The Writers Guild of America (WGA) is winning the public image award, gaining respect and sympathy from the averager viewing public, according to a recent study of public opinion in polls by Pepperdine and SurveyUSA.
Media coverage has portrayed the writers and its supporters on the picket lines as honest, forthright, consistent and dedicated to a cause, while network and studio bosses have come off as your typical politician, doing and saying whatever is necessary at the moment, even if it contradicts previous statements.
However, if the strike lingers and viewers begin feeling the pinch, those feelings of sympathy could begin to wane, so it is in both sides interest to find a compromise and resolution as soon as possible.
“It’s time to put egos aside and recognize how crucial it is to get everyone back to work, before there is irreversible damage from which this industry can never recover,” Intl. Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) runner Thomas Short said in a letter to WGA West’s Patric Verrone.
They may be heeding the message as the same day it was made, WGA West prexy Patric Verrone and SAG topper Alan Rosenberg met with multiple elected officials in Washington, D.C., to explain the guilds’ position, according to Variety. However, no official talks between the two have been rescheduled.
Networks seem to think the strike will endure for an extended time so are preparing for it by calling on all department heads to begin reigning in as much discretionary spending as possible. They have already begun firing new writers from their budget and more cutbacks will soon follow. ABC, is the only network not implementing mandatory firings and cuts but has asked all assistants to voluntarily take a leave of absence without pay, with the promise of a job waiting for them upon the conclusion of the strike. Fox, is trying to find ways to cut spending that doesn’t include layoffs, but the longer the strike lasts, jobs could be in the lurch there as well. Both CBS and NBC are looking over their entire operation for cuts and could not assure workers today that their jobs were safe.
On the Broadway strike front, some progress seems possible as both sides have agreed to weekend talks that have the promise of securing an agreement that could bring stage hands back to work as early as next week.
“Talks have been scheduled between Local One and the League of American Theaters and Producers beginning this weekend, at an undisclosed place and time,” read a joint statement issued by both organisations.
“calling on all department heads to begin reigning in as much discretionary spending” – “reining”.
Go WGA.
The use of reigning was intentional to show that the attitude of those in charge at networks hasn’t changed. They still feel they can exercise sovereign power, like a monarch. If you’ve listened to our show or been a reader of Slice for some time, then you know how I love to make a play on words from time to time.
Fans who are sympathetic to the WGA should check out http://www.fans4writers.com/. Sympathy is nice, but even fans with no contacts in the industry have a chance to make a difference.