Writers Strike
I was watching CNN last night to get primary returns, and information about the Writers Strike being over cropped up. What caught my attention was the mention by one of the WGA members said that the strike proved that the new media was here to stay and that writers had a stake in it. The fact that the whole strike was about new media really hadn't hit home until that moment. The WGA was arguing about what their stake in the new media was going to be, and last night, they proved that they have a big one. And here I was just worried that there wouldn't be another season of Heroes.
The new deal establishes a scale of royalty payments for writers whose work is sold over the Internet or streamed for free. Previously writers received nothing for online sales.
Industry analysts say the deal is important because traditional DVD and home video rental markets will eventually be rendered obsolete as technology allowing for Internet content to be seen on television becomes more widespread.
"This was not a strike we wanted, but one we had to conduct in order to win jurisdiction and establish appropriate residuals for writing in new media and on the Internet," [Writers Guild West President Patric M.] Verrone said.
"Rather than being shut out of the future of content creation and delivery, writers will lead the way as TV migrates to the Internet and platforms for new media are developed. Those advances now give us a foothold in the digital age." -The End: Hollywood Writers Strike Over, Copyright © 2008 AFP.
The new deal establishes a scale of royalty payments for writers whose work is sold over the Internet or streamed for free. Previously writers received nothing for online sales.
Industry analysts say the deal is important because traditional DVD and home video rental markets will eventually be rendered obsolete as technology allowing for Internet content to be seen on television becomes more widespread.
"This was not a strike we wanted, but one we had to conduct in order to win jurisdiction and establish appropriate residuals for writing in new media and on the Internet," [Writers Guild West President Patric M.] Verrone said.
"Rather than being shut out of the future of content creation and delivery, writers will lead the way as TV migrates to the Internet and platforms for new media are developed. Those advances now give us a foothold in the digital age." -The End: Hollywood Writers Strike Over, Copyright © 2008 AFP.