If I were a member of the guild, I would certainly want him representing me in the negotiation process, irrespective of the post production issue.

Reading through the posts here, I’m left with the feeling that negotiating is what hard-liners don’t want — indeed, they would rather inflict pain on the production companies causing them to capitulate. There’s palpable anger in the comments above.

Taking such a firm position will only result in the company’s taking an equally firm position. If a long strike is what you want, then that’s what you’re going to get. Each side will further commit themselves to their positions, and the negotiation process will be dramatically prolonged (google “positional bargaining”).

Both sides stand to loose too much — television viewership could be irreparably harmed if no solution is quickly found. Consumers will simply go elsewhere — they have more choices now.

Most of this dispute, as I understand it, surrounds Internet as content delivery system. Writers are quite rightly looking for an equitable royalty arrangement. Seems reasonable enough, however, accounting is not. For example, how do you properly account for a udp multicast stream when you have no knowledge of downstream routers? Difficult if not impossible to do. Unicast is too bandwidth hungry and irrational. Consumers hate DRM (and it is technically unfeasible). And of course, once a stream has been transmitted (no matter how), it can be captured and posted to the net within minutes.

So where’s the solution? From my perspective, it’s going to very, very difficult to find. The parties to this dispute are trying to solve incredibly complex issues, more complex than they realize. Any decisions reached here will have worldwide impact.

The real issue is that the revenue model — just look at the music industry to know what your destiny is. Each side stands the risk of loosing a lot, so it’s advisable to get back to the table and work it out now.

With Carlton’s character, values, and intelligence, he is an important member of the team. I’d want him on my side, that’s for sure.

Cuse is a duplicitous prick who should be removed from the negotiating committee and be reported to the WGA for breaching our A-H rules.

I don’t know how the guy sleeps at night knowing people who barely carve our a living as writers walked every day while he was working on LOST. And his excuse — to protect the fans of LOST?!? Puh-lease. Every showrunner in hollywood could have said and done the same thing.

This is about integrity. And sorry to tell you, Carlton… but you don’t have any.

His decision was certainly tough but testifies of a willingness to give good episodes to watch. As far as I can see, Cuse did not violate the rules of the strike, and just did some post-prod work on the episodes that were already shot. No writing involved. I don’t see what’s so shocking in that. Actually, I don’t understand why some are so harsh. It’s not like he actually wrote scripts! To me it looks like he just wanted to give good episodes to the fans.

I guess he must have been pretty pissed by those who accused him of being a traitor and he decided to set the record straight by email. I understand this move can be seen as awkward, but it’s still better than radio silence.

So, really, shame on him for respecting his always demanding fans. ^^

If ratings are not what they’re expected to be then future concessions are made (if not sooner than later).

If content quality is not maintained then future airings will have less viewers meaning more concessions.

The suggestion that the networks are only out for money vs. the writers who are only out to expess themselves through their work is beyond simple.

Thanks. Really. Thanks.