" During three weeks of picketing by the WGA and ally unions including the Screen Actors Guild, network heads attempted to put the best face on the work stoppage, claiming that they had ample new content to take them into the new year and beyond. But privately, they have become increasingly concerned about the potential damage of a long-term strike. And while Wall Street has been distracted by record losses and skyrocketing oil prices, the subconscious effect on the conglomerates’ shareholders cannot be underestimated.
Disney stock was at a 52-week low this past week, and CBS tumbled 18% this year and was trading near its 52-week low.
In a letter sent to employees earlier this week, Moonves reiterated that there are "substantial" differences separating the WGA and the AMPTP, which represents the interests of networks and studios, but that an agreement can be forged through "hard work, patience and understanding."
"Toshiba America Consumer Products and CBS Home Entertainment kicked off a joint campaign this week to promote the launch of "Star Trek: The Original Series: First Season" exclusively on the HD DVD/DVD Combo disc, and a limited-edition "Star Trek" Phaser remote control.
The giveaway entitles consumers who buy any Toshiba HD DVD player and the "Star Trek: The Original Series: First Season" HD DVD/DVD Combo boxed set a free limited-edition "Star Trek" Phaser remote by mail. The remote works with any Toshiba HD DVD player. It features special sounds and light effects from the TV series.
In their promotion for the offering, Toshiba and CBS will run online banner and print ads that highlight images from the original "Star Trek" series. The advertisements detail how Star Trek fans can get their very own Phaser remote control."
Deviant Behavior in Online Multimedia Communities and Strategies for Managing it."
"Every chat community is built upon a unique software infrastructure that offers unique technical features for how people experience the environment and interact with each other. Misbehaving users will find a unique way to abuse almost any unique feature you offer them. If you build it, some will exploit it.
Every culture and subculture has its own standards about what is acceptable and unacceptable behavior. According to the theory of "cultural relativity," what is considered normal behavior in one culture may not be considered normal in another, and vice versa. A particular type of "deviance" that is despised in one chat community may be a central organizing theme in another.
It's also important to remember that the large majority of chat communities are a leisure activity for most people - i.e., the community and all that is happening there is entertainment in the form of a recapitulation of the "real world." Deviant behavior may be a disruptive turnoff to some people, but for others it is part of the show.
"The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, representing the major studios, says the Internet is too new to value. Like home video 20 years ago, the AMPTP doesn't want to set residuals until the studios can establish viable business models for Internet content. But its arguments seem disingenuous.
If there's no money in online content now, why did Viacom sue YouTube for $1 billion, accusing Google of illegally profiting off clips of its shows? WGA supporters compiled damning clips of CEOs like News Corp.'s Rupert Murdoch and Viacom's Sumner Redstone trumpeting the current and future revenue their firms earn from Internet broadcasts.
On its website, the AMPTP states that writers want a 700% increase in their download residuals. That's true. The writers are currently getting the 22-year-old 0.3% rate, and they're asking for the original 2.5%.
The AMPTP says it offered writers a cut of streaming revenue. That's also true, but the WGA counters that the AMPTP proposed no residuals until six weeks after the episode went online. In other words, the time when the most number of people would likely watch that episode, and when the network would earn the most from it. "
"Blind Item: Please Hold for the Next Available Panicked Mogul
CARE TO GUESS?
Which of five networks is said to have been forced to hire extra people to handle all the calls flooding in from angry fans demanding a fair deal for writers? Our source says an assistant to the CEO of the network's parent company contacted a fan site that posted the CEO's phone number and pleaded, "What do I have to do to get you people to stop this?"
You see, when your business is keeping viewers and advertisers happy, there IS such a thing as bad publicity."
**Be sure to read the comments. It appears the "panicked mogul" is none other than Les Moonves.
Another interesting comment: "You do know that Les Moonves' brother is Jon Moonves, who is on Fanlib's board of directors?"
Finally, there's Fanlib. I had never heard of the place.
"The digital out-of-home marketplace has seen rapid growth this year, from the formation of the Out-Of-Home Video Advertising Bureau in January to key players tripling their spending in a span of months. Double-digit growth means it's time for organized metrics -- no easy feat for a market that includes everything from elevators to urinals.
PQ Media expects out-of-home-video spending to increase to $1.28 billion by the end of 2007 (up from $1.1 billion in 2006), with an additional $365 million for digital billboards and displays."
"Part of the reason for the increased proliferation of advertising is part Internet (with Facebook leading the charge) and part consumer behavior toward network television. The American Advertising Federation is currently running a smart poll that asks its readers if they use their DVRs to fast-forward commercials. So far, more than 85 percent say they do (and AAF SmartBrief readers are predominantly advertising people)."
"The writers strike has media buyers growing cautious about the efficacy of TV advertising in the weeks ahead and in the first quarter of 2008 -- and mulling strategies for possible reallocation of marketers' ad spending. The fourth quarter is an especially fraught time for marketers to not be able to count on TV as a reach vehicle, as many are pushing products for the holidays."
"United Hollywood, one of the best sites for strike coverage, has taken a page out of the "Jericho" fans playbook (remember when they sent truckloads of nuts to CBS to protest the show's cancellation and it worked?) and decided to become creative in sending a message to the studios. With the Pencils2MediaMoguls campaign, for only one dollar you can send a box of pencils to a mogul as part of a petition to demand that the media moguls bargain in good faith and create a fair deal with the Writers Guild of America. You can even send the pencils in honor of your favorite TV show. ( I sent several boxes in honor of "House.")."
Break out the Nuts and your favorite beverage!!!!!!!!!
Margie and Edna are chatting with you Sunday night!! Nov. 18
10pm ET in the Jericho Library at Jeritopia
Join Margie and Edna, Jericho's oldest residents, for a delightful chat. These two wonderful ladies will tell it all and keep you entertained for hours!
We hope to see you all there!
Interesting post from Rich at Copywrite Ink today. He's always on target.
"Network ratings aren’t down because people watch less television. They are down because viewers have more control over their entertainment options. Simply put, if viewers do not like what is on the major networks, there are hundreds of other channels to choose from. And, if they don’t like any of those programs, there is always the DVR list, stocked full of saved programs.
So, there is a good chance the Internet, which caused much of the contract conflict, will likely also be the reason this strike will be short. After all, networks and studios tend to have a neutral or even adversarial relationship with their customers whereas producers and writers are becoming increasingly engaged with them.
When you think about it, this creates a significant brand shift. When today’s viewers think Jericho, they think Carole Barbee and Dan Shotz (some even think Steingberg, Chbosky, and Schaer), before CBS. When they think Firefly, they know Joss Whedon. When they think Veronica Mars, it’s Rob Thomas."
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