Forthcoming writers strike unwise
It hasn’t even happened yet and already HollyLibs are preparing for it like the second coming … of Ishtar. That’s right, the Hollywood screenwriters are about to go on strike … again.
Now, at issue are legitimate concerns. Studios are making tons off new revenue streams like DVD sales, cellphone deliveries, iPod sales and so forth; and the writers responsible for all that downloadable IP aren’t exactly getting their cut. That’s wrong.
But beware! Does anyone remember the consequences the last time HollyWriters went on strike? Hollywood proved it could adapt by developing an all-new, writer-less form of TV: reality program.
Some of the shows launched back then still survive to this day, including the one that nearly started it all, at least on network television: Survivor. Also still around are summer fare like Big Brother. And their progeny have littered network schedules ever since, to the chagrin of the creators of scripted dramas and comedies.
In fact, only in the last couple years have scripted shows really started to overcome the reality show challenge. Shows like Heroes and Lost and 24 and Prison Break have won back all the momentum lost during the last big writers strike.
I’m not saying the battle’s not worth fighting; it is. But beware of taking it all the way to a strike; beware of the very real risks of stretching out such a strike for too long.
Studios, too, need to beware of becoming too unreasonable in withholdiing the writers’ fair share of new revenue streams. Face is, studio bosses, without writers, you’re screwed into the corner of airing lots of sports, reality shows and other such fare. While much of it may indeed draw ratings, what must be kept in mind is even reality TV has a saturation point, and while a brief revival may help, it’s not a long-term solution.
Ratings of network TV has declined steadily since the last time the writers went on an extended strike. Deal fairly with them and either prevent the strike or keep it brief by dealing fairly.
Otherwise, folks just may stay tuned to their iPods, PS3s, Web browsers and endless supply of DVD libraries far longer than you think. The audience may indeed be hard to win back, once they realize home much other entertainment is out there to be had, and how little they actually need to find out whether the cheerleader will continue to be saved on Heroes, or whether House will ever settle on a new team of doc interns, or whether Losties will ever truly be… Found.
Tags: 24, Heroes, Lost, screenwriters, writers strike
November 8th, 2007 at 8:48 am
So no further commentary on the writers strike yet.
Actually the last time the writers striked wasn’t reality TV era but back in 1988. There have been actors strikes since then but not writers strikes. Already we see casualties. Heroes origins cancelled. 24 postponed until likely 2009. And yes, this will move more folks away from TV and will have a harder time getting audiences back.
November 9th, 2007 at 11:42 pm
More commentary coming.
There was a potential strike that was narrowly averted around 1999 or so. John Wells helped avert it but left lots of WGA rank-n-file unhappy because he caved at the time and left writers with no cut of DVD sales. The threat of that strike did help give birth to reality TV.
November 10th, 2007 at 8:52 am
Actually the writers did gain a cut of DVD sales, the same low rate as the VHS sales.