Category: media

“The smaller of Hollywood’s two acting unions has approved a new prime time TV contract with Hollywood studios… But the larger Screen Actors Guild (SAG) claimed the agreement undermined its own talks for a richer deal, which are ongoing. AFTRA’s deal won final approval despite an unusual all-out campaign by SAG urging some 40,000 actors who belong to both unions to vote against it.”

“Chances appear slim that Congress will vote this year on legislation requiring terrestrial radio stations to pay artists and labels performance royalties to play their recordings. Nonetheless, signs are emerging that the recording industry is making some headway in its precedent-breaking fight to extract new royalty payments from broadcasters.”

“The company said Tuesday that the average American watched 127 1/4 hours of television in May, or the equivalent of more than five full days. That’s up from 121 hours and 48 minutes in May 2007. The typical person also spent 26 1/2 hours using the Internet in May, up from 24 hours, 16 minutes the year before, Nielsen said.”

Elvis Mitchell’s new film criticism TV show, Under the Influence, is attracting attention for its serious approach to the subject in an increasingly personality-driven industry. “The show tries to pretend it’s been shot inside a champagne glass at Cannes and very nearly pulls it off.”

“The biggest buzz this year stems from the fact that there’s pretty much no buzz at all. The writers strike squelched development and therefore the number of new series, and the actors’ contract negotiations have left everyone questioning the event’s relevance this year. Then we have the journalism angle. Newspapers all over are dropping critics like so many rotten tomatoes.”

“Strike.tv plans to launch this summer with more than 40 shortform programs, including comedies, dramas and a game show. Some programs will be serialized while others will be standalone; the site has yet to secure advertising. The impetus for the online network came from writers who wanted to generate revenue for out-of-work colleagues.”

“After many years of the seemingly unstoppable growth of the multinationals, the will of the People is creating a new democracy in which popular music, art and film are being produced in an explosion of creativity. Freedom of musical expression is with us again, and it is making people extremely happy.”

“The nascent Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) that’s on the table at this week’s G8 meeting in Japan may have far-reaching consequences. If it becomes international law, anyone who offers copyrighted files over the internet or downloads them may be labelled a criminal and forcibly disconnected from the net.”

“Screenwriters have spoken out against proposals to allow product placement on UK television, claiming the move would give them less editorial control and see advertisers and sponsors dictate a show’s dramatic content.”

“Contrary to the studios’ assertions, SAG leaders have suggested the door remained open for further negotiations. But it was not clear whether SAG planned to bring a counterproposal to the meeting, and if the union did so, whether the studios would even consider it.”