Writers Strike 2023?

[davideduardo]

First world problems. 🙄

Not really. I remember in Ecuador when we first got commercial TV in Quito around 1967, businesses, stores and the like would put a TV in the window with a speaker outside to attract people who might become customers. All the stores we'd call "bodegas" in NYC had a TV and they watched the whole schedule until they closed at night.

And in neighborhood, the first one to get a TV would always let neighbors stop by to see the best shows and to follow the soap operas, mostly from Mexico.

We were definitely "Third World" at the time. And what happened mirrored to some extent the things that occurred in neighborhoods in the US in the very early 50's as folks got TVs.

 

[AbrahamJSimpson]

That was a reference to having so little time to watch so very many shows that elicited an eye roll. Though perhaps if one weren't overanalyzing web streams of standards music and posting diatribes about it....well, then there'd be more time to watch.

 

[anabate123]

I presume that if this writers strike surpasses the 1981 writers strike on 8/3/2023, then it would become the fourth longest writers strike, if it surpasses the 2007-08 writers strike on 8/10/2023, it would become the third longest writers strike, if it surpasses the 1960 writers strike on 9/27/2023, it would become the second longest writers strike, and finally, if it surpasses the 1988 writers strike on 10/2/2023, it would become the longest writers strike.

 

[vchimpanzee]

Game show hosts are covered by a different SAG-AFTRA contract. Question in my mind would AGT be considered a game show?

Mayim is not hosting this week, I was reading, because of the strike. She's being loyal to those who are striking. How long she intends to do that, who can say?

 

[Y2kTheNewOldies]

SAG-AFTRA Strike Begins in New York and L.A. With Celebrities, Signs and Chants: ‘Logan Roy Would Pay Us More’

After SAG-AFTRA leadership announced that the union would be going on strike, picketing began on Friday. In New York City and Los Angeles, actors have joined writers outside the studios, picketing …

variety.com

Stage Actors Urged To “Proactively And Aggressively” Avoid Breaking SAG-AFTRA Strike: Equity President Says “The Other Side Will Try To Pit Us Against Each Other”

Actors’ Equity president Kate Shindle is urging stage actors to “proactively and aggressively avoid breaking” the SAG-AFTRA strike by inadvertently accepting struck work. In a mes…

deadline.com

Now the SAG Actors strike is at play.

 

[CTListener]

At play?

 

[AbrahamJSimpson]

At play?

Yeah...that phrasing is not really clear here.

 

[TheBigA]

Here's a list of movies on hold due to the strike:

These movies are on hold because of the SAG-AFTRA strike

The eighth installment in the "Mission: Impossible" franchise and a sequel to the Oscar-winning epic "Gladiator" are among the films pressing pause on production.

www.nbcnews.com

 

[Megatron]

The new season begins in Jan of 2024 in my opinion I believe a deal for both actors, actresses, & writers gets done in mid-Sep or early Oct in my opinion. I believe if they were locked in a room with a table a deal could get done.

 

[gr8oldies]

The new season begins in Jan of 2024 in my opinion I believe a deal for both actors, actresses, & writers gets done in mid-Sep or early Oct in my opinion. I believe if they were locked in a room with a table a deal could get done.

There is a lot at stake with the looming threat of AI.

 

[AbrahamJSimpson]

There is. And there’s reports (take them with a grain of salt given “sources who remain anonymous”) that the studios are planning to wait until +/- Halloween time to begin negotiating again. Waiting until the pain is so deep those concerns will take a backseat to, you know, putting food on the table now.

That said, if that has truth to it and it ends up being a quick resolution once those talks begin, January may be optimistic. (This also assumes the SAG strike is settled, naturally.) To get the scrips ready, shot and edited. Might just hit February and put the entire holiday window in the rear view.

 

[vchimpanzee]

Here's a list of movies on hold due to the strike:

These movies are on hold because of the SAG-AFTRA strike

The eighth installment in the "Mission: Impossible" franchise and a sequel to the Oscar-winning epic "Gladiator" are among the films pressing pause on production.

www.nbcnews.com

CBS aired a "making of" special for the "Mission: Impossible" movie coming out this month. Amazing!

I don't know if the strike was related but they showed an older one on CBS, I guess to get people interested.

The more movies broadcast TV can show, the better.

 

[mnradiofan]

The new season begins in Jan of 2024 in my opinion I believe a deal for both actors, actresses, & writers gets done in mid-Sep or early Oct in my opinion. I believe if they were locked in a room with a table a deal could get done.

Could the whole season get wiped at this rate? Also, what happens if ratings aren't impacted by the new schedules? Could this backfire?

Others have said it, but I don't think the networks care/won't see a huge impact from the strike. Streaming services might start to care towards the end of the year, but it might be a good time to "cull the herd" of shows and cut costs.

The biggest losers in this will be the movie theaters. Another season like COVID with no new movies will absolutely be the final nail in the coffin for movie theaters. Of course, that could also be part of the plan, to starve out movie theaters and buy them on the cheap. Could we see theaters once again owned by the studios?

 

[Kelly A]

Could the whole season get wiped at this rate?

Yes.

Also, what happens if ratings aren't impacted by the new schedules? Could this backfire?

Ratings happen no matter what programming airs. Could stations and networks get hurt even further in prime ratings loss because of now new shows this Fall? You betcha. And likely it's too late to salvage anything.

Others have said it, but I don't think the networks care/won't see a huge impact from the strike.

You would be totally incorrect. One needs to look no further than Bob Iger's recent comments about the value of ABC Network and stations related to Disney. It's getting harder and harder to justify owning local stations and providing increasingly expensive network content in advertising-challenged times. And it's not expected to get any cheaper or easier going forward.

Streaming services might start to care towards the end of the year, but it might be a good time to "cull the herd" of shows and cut costs.

And that's the other problematic side of the coin. In spite of producing only 8-10 episodes for streaming, actors still want 18-20 episode paychecks. After all, they are contractors you know. And it becomes even more of a risk going full subscription, where the company can invest millions in a series, and have it land with a thud.

The biggest losers in this will be the movie theaters. Another season like COVID with no new movies will absolutely be the final nail in the coffin for movie theaters.

You have to remember, that movie scripts are different than TV, in so far that there are submitted scripts that have been sitting in the archives for years. Movie producers just need to dust them off, let ChatGPT do so re-write, and call central casting for some potential actors.

Of course, that could also be part of the plan, to starve out movie theaters and buy them on the cheap.

Buy what? You do know that movie theaters don't make hardly a dime on the movie. The money is made off of concessions. The most profitable aspect of owning a movie theater? Popcorn.

Could we see theaters once again owned by the studios?

No way, completely unprofitable.

 

[TheBigA]

I imagine late night talk shows are dead. I haven't been compelled to even check who's on because I know they're repeats.

 

[CTListener]

I imagine late night talk shows are dead. I haven't been compelled to even check who's on because I know they're repeats.

I check the listings nightly to see if any musical acts I might have enjoyed the first time around might be on, but that's only brought me back to watch a couple of shows since the strike started. There is no television more dire than watching an actor being interviewed about a "new" movie that's already had its run.

 

[crainbebo]

I imagine late night talk shows are dead. I haven't been compelled to even check who's on because I know they're repeats.

I imagine the next era of 'late night' television is an hour of 11:00 local news instead of 35 minutes, and/or news programs like 'Nightline' from the other two networks. However, Gutfeld! on FNC is still new according to the TV listings.

 

[CTListener]

I imagine the next era of 'late night' television is an hour of 11:00 local news instead of 35 minutes, and/or news programs like 'Nightline' from the other two networks. However, Gutfeld! on FNC is still new according to the TV listings.

He must write all his own stuff, or ad-lib everything. Although many of his talking points could be AI-generated and no one would know the difference.

 

[nomadcowatbk]

would they consider trimming late night by 15 minutes or 1 guest after maybe 1hr local news?

 

[CTListener]

If advertising is circling the drain, how does expanding the late news to one hour make financial sense?