My Point Of View On TV Writers and the Strike...

[QueenOfCalifornia]

I may be one of the few people who will admit to watching TV in here. Do you really think that if you do not watch your TV it will have even one atomic particle of impact on what is produced in the glitter machine? I want to scream.

As a NON UNION - That's right... NON UNION TV writer who has written lots of TV CRAP and lots of GOOD & GREAT TV I can tell you... Boycotting watching your own TV in your house or apartment will not make one bit of difference. Who the fuck will know if you are watching or not watching? Are you one of the Nielson Family Freaks? What a brave statement! I will not watch TV until the writers make even more fucking money for churning out more crappy TV drivel. The last TV Writer strike in the late '80's (maybe early '90's) was the best thing that happened to the industry forfuckingever! All the regular, overpaid hacks got a little kick in the ass to either step it up a bit and quit churning out rehashed shit or make way for people who would come in with fresh ideas.

Give me a fucking break.

BTW - All of you can hate me for daring to spout off like this but get fucking real.

[IndianaJones]

1. tv beats books any day. nt.

[Lautremont]

2. What if we don't watch TV, strike or no strike?

How do we ineffectually demonstrate our support then, little buddy?

[QueenOfCalifornia]

5. I don't give a crap

how you support the TV writers. But one thing that does not make any impact is keeping your TV off or on or just watching a channel that is less offensive. NO ONE KNOWS WHAT POSITION YOUR TV DIAL IS ON.

If you feel so terrible about TV writers not getting paid for the crap on the internet maybe you should stop using the internet. it would make more sense... That is the big elephant in the room... They want to be paid for TV downloads from the internet.. BOYCOTT THE INTERNET!

The TV writers, just by going on strike, will put enough pressure on the producers who write the checks.

[huskerlaw]

3. I don't think

that people believe that not watching TV will actually help the writers, but I do think that it is intended to show solidarity.

If the studios hire scabs, I won't watch what the shows they write. Regardless of whether or not the studios know or care about my actions. It's the principle of the thing.

[QueenOfCalifornia]

8. I was not a scab

but I'll bet you even money you have watched TV I have written.

I will also bet you will somehow end up watching something written by non-union writers and never know it. There are many, MANY shows on Cable who hire only non-union writers... It is how they can afford to make decent TV and not go broke doing it. Anytime you watch cable TV, most likely you are watching programming written by non-union writers. You could just give up watching cable TV. No more H&G or FoodTV or Discovery or TLC or Bravo or USA... Holy Shit! Mr. Monk!!!!!!!

[huskerlaw]

10. I didn't say that you were

and I'm sure that I have watched things written by non-union writers. But that's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about shows that ARE written by union writers, and the studios who are likely to hire scabs in order to prolong the strike. That, I will not support.

My issue isn't about union or non-union. It's about greedy studio executives refusing to pay fair wages to those writers who happen to be in the guild. As with any union strike, I won't support the scabs because they're being hired for the sole purpose of further screwing the union members.

Of course I believe that non-union writers are entitled to fair wages as well, but I have no control over that, nor any way to help them. Though I do hope that the writer's guild ends up with fair terms and that ends up helping the non-union writers as well.

[QueenOfCalifornia]

14. I agree with you

I would never cross a picket line. I am true to the idea that unions are around to protect the worker.

I am saying that, in this case, not watching House on FOX tonight is a poor way to support the writers.

It makes no difference. It makes more sense to NOT DOWNLOAD any tv or movies... That is what the rub is.

I have given myself a headache thinking about this....

Ahhhhh.

[huskerlaw]

16. That's true...

but again, I think it's about principle, rather than actually helping anyone. And most of us aren't in a position to actually do anything constructive.

I could say that I'll quit downloading TV shows from iTunes (and I do intend to for the duration of the strike), but since I've only done that about 4 times in a year for a grand total of less than $10, that likely won't matter either.

I do plan on dropping off coffee, donuts, or...something...I haven't quite decided what...to the writers on the picket line just down the street. But as for actually helping them end the strike, I'm helpless. The least I can do is be principled in my helplessness.

[lost-in-nj]

15. I just read that the cast of Heros has been called back into

the studio to film an alternate ending to the Dec. 3rd show,
it will be a season finale instead of a break cliffhanger...

lost

[Shell Beau]

11. I would love to know some of the stuff you have written!!

[LanternWaste]

4. There are people who will boycott due...

There are people who will boycott due to their own personal convictions rather, regardless of what the results may be, and regardless of what hacks may think of them.


"All the regular, overpaid hacks got a little kick in the ass to either step it up a bit and quit churning out rehashed shit or make way for people who would come in with fresh ideas"
...which gave us the wonderment of classic television such as Survivor, Big Brother, Biggest Loser, and Temptation Island. Good stuff. :eyes:


That's "fucking real".

[QueenOfCalifornia]

7. Strawman argument..

Those are considered reality shows... Not real strong on the writing end of things... I am talking about real good TV that came from the ashes of the Phoenix that arose after the writers strike. I was thinking of Law and Order, House, The Practice, Homicide, Life on the Street, The Larry Sanders Show, Prison Break, The Soprano's, L.A. Law, The X-Files, Northern Exposure etc....

To be fair I have to say that there was always a mixture of good and bad TV - But when the slump really hit was the late '80's

I am just trying to say that not watching TV in your home will not make any difference.

[LanternWaste]

26. Reality shows! Exactly my point...

Reality shows! Exactly my point-- lack of quality writing/writers and we end up with that tripe. Though why you use the straw man appellate escapes me.

And I gotta go with the brown-age of television being in the late seventies to the early eighties rather than late eighties. But it's just six of one and half a dozen of the other...


"I am just trying to say that not watching TV in your home will not make any difference."

Nor will watching it, either-- so why pass wind on those who decide not to...? :shrug:

[GirlinContempt]

6. Maybe people are concerned with having an impact on themselves.

[QueenOfCalifornia]

21. You think

that watching a union written TV program during a TV Writers strike will somehow impact your immortal soul or something? STOP DOWNLOADING TV AND MOVIES off the internet. That is what all this strike is about. The writers who wrote tonight's episode of House, were paid union wages. They are not being fucked over unless you download the show to your computer. Ahhhhhh!

[Pithlet]

23. I don't understand why you're getting so upset about this.

Few things any one individual does truly has much of an impact. I don't shop at Walmart, ever. They still manage to plug right along. I haven't kidded myself into thinking it actually makes much of a difference. I'm a drop in the bucket. But, I still do it anyway because it's a matter of principle. I don't think refusing to watch the shows makes one bit of difference, but those proclaiming they will not watch are still showing their solidarity. It's a symbolic gesture. Many people don't download television shows, and this may be their only way of showing support.

[QueenOfCalifornia]

29. I am upset

because no one is understanding me.

If you want to help the writers... stop DOWNLOADING TV AND MOVIES FROM THE INTERNET.

[Fire Walk With Me]

9. Good work should be well-paid. Period.

[QueenOfCalifornia]

12. Of course!

That is already the way it is:
good writers make more than the ones who turn out shit. It is up to the producers who is hired. The producer, if he/she has any fucking clue, will pay more for a proven writer who can turn out great writing week after week. And so... The ones who do good work.. Well, they are paid more.

The strike is MAINLY about getting paid for internet downloads.

Opposed to common belief, there really is not a bottomless pit of money in every single producers office.

I will not cross a picket line when and if the grocers union strikes again.

I would not scab as a writer during a strike.

But I also know that TV writers are paid quite nicely for what they deliver.

[Sequoia]

13. I like TV but I don't care about the writers strike.

Most of the sitcoms are lame anyway except for Earl and The Office. However, I wish they'd get Earl out of jail. It's starting to get old already.

Maybe instead of reruns of the new stuff we can watch reruns of old stuff and movies too.

Furthermore, Hollywoood could use some new writers.

[pitohui]

17. i find not watching teevee gives me more time to have a real life

sorry, but sometimes it isn't about you

i don't watch teevee because it steals peoples' time, which means it steals their lives, it simply doesn't provide good value in exchange for what it takes

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

18. It's a little thing called solidarity.

Solidarity forfuckingever.

[LSK]

19. will this strike affect CSPAN?

:shrug:

[QueenOfCalifornia]

20. no

[kay1864]

22. I agree 100%

I've seen such statements on DU as "I won't watch O'Reilly to see how he treats (name of interviewee) since I don't want to help his ratings"

(not that I'm advocating watching O'Reilly, but rather that it makes zero difference to his ratings if one does or not)

Or the many who boycotted ABC after the "Path to 9/11" POS "film".

As you say, unless you're a Nielsen family, it doesn't affect ABC, FauxNews, O'Lielly, etc. one jot. Even if thousands of DUers do so, they'll never notice.

[QueenOfCalifornia]

24. You get it

That is all i am saying... and... even if every single person on this message board vowed not to watch TV for a week it would not make a difference.

We are slaves to the Nielson Family. I hate them and the horses they rode in on. It is possibly the worst system ever invented to judge what people really like. Now, If we could get a thousand Neilson boxes in my home.... It would be House, Law and Order and HGTV all day and night... Oh, and a little SciFi and Comedy Central... They could flush A&E down the toilet since the last time A&E had something good was 2 years ago... I knew they were going south big time when the introduced Roller Girls.

[kay1864]

25. Seriously, Nielsen needs to be anonymous or something

Anyone with a Nielsen box *must* be aware of the power they have. And a little self-conscious at times (well, some of them anyway).

It's probably statistically valid, and probably sufficiently randomized, but I'm thinking just knowing your viewing is being monitored has to skew what people watch. Or some people anyway.

[Midlodemocrat]

27. Nice post, Hitler.

[QueenOfCalifornia]

28. Gee...

thanks.

All i am trying to say is if you want to sock it to the producers who write the checks...

STOP DOWNLOADING TV AND MOVIES FROM THE INTERNET.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

30. Have you ever written any movie scripts?

I have this idea...