You kids, you’re causing starving writers to strike, crippling Hollywood and destroying our American consciousness. The Writers Guild of America, all level 70 rogues, walked out of a last minute “please don’t strike” meeting last night, setting the stage for picket lines as early as Monday. The guild is refusing to put pen to paper (or fire up Word, as the case may be) because it says its members aren’t being properly compensated for new media downloads: iTunes, stupid Hulu, etc.
It’s a fairly complex scenario, with certain studios backing the writers and others telling them to go ahead and strike. The strike, should one actually be called (it looks like a forgone conclusion at this point, but nothing’s set in stone yet), your current TV season will be fine. It’s shows that start in the winter (”Lost” and “24,” for example) that could be doomed. Too bad Americans aren’t exactly the most strike-friendly people. We’re not France.
So when I grab a torrent off TPB, does anyone see any compensation?
Writers Set to Strike, Threatening Hollywood [New York Times]
You’re missing the issue. The studios are declaring that the writers are not entitled to residuals when the films/TV shows they write are sold from these sites because these downloads are for promotional purposes only, not to generate revenue. Which is bunk because the studios charge a fee for and earn money from the downloads, thus they generate revenue and are not merely promos.
Writers are simply asking for the same consideration as actors, directors, etc. who earn residuals from these new media outlets.
FYI, while this is a critical issue in the contract renegotiation talks and strike, it is by far not the only issue. Like all labor negotiations, the problems are complex and longstanding.