A Writers' Strike Is Looming

Discussion in 'CSI Files News Items' started by CSI Files, Nov 2, 2007.

  1. CSI Files

    CSI Files Captain

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    Negotiations are not going well, and plans are being made.

    The contract between the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers (AMPTP) expired last night, and the two groups have been unable to work out a new contract so far. The WGA was asking for a larger portion of DVD and online sales, among other requests, and it is the DVD issue which has caused a great deal of problems. The AMPTP refused to go with the proposed increase, and neither side would back down. The WGA passed a strike ballot in October, and the 12,000 members of the guild can be ordered to strike at any time. It is believed that the WGA will continue to negotiate for a few more days and strike next week. At this point, the strike seems unavoidable. However, there is no indication of how long the strike would last.

    Late night shows will be the first casualties of the strike, with programmes like The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and the Late Show with David Letterman going dark once the strike goes into effect since they rely on union writers for their sketches and monologues. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation actress <font color=yellow>Jorja Fox</font> (Sara Sidle) is scheduled to appear on the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson on Monday, November 5. It isn't known at this time whether the episode will air as planned. But it won't just be guest appearances on late night shows that will affect the CSI franchise.

    Primetime comedies and dramas, such as all three CSI series, will also be immediately affected. Most of these shows have four or five episodes completed in advance at this point, and they also have scripts for several more episodes. However, even if the actors agree to film the extra episodes, the writers will not be able to rewrite the scripts during production. Original episodes of series like CSI will probably run out around the beginning of 2008.

    When the well of extra material runs out for the scripted shows, the networks will have to fill the space they leave behind. "The most likely outcome is more news and more reality," said NBC U entertainment co-chairman <font color=yellow>Ben Silverman</font>. Shows such as American Idol and Dancing with the Stars will help their respective networks retain viewers. Each network has a plan for when and if a strike occurs, and they must also decide how to proceed in the days or weeks leading up to a possible strike. Even so, there is no telling how this process will pan out. "We are as prepared as anyone, but that's really only good for so much," one broadcast topper said.

    The strike could spell the end for shows like K-Ville and Life Is Wild, but it can also give ill-fated shows, such as Cavemen, a longer lifespan--networks are reluctant to let go of scripted shows that they might need for later. The talk of a strike has kept some shows from getting full-season orders, while other networks have ordered as many as possible just in case. The pinch from the strike will affect talent agencies as well. If the strike continues for a long period of time, there could be a large number of layoffs, salary deferments and other ways to cut costs. "We really don't want this to happen because of the macroeconomic issues facing our community," Silverman said. "It's disturbing and upsetting that it seems to be becoming a foregone conclusion."

    You can read more about the strike and it's effect on the industry at Variety.com.<center></center>
     
  2. Kimmychu

    Kimmychu Coroner

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    I just wanted to post that the strike has been confirmed. You can go here for a list of all the writers who will be part of the strike.

    The following are CSI writers who are on the list:

    Carol Mendelsohn, Naren Shankar (CSI: Crime Scene Investigation)

    Pamela Veasey (CSI: New York)
     
  3. DuCaineluvr93

    DuCaineluvr93 Witness

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    what about miami??

    and ann donahue?
     
  4. midnight_tiptoes

    midnight_tiptoes Head of the Day Shift

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    All writers from prime time shows, day time shows, fake news, etc, are union, so depending on how long the strike goes, we won't get new episodes of CSI for a while.

    The only thing we'll get is news, reality television and reruns. Also, adult cartoon shows like The Simpsons because they write their scripts a year in advance, so they shouldn't be affected by this. Everything else will stop production. I believe The Colbert Report and The Daily Show will stop immediately because they write their scripts the very same day. Prime time shows should have enough scripts to last until December, but after that it'll be reruns only until this issue gets resolved.
     
  5. Daquien

    Daquien Coroner

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    ^^Thought you were gonna said Ann Donahoe's brains are always on strike...

    Well, I guess we'll survive without new eps for a couple of weeks early next year.
     
  6. Elsie

    Elsie Shopaholic

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    The last strike lasted for 22 weeks.... That's a lot of weeks of no new episodes. ;)

    I'm still hopeful that it won't come to that, and that they will strike a deal soon. But I guess the point of strike action is to cause as much disruption as possible, so who knows what will happen?
     
  7. Dynamo1

    Dynamo1 Head of the Swing Shift

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    When the strike happened in the 80's and the Mission: Imposible revival (TNG) was about to start, they borrowed scripts from the original series (TOS). Maybe the CSIs can swap scripts with each other. Or they can borrow scripts from Quincy or Hawaii Five-0. I can see it now...

    Mac Taylor to Danny Messer: Book 'em, Danno. Aloha.
     
  8. xfcanadian

    xfcanadian Pathologist

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    well, good thing that csi re-runs do well with ratings...
     
  9. Faylinn

    Faylinn Adam Fangirl Super Moderator

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    I'm going to try to be positive and hope that the situation gets resolved relatively quickly and everyone is satisfied with the compromise--I'd hate for it to last ~6 months like last time. Networks should have it easier this time since there are more reality shows and whatnot to pad the schedule, but the trouble trickles down to a lot of the other people involved and that's just not a good situation.

    The CSI franchise should weather the storm well--certainly better than Cavemen, although that show was doomed anyway--but I hope it doesn't come to cutting the season short.

    ETA: For the average viewer, there might even be a good thing to come out of all of the reruns--the chance to catch up on other shows or discover new ones. ;)

    Or we could all just spend more time on the internet. *whistles innocently* :p
     
  10. Tequesta

    Tequesta Rookie

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    Nooooooooooooo! A strike! Actually, I don't know why I'm going 'Nooooooooooooo!' cos it doesn't really affect me cos I'm in the UK. At least, I don't think it does. *shrugs*
    I dunno. But still.
     
  11. Lorelai

    Lorelai CSI Level One

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    Well, it's a big long list of writers :

    Over here.
     
  12. fifty8th

    fifty8th Victim

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    I think the strike has the potential to be a long one because the studios don't want to budge because they know if they give in to the writers they will be in trouble next year when the actors' and directors' contracts are due for re-negotiation.
     
  13. Dragonfly

    Dragonfly ~Queen of Sarcasm~ Moderator

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    ^ But at the same time, they know that without the writers, the shows don't go anywhere, and they start to loose viewers.
     
  14. fifty8th

    fifty8th Victim

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    It is true without the writers there the shows go nowhere but next year when the actors are on strike the shows go nowhere then too, especially if the actors can use what the writers get now to their advantage. I hope they can work things out but this has the potential to be a big mess especially for those of us who hate reality TV because that may be all that is on if it goes too long.

    I've read that the studios are going to use the strike as a way to get rid of some of their new weaker shows since it is expensive to keep the sets up. It does explain why hardly anything has been canceled yet this year, they are just running every episode made of all the new shows (except Viva whatever) so they can save their mid season replacements until they will really need them.
     

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