FBN on the WGA settlement…
Today on FBN, David Asman and Liz Claman interviewed Michael Winship, President of the Writers Guild of America, East, and Patric Verrone, President of the Writers Guild of America, West, regarding the deal that was recently agreed upon by the WGA and the conglomerates. Transcript highlights follow…
Winship on the 17-day window agreement stated in the contract:
“We would have liked to have closed that window completely. That is one of the things we did not achieve in this contract and something we will be working on going forward. The important thing is that we got jurisdiction in new media, we got jurisdiction in the Internet and we got a percentage of the distributors’ gross. These were our major goals and we achieved those.”
Winship on whether the networks will air programs after 17 days that would require them to pay writers:
“I think that they will because they’ll recognize the value of those programs being on beyond that window.”
“It’s a tremendous start for us. It’s a great way to begin the 21st century for people who are working in this business.”
Verrone on the exclusion of animation and reality TV writers from the contract:
“We certainly heard from them and it was a heartbreaking thing for me as an animation writer…Those writers are more or less the sweatshop writers in this industry and our hope going forward is that we can improve that situation and get coverage from them.”
“This will be a great priority for us – organizing animation and reality.”
Verrone on how the WGA and the conglomerates came to a deal:
“The key sticking point was the preservation of the future of the Internet and the writers’ share in it…Your CEO, Peter Chernin, and the CEO of Disney, Bob Iger, came into the picture, along with Les Moonves of CBS, behind the scenes to help us work out some of the details…”
Winship on the Directors Guild deal:
“I think the Directors Guild deal was achieved largely because we went on strike.”
I think Jay Leno should just fire his writers. He’s been at least as funny, even more so, since coming back on without them. I guess he started out years ago writing his own jokes, and has certainly not lost the “knack” for doing so.
Comment by Missy — February 11, 2008 @ 8:17 pm
Unions? At Fox News Channel or Fox Business?
None of the journalists there, that’s for sure.
The janitors, for sure.
Comment by TW — February 11, 2008 @ 9:01 pm
Either way, I am just thrilled that “The Office” will be back!
“This is an enviroment of welcoming and you should just get the hell out of here” - Michael Scott
Comment by jerziegrl — February 11, 2008 @ 9:07 pm
And I’m thrilled (despite the radical left propaganda embedded in it) that “Family Guy” is coming back. I’m glad “American Dad!” is coming back, too, but that show is only moderately left ideologically…in my opinion.
Comment by Mike Chimeri — February 11, 2008 @ 9:38 pm
jerziegrl, I love The Office too! I’m glad the writers will be back. All I remember from this season is that Jim and Pam are together, and that Dwight killed Angela’s cat.
Comment by Missy — February 11, 2008 @ 10:13 pm
“I think Jay Leno should just fire his writers. He’s been at least as funny, even more so, since coming back on without them.”
Being as funny as he was in the past is no compliment. Leno is quite possibly the laziest comedian in the world, goes for the easiest punch lines, regularly dusts off Bob Hope’s old jokes and retools them to fit whoever is popular now and has been ripping off Howard Stern’s “sketch” ideas long before he hired Howard’s old announcer. Leno makes “Larry the Cable Guy” seem innovative.
And his ratings since the strike show it.
Comment by Cory!! Strode — February 11, 2008 @ 11:05 pm
Glad to see people judge their comedy shows by how far to the left they are… I’d love to tell you to go do something to yourself but that could get me banned.
I’m more curious to the origins of the screen cap which was obviously sent out as P.R. from someone inside FBN.
Comment by notmyrealname — February 11, 2008 @ 11:12 pm
Cory!!,
Whatever. He’s still funny.
Missy!!
Comment by Missy — February 11, 2008 @ 11:48 pm
Missy,
Sorry you haven’t heard a real comedian like Bill Hicks, Richard Pryor, Robert Wuhl, Mitch Hedberg, or George Carlin. But if he makes you laugh, more power to you.
Comment by Cory!! Strode — February 12, 2008 @ 9:16 am