How about a report to readers what a typical writer earns for churning out dialogue on a sit com. My guess is their pre-strike pay dwarfs the average American salary. And this is this job that requires risking personal comfort or safety.

Both Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David are writers. They don't seem to be hurting for compensation. They somehow survived the terrible deal that writers have been struggling with lo these many years now.

My guess is that the writers who are on strike are the ones who want automatic benefits because they lack the talent to earn it on their own. Clearly not all writers are created equal, and there is no reason any sane producer is going to want to be forced to give excessive pay to mediocre talent.

The Youtube video is clever, but not at all convincing. And not likely to succeed in making anyone sympathetic to the "cause." Why should I care in any case? Noone needs a TV show. And we have reruns anyway.

Points you made and my answers:

Writers on sitcoms get paid better than most Americans to "churn out" dialog

1) they may earn more than the American gets in salary, however, if the show is canceled (as most are) they get nothing and have to look for work, while the average American is more or less assured if a salary, compensation health care etc.

2) Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David were producers on and of their shows ergo they get producer points (a normal accounting term in terms of residuals) This is because they are in unique situations of marketing themselves as celebrities.

3) Clearly not all writers are created equal, Yes. But if you have ever enjoyed a half hour sitcom --Cheers, All In The Family, Taxi, Third Rock From the Sun (Fill in your own faves) etc. can you really in good spirit deny the writers of those series not to garner money from your half hour pleasure?

4) Reruns. Ah yes! Is that all you want to see?

Maybe you should seek out unknown writers of higher standards, read more books, go to more plays that are not over hyped.

They deserve 8 cents

"How about a report to readers what a typical writer earns for churning out dialogue on a sit com. My guess is their pre-strike pay dwarfs the average American salary. And this is this job that requires risking personal comfort or safety."

1.) $45,930. that's the best estimate using the May 2006 National Industry Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates (NAICS 711500 - Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers). A part of the US Dept of Stats.

"Both Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David are writers. They don't seem to be hurting for compensation. They somehow survived the terrible deal that writers have been struggling with lo these many years now. "

2.) Never heard of Larry David, but I do know about Jerry Seinfeld. He's the guy who made $1 Million an episode of the show Sienfeld, as an actor not a writer. Then again using the exception to the rule is like saying every business man out there is Jack Welch. A VERY unfair generalization to use.

"My guess is that the writers who are on strike are the ones who want automatic benefits because they lack the talent to earn it on their own. Clearly not all writers are created equal, and there is no reason any sane producer is going to want to be forced to give excessive pay to mediocre talent."

3) Those writters are the ones making the scripts for the top shows on TV right now. Is it the actors who make the show? Nope. Its the writters and how they script things. Besides if they are the creators, why shouldn't they be able to reap the benefits of their own work? If they get residuals for re-runs, why not a cut of DVDs, and online Downloads? It just seems unfair to not give people what they deserve.

"The Youtube video is clever, but not at all convincing. And not likely to succeed in making anyone sympathetic to the "cause." Why should I care in any case? Noone needs a TV show. And we have reruns anyway. "

4.) You are dead on here. No one needs TV. But we like it. And as long as we like it we'll need the writers to make the scripts for them. And as a side note, did you hear Broadway is going dark? Yea plays are getting hit too. Stagehands and playwrights are joining the picket line. Guess we don't need culter either eh?

forscore:

My guess is that the writers who are on strike are the ones who want automatic benefits because they lack the talent to earn it on their own. Clearly not all writers are created equal, and there is no reason any sane producer is going to want to be forced to give excessive pay to mediocre talent.

As far as I can tell, the WGA is not asking for job security or protection. They want more money for the successful writers, defined as those whose work sells. The lousy writers will still get fired.

I hate to hear myself say it, but I agree with the cause. They have every right to a fair share of profits for the work they've helped create. Just because the old contracts were written before all the internet/download and mega-DVD stuff was out doesn't mean they shouldn't re-write it to get their fair share.

I don't really care how much they're per episode -- the bottom line here is that revenue is being generated by these people for the networks and they aren't being compensated.

Why should you care? You shouldn't, if you don't. But some of us appreciate the creative process and know first-hand how undervalued it is.

dude - are you implying that because writers make a lot of money, they are not entitled to a fair share of the profits of their labor? what about the producers? and the companies that profit from scriptwriters like all the production houses for movies and television? they aren't hurtin' for cash. do you own stock in abc? why is the anti-strike contingent always looking at how much money the strikers make (see any baseball strike rhetoric)? strikes are about fairness - about the value of labor and how it should be shared. if someone's profession earns them a lot of money, it doesn't follow that the profits of their labor shoud be curtailed BECAUSE of the numbers of dollars.

how much money do you make?

Also, they rode out the old contract. It's expired. Time for a new deal, which everyone knew was coming. The question is, what should the deal look like.

This is a very mild labor contract dispute. The future of the industry is not at stake, jobs are not being threatened, and no one is trying to wriggle out of a bad deal. It's just negotiation time, and so they're going at it.

I don't believe there is such a thing as an objectively "fair share." But I think the writers should ask for what they want, and negotiate to get it. The strike is just another negotiation tool.

Personally, they can stay ON STRIKE FOR EVER.

I MEAN, A 10 YEAR OLD COULD WRITE THAT GARBAGE!

non industry types always forget (although i think a lot of media has been trying to illustrate this point) that actors are not the be all and end all of each show. there is the entire crew, there are the extras, there are the caterers, the prop people, florists, the specialized services that may be hired ( ie choreographers, dancers, music licensing) that gets paid for every episode shot. i could go on.

This is why i get mad at the ignorant people who say stuff like "i don't like that particular actor, i'm going to boycott that show", because it's obtuse to think that somehow you are only hurting one particular person. what affects part of a show affects it all. Same with this strike. It's a just cause, but one can't deny that it's hurting the economy and many people who are middle class and below- right before the holidays. In New York and California, especially, but also in places where they have burgeoning film industries in smaller communities. After the last strike, it was determined that a lot of businesses never recovered. It'd be a shame to see that happen again.

About the Bway strike: even waiters, bartenders, busboys are affected. No tourists means no tips.

"mighty fine piece of PowerPoint propaganda"

Well to be honest this looks like a theme from Keynote, which is the mac version of PowerPoint. Just saying...

I agree that all writers and everyone involved in putting on the show in movies tv or theater must be paid a fair portion in the new very lucratrive download payoffs. If all of tv does not work we miss out on sports and I cannot do this. I lov sports so have Microsoft lawyers help write the contracts so writers do not wind up broke as some of the best actors and actresses singers sports people broadway star etc have in the past.

Thank you Microsoft

disclosure i do not own micosoft stock or anything honest

peace

there is no business like show business

s song on the interent

My point was that when, for instance, the UAW strikes against the auto companies, it has recently typically been about job preservation. They want the companies to guarantee a certain number of jobs and to keep production in the USA. I have not heard of any planned job cuts among writers, or a significant outsourcing trend that threatens writers. The WGA is striking "only" about money. The future of the industry is not on the line, as it is in the auto industry.

Don't know if it's the writing or the acting....buuuut.....most television and movies are not worth watching. Were it not for non fiction programming I'd sell the big screen (and a lot of that is reaching for lunacy levels).

I'd agree that there are exceptions. The people responsible for those exceptions do get their rewards. They earn more for them and their careers see greater opportunities. Please do not equate writers for "Everybody Loved Raymond" with those from the "Scoobydo" cartoons.

Bottom line is that it is a talent based industry. If you have it you do very, very well. If you don't or cannot consistently deliver then you fair worse. Oh darn. Isn't that a lot like real life?

As it stands now if it were not for 200+ cable channels 95% of them would be serving fast food and rightfully so.