Networks and studios are sending out identical emails to their employees today about the writers strike and upcoming WGA-AMPTP negotiations (only the name of the company is changed). Here is what Warner Bros' Barry Meyer and Alan Horn had to say, and I think it strikes the right tone (albeit their strike-related facts) so neither side has to choke down their turkey and cranberry going into Monday's talks:
"As you may know by now, leaders of the AMPTP and WGA have mutually agreed to resume formal negotiations on November 26. Both sides have also agreed that no other details or press statements about the talks will be issued. We think that restraint is important going forward and will make sensible, productive talks far more likely.
The resumption of talks is very welcome news indeed to everyone in our business. We are all, producers and writers alike, looking forward to an end to this strike and realize that there's no way it can be resolved unless both sides are talking. Sitting down for serious discussions is an important first step in the resolution of our differences.
These differences are substantial, but we continue to believe that with hard work, patience and compromise on both sides, they can be overcome. One crucial fact that has been somewhat overlooked in all the noise surrounding the strike is that we, the members of the AMPTP, as producers of television programs and motion picture entertainment, have always believed that writers should be compensated when their work is distributed through new media and that they deserve to share in whatever success new technologies create. In fact, the industry has already paid millions of dollars in residuals for permanent and pay-per-view downloads. So while the terms of those payments may be on the table, the basic principle that writers should be compensated is not the issue.
During the last bargaining session several weeks ago, the AMPTP companies believe that we had made some significant proposals on several matters of importance to Guild members, among them the key issues of Internet streaming and new media jurisdiction. But there are still many issues that need to be resolved that will take hard work and compromise by both sides.
Suffice it to say that while we are committed to hammering out a fair deal with our WGA members, Warner Bros. cannot make an agreement that places our company at a disadvantage or makes it impossible for us to meet our commitments to our many constituencies—other employees, shareholders, the producers with whom we work, and the public that, these days, is constantly redefining the way they experience our content.
The producing organizations and the writers who are so integral to our business are both facing the same challenge. We live in a new-media world, and all of us must wrestle with the 21st century realities of our business. Going forward, we must work together to craft a new contract that is fair and keeps our business strong.
Until then, we remain prepared in every way to keep Warner Bros. operating at its customary high level of performance.
We think a new, fair deal is possible. As an industry, we have done such deals before. We will do them again.
We will continue to stay in touch with you as the situation develops. Until then, we wish you and yours a very happy and healthy Thanksgiving holiday."
Nice.
People need to keep this stuff in mind. Yes, it’s great that talks are resuming, but there’s a lot to deal with. Just because talks are resuming on the 26th is no guarantee that a deal will be made by the end of the year.
But that’s some nice rhetoric from Warner Bros!
Comment by Wanna-Writer-Be — November 20, 2007 @ 1:31 pm
”We think a new, fair deal is possible. As an industry, we have done such deals before. We will do them again”
I hope he’s not referring to the video deal?
Comment by English Dave — November 20, 2007 @ 1:34 pm
How interesting and comforting… but if either side really cared about a quick AND equitable solution to this strike, they would already be meeting — around the clock if necessary. They don’t need prep time… Both sides say there were ready to roll two weeks ago… The truth is the Studios must wait six weeks to drop costly WGA writers contracts via force majeur… So the real talk will begin after Dec 12… the six week mark. And after they’ve cut some very substantial contracts… D.
Comment by David G. — November 20, 2007 @ 1:35 pm
At least their PR is getting better! I really hope something comes out of the upcoming talks, though.
Comment by Todd Richardson — November 20, 2007 @ 1:43 pm
I find it funny that they agreed to no more press releases etc until the talks have resumed. I don’t believe for a second that they would not have expected that memo to be leaked/released/sent/fedexed to several news agencies? Just a free chance to get their view across without issuing a press release.
cheers
Dave
Comment by David — November 20, 2007 @ 1:48 pm
These guys will stop at nothing to screw writers out of their cut of the internet. It makes sense to them. When the day comes that they can cheaply and quickly deliver their product to our TVs via the internet, they’ll get to keep just that much more of the money. But there is a problem. When that day comes, and it will come, viewers won’t favor old-school brick and mortar networks over anyone else who can deliver a branded, high-quality product. Steve Jobs or Richard Branson will be able to compete with Iger, Murdoch and the other Motherzuckers, without breaking a sweat. The only difference will be that they’ll be smart enough to pay the extra four cents… and get all the talent.
Like old-school newspapers, networks are going to have to change the way they think if they’re going to compete. And instead, they’re doing the opposite. They’re working overtime ruin their relationships with viewers and writers. And in a year or two, we will all have better places to go. Because of that, they should be working to maintain those relationships instead of destroying them. But that’s what you get when you mix money, arrogance and stupidity–a perfect storm of self-destruction.
Comment by WGAstriker — November 20, 2007 @ 2:02 pm
Just got off Hollywood Blvd where the striking parade is, about 2000 WGA and their contingents walking down the street carrying the signs “Take a page” whatevs.
Cool event, with lots of networking opportunities. CAA was handing out chocolate scones, tmz was doing some good reporting style stuff. I noticed that the wriers or predominately middle agish caucasians, kind of the WASP middle class of the Hollywood food chain. After observing this, i really didnt sympathize with them. Besides the internet seems to be naturally the terrain of minorities. A parade has little to do with the new media residuals but nice point you guys made, TOGETHERNESS beats bourgeois.
Comment by Marie — November 20, 2007 @ 2:19 pm
Aw, the big studio wished me a happy and healthy thanksgiving. How cute.
I will have a happy and healthy thanksgiving, Warner Bros.
I will… I promise…
But only if you stop trying to rip the WGA off.
Otherwise, I’ll have a sad and malnutritioned thanksgivin in spite of you. IN SPITE!
OF YOU!
!
Comment by Carlo — November 20, 2007 @ 3:16 pm
Sounds like a very nice letter. Unfortunately, it is stuffed with lies and propaganda.
“…the industry has already paid millions of dollars in residuals for permanent and pay-per-view downloads.”
Some studios have attempted to pay residuals for internet downloads with a formula never agreed to by the WGA (one-third of one cent). The WGA has refused to accept and distribute those residuals.
“During the last bargaining session several weeks ago, the AMPTP companies believe that we had made some significant proposals on several matters of importance to Guild members, among them the key issues of Internet streaming and new media jurisdiction.”
The AMPTP (through backchannels) asked the WGA to take the DVD residual issue off the table before they would negotiate a fair internet residual. The WGA did so. The AMPTP NEVER came back with an offer on internet residuals. And that’s why there is a strike.
Comment by Kit Sargent — November 20, 2007 @ 3:33 pm
If a million flacks were given a million keyboards, eventually they could write this!
Comment by Unindicted Co-conspirator — November 20, 2007 @ 4:12 pm
This is better than the tryptophan in my turkey — put me right to sleep.
Comment by dawgski — November 20, 2007 @ 4:30 pm
Marie wrote: “Besides the internet seems to be naturally the terrain of minorities. ”
What color is the sky on your planet?
Comment by Internet writer — November 20, 2007 @ 4:32 pm
WGAstriker, if you think Jobs, Branson, et al are less ruthless than the Moguls, you’re being more than a little naive. Those guys are going to do what every other good businessman does…produce content for as little as they can possibly pay for it. You really think they’re going to cut you a sweeter deal than the studios give you? I’d be shocked if any of them used union personnel at all…they’re not going to do it just because that’s how to the studios did it. Maybe if non-union product doesn’t fly they’ll have to go there as a last result, but the fact is the WGA needs the studios as much as the studios need them.
Comment by towgastriker — November 20, 2007 @ 4:56 pm
A couple of the middle paragraphs are laughable, and these people need to understand the best thing for stockholders is to give the writers what they want and end the strike. That said, to everyone, please: many if not most of things we’ve seen here since the annoucement of resumed negotiations have been positive. Of course, there’s much doubt these talks will succeed and little that the companies are in it mostly for themselves. But we need to believe a strike can be short for it to have any chance of being. Maybe it won’t end in a week, but with signs like this, it might not take months, either. Keep the faith, WGA, and keep fighting for a deal. I’ll believe in you for as long as it takes- so long as you believe in yourselves and prove it.
Comment by Caitlin — November 20, 2007 @ 5:25 pm
The poster “Marie” lost sympathy for the writers strike when she noticed that many (too many?) of the writers were middle aged caucasions. Imagine how she’d feel if she saw all the members of the AMPTP in the same room. Marie, you might not have liked the signs or the looks of the writers, but we were marching to show our solidarity for everyone in our guild, which obviously includes minorities - although I prefer the term “writers” - so that we may receive a fair contract. This affects future generations of writers who may or may not be white.
Comment by Sassy writer — November 20, 2007 @ 5:26 pm
You know, if the WGA is as pissy to the AMPTM on Monday as they are in these responses, this strike is going to on until the Guild eventually breaks. And that’s going to be the real shame.
Comment by Deuce — November 20, 2007 @ 5:39 pm
Marie ” I noticed that the wri(t)ers or predominately middle agish caucasians, kind of the WASP middle class of the Hollywood food chain. ..”, Um Marie, not a lot of WASPS go into writing. Whatever happened to “the Jews control everything in Hollywood!” ? The WGA is about as diverse as any other profession in the US, maybe more so.Last time I checked, not a single CEO of a studio was anything other than an old white rich guy. Why don’t you actually look at the writers? Larry Wilmore, Maiya Williams, Shonda Rhimes all are extremely successful writer/producers. They are all out there marching, but I guess it was hard to see everyone in a crowd of 5,000.
Comment by sidelined — November 20, 2007 @ 5:49 pm
This just goes to prove that the Writers do not want a fair deal, but instead hold the Studios at gunpoint for a bigger peace of the pie. A classy letter from one studio to kind of bridge the gap between now and the start of negotiations is met with only derision from the writers. This will not lead to a fair deal. This will lead to a prolonged strike and the WGA will be to blame.
Comment by Marco — November 20, 2007 @ 6:49 pm
While there are not supposed to be any press releases by either side of this controversy at this time, this studio memo sure has the aroma of a “press release.”
As this non-press-release “memo” states, “the industry has already paid millions of dollars in residuals for permanent and pay-per-view downloads.” I haven’t gotten my million yet. Have you?
I hope the WGA leadership takes the time to send a non-press-release “memo” to its membership with something like the following message: “Happy Thanksgiving. Suffice it to say that while we are committed to hammering out a fair deal for our WGA members, we cannot make an agreement with the AMPTP that places our membership at a disadvantage or makes it impossible for us to meet our commitments -— to our families, to our landlords, to the phone company, to the gas, electric and water companies, and to the grocery store — so we can pay our bills and try to survive as writers in this town.
Tom
Comment by Tom — November 20, 2007 @ 6:53 pm
middle aged wasps? WASPS? i hope larry david is reading this. finally, people mistake him for a wasp.
Comment by land surveyor k — November 20, 2007 @ 7:27 pm
Marco,
The only such thing as a “fair deal” IS a bigger piece of the pie.
Comment by Dennis Wilson — November 20, 2007 @ 10:25 pm
Sure, it’s nice, but there’s not much substance to it. Civility’s great and all, and very important to negotiations, but this is too ambiguous to avoid the appearance of evasiveness and whoever drafted it should have realized that.
Trying to reframe the issue as not whether or not writers are compensated but by what means and whether or not those means are feasible makes it suspect.
Besides the fact that this is the internet, a certain degree of pissyness is not unwarranted, nor can it be fairly construed as hostile toward or counterproductive to successful negotiations.
If I were a writer, this would simply arouse concerns that are already well established and understood — that anyone would observe the fact doesn’t make it any less legitimate simply because it expresses some exasperation. Civility where it’s due is one thing — civility for it’s own sake is passive-agressive bullshit and won’t accomplish anything.
Comment by Max Bell — November 20, 2007 @ 10:40 pm
Why don’t the studios spend their time writing an economic proposal that doesn’t include rollbacks?
Comment by Klaatu — November 21, 2007 @ 9:34 am
“Suffice it to say that while we are committed to hammering out a fair deal with our WGA members, Warner Bros. cannot make an agreement that places our company at a disadvantage…such as actually paying a fair price for the content we sell at a huge profit.”
Comment by DLW — November 21, 2007 @ 10:07 am
Wow, the studios must really feel like they are losing the PR battle.
Comment by skeptical writer — November 21, 2007 @ 11:57 am
All you naysayers, please, get over yourselves. What do you mean there’s no substance to this e-mail sent by the studios? Come on writers… subtext! You don’t have to read very far between the lines to see that this is a total repudiation of Nick Counter and his tactics. In fact, it’s a freakin’ public admission that they blew it the first time around. These guys don’t know how to simply admit it when they’re wrong, so they write idiotic bumbling bullshit like this.
I’m not so naive as to think that the studios are suddenly going to roll over and play dead; but the tenor, tone and objectives of this next round of negotiatons is going to be completely different than the last round. It may take a month or so, but the strike will be settled no later than the end of the year.
The End.
Comment by WGAworkingwriter — November 21, 2007 @ 4:21 pm
Let’s not kid ourselves people. This is a PR battle. The creatives may own the net. The suits still own the networks, the studios, and the news. In my humble opinion, this letter is just a statement for the shareholders. How would you feel if your company wasn’t at the bargaining table? This seems like a plant, a ploy to give people the illusion that progress is being made. I work with smoke and mirrors, and I know a gag when i see it. The biggest outrage I have seen, from all sides, is that there hasn’t been talks since the walkout. Don’t assume that just because the AMPTP is heading back to the table, that they have had a change of heart. They sold that pump to Satan long ago. I hope I’m wrong but If they give to the writers, then SAG and DGA are next in line. Hell, maybe then even IATSE will stand up and grow a pair.
Comment by CrewCreates2 — November 23, 2007 @ 4:02 am
This whole thing is so ridiculous, both sides may have their reasons, but come on PEOPLE, let’s GET IT DONE and RESOLVED…
Sincerely Kelly A. Alger
Comment by Kelly Ann — December 7, 2007 @ 9:21 pm
PLEASE RESOLVE THIS THIS IS A NO WIN SITUATION…FOR WRITERS and PRODUCERS ETC…
Sincerely Kelly A. Alger
Comment by Kelly Ann Alger — December 7, 2007 @ 9:24 pm