Category: media

“Optimism for a quick resolution as negotiations resume Tuesday has faded to nearly nonexistent. In the aftermath of last week’s lifting of the news blackout about the talks, each side played the blame game and stressed how insulted it’s been by the other’s recent conduct.”

“The more reality shows mimic fictional series in tone, look and format, the easier it is to see where they differ: class consciousness. Sitcoms and dramatic series drum up tension by assaulting social barriers. Most reality shows take them for granted and leave them untouched.”

The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers said it was offering $130 million in extra pay over the life of the proposed three-year deal. The offer is ”above and beyond the more than $1.3 billion writers already receive each year,” the alliance said in a statement.

“While the overwhelming majority of Americans still tune into traditional broadcast radio each week, they are listening less. And they are increasingly drawn to the dizzying choices of music and other programming available on iPods and satellite and Internet radio. But many pop radio programmers appear keen to repeat the biggest hits as much as — or more than — ever.”

“The current WGA strike fell smack during production as well as the Age of Reality, putting the brakes on scripted shows and giving networks a quick fix for schedule holes. It remains to be seen how viewers — or the reality genre itself — will withstand the onslaught.”

A powerful producer observes that the top movie talent is “not touching [the strike] with a 10-foot pole.” Why? “They don’t want things to change. They have the greatest deal in town. Why hurt the golden goose?”

“Ratings for soap operas have been in decline for years as some longtime shows have met their demise while others barely cling to life. That’s why many who follow the genre are concerned about the possible ramifications of a drawn-out writers strike in Hollywood.”

“Hollywood studios presented a new contract offer to striking film and TV writers Thursday that the studios said would pay writers millions of dollars extra for shows created for the Internet. But writers said some of the proposals amounted to rollbacks and said studios should adopt their counteroffer.”

Late-night talk show host Carson Daly has taken his show back into production despite the ongoing writers’ strike, the first such host to do so. “If NBC hoped Daly’s return would demonstrate the air was safe on the other side of the picket line, it does not seem to have achieved that result.”

“YouTube won’t really change the world until it produces an icon. Unless the site spawns a globally recognized character that endures for decades, it will forever remain a first cousin of America’s Funniest Home Videos.”