"Broadcast TV was always the place to go for multicourse banquets of programming -- anywhere from 13 to 20 or more weeks of your favorite dramas and comedies. Thanks to the writers strike, however, network TV is looking like a nibbler's delight: eight snackable episodes of "Lost," just a taste of "Terminator".
he Writers Guild of America action has forced shorter story arcs on networks and viewers; had writers been available, of course, viewers would be watching a full slate of "24," in which each episode represents one hour in a 24-hour day. A sense is evolving, however, that shorter might be better going forward and that the strike could permanently alter the way TV is programmed and sold.
"A new model that has a continuous season with continuous new programming would benefit all," said Chuck Bachrach, exec VP-director of media communications at independent agency RPA."
"Man, CBS owes Jericho fans a huge thank-you. Not only are they responsible for bringing the show back from cancellation — making sure the network has another series to show this winter during the ongoing writers' strike — but they also gave the network the perfect tool for marketing the show's return: nuts! Ever since fans inundated CBS headquarters with literally tons of peanuts this spring in an effort to bring the show back, CBS has adopted the nut theme as its own. The network gave out gift bags of nuts during the Jericho panel at this summer's TV press tour, and here's the latest: a tour through the show's first season as hosted by a talking, animated peanut."
"The networks publicly have been insisting that their ratings will not be much hurt by the upcoming glut of reality programming in the wake of the writers' strike. Do you think the public will embrace reality, because that's all there is, or will we see a backlash against this much unscripted programming?"
"Just last week, there was a sense that talks in the Writers Guild of America strike were moving in the direction of a settlement.
This week, the outlook is as bleak as the weather Milwaukeeans have been facing this December: icy, cold and unending.
Talks broke down Friday night, and there's no date set for a new round.
The fallout won't really start to hit viewers until after the holiday season ends. The word out of Hollywood is that the last of the dramas still in production will wrap up this week, so fresh episodes will become increasingly sparse once the December rerun / holiday specials season wraps up after the ball drops in Times Square."
" 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."
We, the fans, unite with WGA by supporting their strike. The writers are the backbone of Hollywood. They deserve to receive a share of 8 cents in DVD and internet download sales. If it was not for the writers, there would be no television shows, made for TV movies, and motion pictures to entertain the fans worldwide. We encourage those in charge to do the right thing and come up with a solution to end this dark day in Hollywood as soon as possible.
Please end the strike. If you are a fan of television and do not want your favorite shows to be canceled because of this strike, please sign this petition. We will make sure that this petition will be sent to AMPTP and to ALL major studios.
"Pencils Down Means Pencils Down ... BUT don't put them down until you've written to all of the Studios that are making these fantastic people strike so that they can get the compensation that is rightly theirs!"
Which will end first? The Writers strike or the unexplained and unwarranted bannings of Alpha99Wolf and XWARP. The longer this goes on without being addressed by an ADMIN the more it becomes simple and solid proof of the ramshackle and seemingly devious excuse for moderation we have here. Silence will only be an option for so long and this thread is being documented offboard.
"CBS has found a way to soldier on as the WGA hits the streets during the writers strike. It seems that the Eye Network realized that one of their bigger shows during the dog days of summer is a thrice-weekly reality show that requires no writers and they already have the set built. Don’t look now, but Big Brother is coming back sooner than planned!"
"As striking screenwriters continued attempts to close down film and TV production, television networks and media companies are calculating they can contain the damage so long as the strike doesn't last much beyond January.
The television networks are seen as the most vulnerable to a strike initially because they rely heavily on members of the Writers Guild of America for scripted programming. But a tight advertising market is expected to provide some cushion, with advertisers seemingly reluctant to make any rash moves at a time when advertising prices are so high.
If the strike runs for several months, the picture could change dramatically. "It could be a downward spiral for the networks if it drags on into the first quarter," says Steve Kalb, director of broadcast media at MediaHub, a unit of Interpublic Group's Mullen."
"The writers' strike has started today, and the writers themselves will be picketing studios and making themselves heard. If the Writers Guild of America strike keeps TV scribes off the job for a while, it's going to alter your viewing habits big time. The WGA called for a work stoppage after failing to get a bigger slice of revenue from DVD sales and a piece of what the networks expect to earn from digital downloads of TV shows.
While procedurals such as CSI and Criminal Minds tend to draw viewers in repeats – giving CBS an edge over the competition - the network has been loading up on game shows. Power of 10, a moderate success over the summer, will be back. CBS also has Do You Trust Me and a new version of Password hosted by Regis Philbin.
The network is also ready to let the cameras roll in the Big Brother house if necessary. On the scripted side, you'll definitely see all seven produced episodes of Jericho. The network will also have close to 13 episodes of The New Adventures of Old Christine ready to go. The Late Show with David Letterman and The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson will go dark immediately, but the conventional wisdom is that Letterman will return after a few weeks out so that the rest of his staff can remain employed. Once he returns, so will Ferguson."
"Jay Leno rolled up to a picket line on his motorcycle with doughnuts for striking writers at NBC.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus marched with pickets at Warner Bros. in the shadow of a giant billboard advertising her CBS show, "The New Adventures of Old Christine."
Even Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama weighed in with a prepared statement urging producers to work with writers to end the strike.
Writers got a little help from their famous friends on Monday as the Screen Writers Guild launched their strike against movie studios and TV networks."
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