Requests for waivers by television producers of the Oscars and Golden Globes were denied by the Writers Guild of America, making things even more contentious between the AMPTP and the Guild.
The Golden Globes, which will air on NBC (GE) on January 13, were asked on behalf of the Foreign Press Association and Dick Clark Productions for a waiver from the guild, which would have allowed writers to work on the awards show.
Also asking the guild for permission to use movie clips and content from old awards programs, was the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which was also refused.
While none of this has caught anybody off guard, it doesn't do anything to help the cause of the writers.
I'm not sure this is really that big of a deal. These nights are really for the glitter and the stars. The rating on the Golden Globes did fairly well last year, while the Academy Awards were a little down, as far a overall viewership goes.
Not many people who want to tune into the shows will be thinking in terms of watching or not watching it based on whether members of the Writers Guild participate or not; it'll be one of the last things on their minds.
To me, this just makes the Writers Guild of America look petty. While the two awards shows are generally important, and a showcase for the industry, they no longer make that big of an impact on the success of the networks and studios.
All this does is possibly hurt those watching it a little, although not really that much. As word continually gets out on how highly paid the writers really are, there is less connection between them and regular Americans and entertainment fans.
To call this group of people "labor," in the traditional sense of the word, is an oxymoron. It's just an elite group of highly paid people trying to get more money out of a companies. The actions of refusing wavers by the Writers Guild confirms they continue to think of themselves as elites. Knowing this, regular Americans don't have much sympathy for their actions, and neither do I.
I honestly think both sides of this labor dispute are being unreasonable. With neither side willing to concede anything it will be impossible for the dispute to end. What needs to happen is for both sides to understand that they cannot get something for nothing. If there is to be true compromise and agreement met, both the studios and the WGA need to approach negotiations with positive mindset - not thinking "We are going to win at any cost."
You're right, the longer the strike continues, the more people are affected. But sometimes it is necessary to remind those who own the means of production who actually drives their profits, in order to get results. It may seem petty to some but for the workers trying to get what they believe is their due, it is often a last resort means to an end.
Posted by: Kimberlee Morrison | December 18, 2007 1:29 PM | Permalink to Comment