion. The Media Moguls/Corporatist Pricks (MM/CP) know if they can bust WGA the rest of the unions will fall like leaves in the breeze.</p> <p>-I’m afraid this is definitely a case of Hang together or Hang individually. I hope there are enough union members around who remember (recent)history. We didn’t always have protections against unsafe and unfair working conditions. We didn’t used to have a lot of things. (not so) Funny thing is, Teamsters could end this in short order. How long do you think the MM/CP could hold out against the public outcry if Union Drivers across the country decided to walk off their jobs?</p> It’s gonna take solidarity to bust the moguls. They’re willing to LOSE $1 billion in their effort to break the WGA. They care not a whit about public opinion. The Media Moguls/Corporatist Pricks (MM/CP) know if they can bust WGA the rest of the unions will fall like leaves in the breeze.

-I’m afraid this is definitely a case of Hang together or Hang individually. I hope there are enough union members around who remember (recent)history. We didn’t always have protections against unsafe and unfair working conditions. We didn’t used to have a lot of things. (not so) Funny thing is, Teamsters could end this in short order. How long do you think the MM/CP could hold out against the public outcry if Union Drivers across the country decided to walk off their jobs?

]]> By: RickinSF http://firedoglake.com/2007/12/08/breaking-amptp-walks-out-of-talks-with-writers/#comment-1138593 RickinSF Sat, 08 Dec 2007 16:16:40 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2007/12/08/breaking-amptp-walks-out-of-talks-with-writers/#comment-1138593 <p>I’m waiting for next season’s shows to be written in India.</p> I’m waiting for next season’s shows to be written in India.

]]> By: Albatross http://firedoglake.com/2007/12/08/breaking-amptp-walks-out-of-talks-with-writers/#comment-1138581 Albatross Sat, 08 Dec 2007 16:05:23 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2007/12/08/breaking-amptp-walks-out-of-talks-with-writers/#comment-1138581 <p>I want to know where these movie-movul idiots think this can possibly go? Of COURSE they’re going to have to come to some new arrangement. Do they think that the writers and the union will just wake up on Monday and say “Oh well, guess we’ll just forget about it?” and go back to work?</p> <p>Given that they are doomed to come to an agreement, why don’t they just set about doing it and quit all the grandstanding and denial?</p> <p>Oh, right, because they’re both incredibly stupid and incredibly greedy. Forgot.</p> I want to know where these movie-movul idiots think this can possibly go? Of COURSE they’re going to have to come to some new arrangement. Do they think that the writers and the union will just wake up on Monday and say “Oh well, guess we’ll just forget about it?” and go back to work?

Given that they are doomed to come to an agreement, why don’t they just set about doing it and quit all the grandstanding and denial?

Oh, right, because they’re both incredibly stupid and incredibly greedy. Forgot.

]]> By: dugsdale http://firedoglake.com/2007/12/08/breaking-amptp-walks-out-of-talks-with-writers/#comment-1138505 dugsdale Sat, 08 Dec 2007 14:49:27 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2007/12/08/breaking-amptp-walks-out-of-talks-with-writers/#comment-1138505 <p>I was sitting around with a bunch of other extras in the holding area on a movie we were recently working on, and the topic of the stagehands’ strike came up (this was when it was still on). A couple of others at the table came up with the usual sneering anti-union comments (these are SAG extras, mind you!) and I found myself announcing, “Well, as a pre-emptive matter, I’m prepared to take the word of ANY union over the word of ANY management, anywhere, anytime.” We’ve all been so schooled by media about the anti-union anecdotal equivalents of “welfare mothers driving Cadillacs” that it’s hard to leap to the defense of unions, but it’s necessary and important to do so. It’s time to start assertively pushing back against anti-union narrative, just as it’s important to start pushing back against pro-torture narrative. </p> <p>In the case of the writers’ strike, I don’t think the AMPTP has realized how badly they’ve misjudged public opinion on this. Their latest walkout is going to hurt a LOT of innocent people, with tons of negative publicity resulting. And frankly if you needed poster children for the urgent necessity of breaking up media conglomerates, the AMPTP’ll do just fine. I look forward to a revitalized FCC and SEC (and maybe I’m dreaming) handing the moguls their lunch pails and saying, “OK, gunsels, now go get a REAL job!”</p> I was sitting around with a bunch of other extras in the holding area on a movie we were recently working on, and the topic of the stagehands’ strike came up (this was when it was still on). A couple of others at the table came up with the usual sneering anti-union comments (these are SAG extras, mind you!) and I found myself announcing, “Well, as a pre-emptive matter, I’m prepared to take the word of ANY union over the word of ANY management, anywhere, anytime.” We’ve all been so schooled by media about the anti-union anecdotal equivalents of “welfare mothers driving Cadillacs” that it’s hard to leap to the defense of unions, but it’s necessary and important to do so. It’s time to start assertively pushing back against anti-union narrative, just as it’s important to start pushing back against pro-torture narrative.

In the case of the writers’ strike, I don’t think the AMPTP has realized how badly they’ve misjudged public opinion on this. Their latest walkout is going to hurt a LOT of innocent people, with tons of negative publicity resulting. And frankly if you needed poster children for the urgent necessity of breaking up media conglomerates, the AMPTP’ll do just fine. I look forward to a revitalized FCC and SEC (and maybe I’m dreaming) handing the moguls their lunch pails and saying, “OK, gunsels, now go get a REAL job!”

]]> By: selise http://firedoglake.com/2007/12/08/breaking-amptp-walks-out-of-talks-with-writers/#comment-1138424 selise Sat, 08 Dec 2007 13:26:05 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2007/12/08/breaking-amptp-walks-out-of-talks-with-writers/#comment-1138424 <blockquote><p>Sadly, our current national consensus seems to be leaning the other way.</p> </blockquote> <p>that’s because some people don’t like what the outcome of such a system would be…. imo, there would be, for example, very progressive taxation.</p>

Sadly, our current national consensus seems to be leaning the other way.

that’s because some people don’t like what the outcome of such a system would be…. imo, there would be, for example, very progressive taxation.

]]> By: Bilbo http://firedoglake.com/2007/12/08/breaking-amptp-walks-out-of-talks-with-writers/#comment-1138421 Bilbo Sat, 08 Dec 2007 13:21:48 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2007/12/08/breaking-amptp-walks-out-of-talks-with-writers/#comment-1138421 <blockquote><p>i dream of a country where we all agree on the basics: nothing that hints of a police state (ie we value and protect our human and constitutional rights), politics in the open and following the rules (no voter suppression, no cheating of any kind), and no starting wars. basically an anti-authoritarian, anti-imperial world view.</p> </blockquote> <p>This makes a lot of sense to me, Selise. Although I’m probably pretty firmly planted in the progressive camp, this certainly seems like a basic world view I could buy into. The only modification I might make would be to make it transnational (as long as we’re talking about starry eyed idealism, why not?). Sadly, our current national consensus seems to be leaning the other way.</p>

i dream of a country where we all agree on the basics: nothing that hints of a police state (ie we value and protect our human and constitutional rights), politics in the open and following the rules (no voter suppression, no cheating of any kind), and no starting wars. basically an anti-authoritarian, anti-imperial world view.

This makes a lot of sense to me, Selise. Although I’m probably pretty firmly planted in the progressive camp, this certainly seems like a basic world view I could buy into. The only modification I might make would be to make it transnational (as long as we’re talking about starry eyed idealism, why not?). Sadly, our current national consensus seems to be leaning the other way.

]]> By: jayt http://firedoglake.com/2007/12/08/breaking-amptp-walks-out-of-talks-with-writers/#comment-1138420 jayt Sat, 08 Dec 2007 13:21:08 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2007/12/08/breaking-amptp-walks-out-of-talks-with-writers/#comment-1138420 <p><i>before they will return to the negotiations, which include taking reality TV and animation jurisdiction off the table.</i></p> <p>Why “reality” (and I use the word very loosely) shows?<br /> Because that’s the future. No actors to pay - low production costs, very little actual writing needed, etc. Couple that with a generally low-brow national audience (and no, I’ve never seen American Idol, thank you very much)(ok, so I did watch the first season of <i>Project Runway</i>).</p> <p>The entertainment industry continues its rush toward the bottom line - profits and the almighty dollar.</p> <p>Art is for pussies.</p> before they will return to the negotiations, which include taking reality TV and animation jurisdiction off the table.

Why “reality” (and I use the word very loosely) shows?
Because that’s the future. No actors to pay – low production costs, very little actual writing needed, etc. Couple that with a generally low-brow national audience (and no, I’ve never seen American Idol, thank you very much)(ok, so I did watch the first season of Project Runway).

The entertainment industry continues its rush toward the bottom line – profits and the almighty dollar.

Art is for pussies.

]]> By: Elliott http://firedoglake.com/2007/12/08/breaking-amptp-walks-out-of-talks-with-writers/#comment-1138419 Elliott Sat, 08 Dec 2007 13:20:54 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2007/12/08/breaking-amptp-walks-out-of-talks-with-writers/#comment-1138419 <p><a href="http://firedoglake.com/2007/12/08/pull-up-a-chair-76/#comments">come pull up a chair with egregious</a></p> come pull up a chair with egregious

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