You Think You're the Only Writer Who Can Give Me a Barton Fink Feeling?
Courtesy of Drudge, Hollywood writers sound off about what's really holding back the economic recovery: NBC's decision to cancel all its weekly 10 p.m. scripted shows and replace them with Jay Leno. Comments were made at the semi-annual TV critics press tour in Pasadena:
When a reporter reminded the panel of NBC's economic argument—that Leno will give the network a superior profit margin—[The Shield creator Shawn] Ryan disagreed.
"What's the value of ['Leno Show'] show after it airs?" Ryan asked. "They can't sell that on DVD. They can't sell it overseas. Nobody wants to watch it three weeks later. 'Heroes' is very expensive to make, but it has value all across the world. There's a reason they're in [the drama] business—when it works, they make a lot of money."
One critic pointed out Leno's defense, that the talk show host's writers are among the best paid in the business. Ryan countered that it's about the overall numbers—how many writers and crew members that will no longer get jobs on NBC programs now that Leno's show will take most of the network's 10 p.m. slots.
Added "Sons of Anarchy" showrunner Kurt Sutter about NBC: "They're sort of the bastards to hate right now."
In a way I sympathize. I prefer scripted shows to most of what's on TV, and I regret the steady takeover of television by boring, unattractive reality starlings. In particular, I have fond memories of watching The Shield shooting outside my workplace, trying to count the scores of layabouts munching on generous breakfasts (and I mean real breakfasts with sausage and pancakes and scramblers, not just danishes), and wondering how cable programming could throw off that much money.
As we now know, it couldn't. Ryan's argument about second-run market was plausible a few years ago, before it was clear how short the Long Tail really is: DVD sales have been decreasing for years and are currently leading the decline in studio revenues. Online income never showed any prospects of replacing the kind of money broadcast and physical media generated—and that was before online revenue also started to fall. Filling out the 10 p.m. spot with an inexpensive show headed by a personality with proven ratings potential may be all second-wave and non-interactive, but it's money up front rather than a gamble on the future value of The Philanthropist.
True, by hating NBC you're hating General Electric CEO Jeffrey Immelt, surely the most loathsome organism on this planet. But maybe the problem is that there really aren't any "bastards" for the writers to blame. Content creation just isn't a good way to make money anymore. There's something ironic in hearing claims of injury from what may be the last generation of people to get rich in the game.
More ironic still is that the target of their ire is Jay Leno, a man universally considered a mensch and a considerate boss, who tried to maintain good relations all around and to make sure people kept getting paid in 2007. You may recall that in that year, Hollywood was dealt what I hope will turn out to be its death blow when one of the unions, convinced its members were not getting enough on back-end sales, launched a pointless and self-destructive strike. Which union was that anyway? Oh yeah: the writers.
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True, by hating NBC you’re hating General Electric CEO Jeffrey Immelt, surely the most loathsome organism on this planet.
I prefer (and I say this as a GE shareholder) to despise him because he’s a political-ass-kissing rent seeker, who wants a seat at the head of the table when the booty from cap-and-trade is passed out.
God knows we need room for more shows like More To Love and Big Brother11 and America’s Got Talent. Who isn’t waiting in trebmbling anticipation for the dvd release of The Colony. Or maybe another angle on pet grooming.
There are still people who watch TV?
PIRS, what else are you supposda hook your DVD player up to?
Hugh/High,
A projector
There is a lot of good shit on TV still. It just makes more sense to download the torrents and watch them without commercials and whenever you want.
1. Weeds
2. Damages
3. Curb Your Enthusiasm
4. Burn Notice
5. Psych
To recover add revenues they’ll start raping the content with in-show product placement.
PIRS is this Guy
EoT:
Don’t forget Rescue Me and Mad Men
There’s actually some good libertarian shows on TV. Or, at least there were. See “Mark of the Kochtopus”. (spoiler: don’t read the comment about “interference”).
Meanwhile, if Cavanaugh would like to cover a story that, you know, actually matters, maybe he can ask Hawaii why they’re stonewalling me on issuing a statement that could clarify that issue. I’m sure it has nothing to do with them wanting people to be confused over this and not wanting to show how deceptive CNN and the NYT were. Oh no, that’s not it.
Shut the fuck up, Chris Kelly.
I noticed a few weeks ago during a Nascar race, they had commercials on in a picture in a picture format without missing any of the race under green flag racing. They did regular commercial breaks under yellow.It was scary and intriguing at the same time.
“PantsFan | August 8, 2009, 4:03pm | #”
lol. That was funny. I actually laughed out loud at the picture.
“I noticed a few weeks ago during a Nascar race, they had commercials on in a picture in a picture format without missing any of the race under green flag racing. They did regular commercial breaks under yellow.It was scary and intriguing at the same time.”
This is something I have never understood. I appreciate the intriguing part, but why the scary? What’s scary about advertising to defray broadcasting costs? Maybe you aren’t one of those” fear and loathing of advertisers” people, but if you are I’d be interested to know why. Unless you’re a “progressive”, in which case, never mind.
I would prefer if they only ran ads during cautions. I really don’t like anything on the screen while I’m watching a race. I get cranky when channels display their logo on a portion of the screen as well. The latest thing I’m seeing is little pop-up logos for upcoming programs. Show the program or show the ads. Don’t do both.
we can always freeload by watching the bbc programs everyone with a tv in the uk pays the equivalent of $230 a year to produce.
“The latest thing I’m seeing is little pop-up logos for upcoming programs. Show the program or show the ads. Don’t do both.”
Yeah. I’d add my diddo to that.
Good TV? Mad Men, Breaking Bad, and True Blood (yes, yes, guilty pleasure, but the show is sexy, violent, and full of mythical sci-fi type goodness).
“What’s the value of [‘Leno Show’] show after it airs?” Ryan asked.
What’s the value of Heroes after it airs? Zero. Two words: Bit Torrent.
Some more words: Sounds like that Ryan guy has command of all the facts and trade-offs. He should start his own TV network or STFU.
hmmm, I have seen a few races that were caution free. I don’t have a good way to deal with that. Maybe get x- amount for sponsoring the race and roll the dice on how many spots get aired?
The “pot brownies” story was my favorite Barney Miller episode.
“Norm”
Live(ish) performances, and timely material with a personal touch is the only thing that is going to keep bringing money in. Time and/or presence are the only excludable aspects of the product these days. Watch Leno now, with the commercials, because “now” is the only time it has any value/relevance.
The good, polished scripted stuff is migrating almost exclusively to paid formats (HBO, Showtime, etc) and its post-broadcast-date collateral materials (DVDs, rebroadcasts) are worth nil because of the bit-torrent-information-wants-to-be-free magic of the intarwebs.
see: music industry
What if there are no cautions or not enough to cover the advertising guaranteed during the race?
Heh, that’s funny. We’re talking NASCAR here. There is never a shortage of cautions and if nobody scrapes a wall to give them a convenient excuse, then they’ll suddenly notice some “debris” on the track and throw a yellow while someone goes to pick up that hot dog wrapper that got away.
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I’m a fan of product placement within shows and the snipes (popups) people don’t like. The reason being is the trade off from entertainment for the value to the station is optimal. I get to watch my show with just a little annoyance and they get their income. Commercials have been the bane of my TV time for as long as I can remember. They seem to get increasingly retarded with time as well.(or I get old) With Tivo I see these two methods the only viable way to maintain profitability with their current model. Hell I watch almost all entertainment as a recording. The news channels are all I watch live. As for reality shows, the networks got hooked on the profit margin. No cost to produce and a large percentage of the tards will watch it. The rating on American Idol are fucking scary. I can’t believe that many people pay attention to that shit.
The TV industry is going through some changes. Personally I think the most drastic will come with this current administration and economy. (or at least hasten changes already coming)
What a letdown. This wasn’t about Barton Fink at all.
I was going to say some stuff in praise of Leno, but then I worried that this was some kind of journalistic sting operation to find old people and do an expose on them (‘Out of Touch Old People: Why don’t they go away?’)
Not that I’m old or anything.
Anyone see Ben Stein was canned by NYT. lol
Leno has an epic car/bike collection. I don’t think anyone any age can come after you for that.
I’m actually thankful that Mr. Ryan did not, instead, tear into CBS for ditching Guiding Light in favor a Wayne Brady-hosted revival of LMAD. If he had, then I’d really be mad. (That said, I’m still disappointed that CBS went for LMAD for a full hour–and decided to pass on a revival of Pyramid.)
WTF is wrong with “teh unions!”, in this case a bunch of creative artists working collectively, trying to get a bigger piece of the pie that they and their employers produce and sell?
I mean, are you people so devoid of testicles that you think that when your boss makes his first offer you are duty bound by the laws of market efficiency to take it? Are you just jealous you don’t have the balls or talent to demand things of your bosses? Is it that you hate the idea they would act conertedly (I guess you hate it when a cop calls for back up [what a pussy with a tenuous grasp of individualism!]).
This is just crabs at the bottom of the bucket trying to yank the crab with ambition to climb out down.
Sheesh.
“I miss MASH, Barney Miller, and Cheers to list a few.”
Jesus, not only are you like, 100 years old, but c’mon, they didn’t give you enough of those shows? Shit, they ran like a century collectively…
The real outrage was Strangers With Candy being put down too early.
I mean, are you people so devoid of testicles that you think that when your boss makes his first offer you are duty bound by the laws of market efficiency to take it?
Your missing one fairly important point. There are no offers to me from my boss when I am in a union. As a matter of fact it is illegal for me to bargain with my boss. You can figure out the rest from there. Don’t forget the legal structure for collective bargaining being just a little skewed.
Jesus, not only are you like, 100 years old, but c’mon, they didn’t give you enough of those shows?
I like Glenn Miller as well. Make that 200 years old.
“Don’t forget the legal structure for collective bargaining being just a little skewed.”
That legal structure killed some of the best weapons of the early labor movement (secondary boycotts, wildcat strikes, etc) as well as hampering management.
“There are no offers to me from my boss when I am in a union. As a matter of fact it is illegal for me to bargain with my boss.”
Actually, you are wrong. Consider the NFL. Collective bargaining sets a minimum floor for employees, but then many employees bargain individually for their salary (you want to argue the NFL is not a collective bargaining union enterprise, be my guest).
Secondly, collective bargaining is, on average, to the benefit of the employee (just think about it, its the same logic why investors pool into corporations).
Lastly, as to your skew, all the law requires is that management bargain in good faith with the certified representative. Thats it They can refuse every single demand as long as they bargained in good faith, every single one. Oh the tyranny!
Schooled
What if all the crabs agree to work together to get out of the bucket, because it gives each individual crab on average a better chance of getting out?
Fail buddy. But nice try at being cute, next time try beauty pageants.
What if all the crabs agree to work together to get out of the bucket, because it gives each individual crab on average a better chance of getting out?
Because union liberals have the collective intelligence of a bucket full of lower crustaceans? Because union liberal are only good for boiling and sucking the heads of?
What a letdown. This wasn’t about Barton Fink at all.
Look upon me! I’ll show you the life of the mind!
Cynical minds and snarky markets.
Lost will clean up on DVD sales because once you know the ending, the entire serial changes meaning, and you’ll want to review it to see the clues and get the jokes.
Somebody take out the spam, please. “Merry-shopping”, kindly FOAD.
-jcr
Using the NFL as an example of collective bargaining is about as funny as using the actors guild. You can not negotiate out side the union in most unions. I watched my wife deal with it for years. She was under the complete control of the union vote if she wanted to stay employed where she was.
Collective bargaining is not to the benefit of the employees. It is to the benefit of the least capable employees. The shit stains are protected while the capable or willing are held back. The name collective kind of gives that away. Most collectives are not for the benefit of the one, but for the benefit of the collective.
The laws governing collective bargaining are far more complex than good faith bargaining.
DO you have any experience with unions? Either as management or a member? (That’s an honest question, I’m curious as to which, since the 2-3 I’ve dealt with might be different. Although I doubt it.)
collective bargaining is, on average, to the benefit of the employee
Tell it to those unemployed UAW clowns in Detroit.
-jcr
What if all the crabs agree to work together to get out of the bucket, because it gives each individual crab on average a better chance of getting out?
Cuz as we all know in a free market cooperation is impossible!!!
Jesus Christ it is bad enough they have no idea what free markets are but they conflate cooperation with collectivism.
Lost will clean up on DVD sales because once you know the ending, the entire serial changes meaning, and you’ll want to review it to see the clues and get the jokes.
yeah…i thought the same thing about BattleStar Galactica a show, unlike Lost, which had the same lead writer and producer through the whole thing and that ending was a piece of shit.
The truth about Lost is that the writers have no idea where the show is going and the ending will be a horrible mess.
If they can get David Lynch to direct the series finale to Lost, they have a chance!
yeah…i thought the same thing about BattleStar Galactica a show, unlike Lost, which had the same lead writer and producer through the whole thing and that ending was a piece of shit.
The truth about Lost is that the writers have no idea where the show is going and the ending will be a horrible mess.
That hasn’t been the case with Lost in a long time. It was true during the second season when they did not have the contractual arrangement they wanted with ABC, and were not sure how to pace the show. It really showed then with the tail ender plot line.
However, during the third season when they reached an agreement with ABC for six seasons (producers wanted five), the story arc was set in stone. I’ve not only watched every episode, but I have read the transcript of every episode. It does not feel like it is meandering in any sort of way because it isn’t.
If they can get David Lynch to direct the series finale to Lost, they have a chance!
Aronofsky was set to direct an episode during the third season, but had to bow out.
Unfortunately, it is unlikely that Lynch or even J J abrams will direct episodes next year. Here is a quote from one of the producers:
At one time, we came very close to having Darren Aronofsky direct an episode of Lost and that was very exciting to us. But, the truth is, movie directors are focused on their movie careers and it was no different with Darren when it all came down to it. His obligations to his various movies precluded him from actually coming to Hawaii and shooting the show. And I think that now the ship has sort of sailed, going into the last season of the show, we dont feel it’s really the time or place to be engaged in sort of artful diversion.
We’re really gonna focus on finishing out our narrative, and the episodes, by-and-large, will be directed by the directors who have brought us this far successfully with the series, principally Jack Bender. We are very thrilled to be heading into the home stretch, and we’re going to be doing that with our regular collaborators.
Tis a pity because there is always a math themed episode every season, ‘The Numbers’, ‘The Vairiable’, ‘The Constant’, and now it is time for ?!
Unless a show is timeless mega-hit the DVD sales will likely be nothing special. And, given the enormous per-disc space, most DVDs are “almost empty” (and therefore wasted) without a boatload of special features which take extra time and money to produce.
I think it’s worth saying that anything worthwhile has already been done countless times, both in TV and Feature Film. When was the last really new idea in scripted shows anyway?
Just some semi-random observations
“Content creation just isn’t a good way to make money anymore.”
That may be true, but that means less content creation in the future. Is that a result anyone really desires?
If the creation of television content is such an economic wasteland, why are there new cable channels every year?
It seems pretty clear that more people are making more money [in the aggregate] by being employed in television production now than thirty years ago. The traditional unions are just mad because some content is produced non-union, and some content doesn’t involve distributing work on the old model [i.e. reality shows don’t buy spec scripts], and the audience pie is split so many ways that there’s less money to be made off of any particular show or job.
I mean, SOMEBODY got paid for all the scripts used for the eleventy thousand really bad SyFy network made-for-TV movies. They probably just didn’t get paid a lot for those scripts.
This many comments and no one has yet mentioned what an unfunny hack Jay Leno is?
So, has anyone been watching Kings? Have been catching up on it, and it’s quite entertaining. I am wondering though, how will they incorporate the bit about David and the 200 foreskins?
“The shit stains are protected while the capable or willing are held back.”
hmmm, let me let you in on a lil’ secret, everyone thinks they are not the shit stain…
“Most collectives are not for the benefit of the one, but for the benefit of the collective.”
Like corporations and partnerships or mutual funds?
“they conflate cooperation with collectivism”
Funny JC I was thinking the same thing, but my “they” was different…
“The ending to Twin Peaks was a wonderful mess.”
True dat. The stuff in the Red Room was great.
I think it’s worth saying that anything worthwhile has already been done countless times, both in TV and Feature Film. When was the last really new idea in scripted shows anyway?
There’s value in seeing old ideas presented in new ways, and in seeing old plots applied to new situations. I think TV’s problem going forward, however, is that part of that value to the viewer is connectedness. Even if a given TV show isn’t really contributing anything earth-shatteringly new, if 30% of everyone you know watches it, there’s value to you in watching it because it allows you to socially participate in the community of people who watch it. That value diminishes rapidly to zero as ratings for all scripted shows sink below 5%. There is no compelling reason to immerse yourself in a show with ratings that low other than your own immediate enjoyment, and most shows just don’t produce that much enjoyment.
This is less of an issue for cheap, throwaway programming that never aspires to higher ratings in the first place. There’s still a lot of work to be had in producing cheap, throwaway programming, however, [albeit lower-paid work] and the unions just have to reconcile themselves to that.
hmmm, let me let you in on a lil’ secret, everyone thinks they are not the shit stain…
Everyone? Even the management? Who want to move people up and keep people rather than have to follow seniority during layoffs? Your looking at the whole thing from one point through a tube. Which produces a pretty narrow understanding of unions as a whole.
Like corporations and partnerships or mutual funds?
Strawman? All of those relationships are voluntary for both sides and all involved. Each side has the ability to set their terms with the other. Unlike more than one job that requires union involvement to get, where you are no longer capable of acting on your own. With the exception of severing the tie, the extreme end of a negotiation. You’re the one that said unions benefit the individual, not me. You’re still wrong in that regard, they benefit the group not the person.
There’s nothing new on TV? What the fuck do you call Dollhouse?
What the fuck do you call Dollhouse?
I call it annoying, because they don’t show nearly enough skin. Come on, let’s get those chicks in bikinis already.
-jcr
When will they resurrect Dobie Gillis?
‘”Content creation just isn’t a good way to make money anymore.”
That may be true, but that means less content creation in the future. Is that a result anyone really desires?’
It depends which content stops being produced, I suppose.
Content creation does fine. Look at Sci Fi, or syfy as it’s been rebranded. A lot of the cable networks create shows they sell.
Cable is leading the war in product placement within shows.
hmmm
You missed the point, when I hear people say “those damn unions (or whatever) only protect the shit stains” the person never considers that every worker thinks they are the hard working, good employee and its someone else that is the shit stain. It’s like how everyone who loves Neitzche thinks they are the fucking superman…Besides collective bargaining agreements are just fancy names for contracts where one side of the contract is a bunch of people. The things contracted for apply to all of the contractees, shit stains and super-duper workers. Super-duper workers might imagine that they need no protections or that they could do better by bargaining alone because the boss will always love and reward them because they are so crucial to the enterprise (both dubious imo)regardless, but the protections in the contract cover everyone.
“All of those relationships are voluntary for both sides and all involved”
No one is making anyone work for an employer that has a contract with a union to only employ union workers.
“they benefit the group not the person.”
Like the saying goes around here, there are no such things as groups, just collections of individuals. To say it benefits the group (glad you admitted it) means that it benefits more individuals than it harms. Thanks for playing!
SyFy would be more honestly named “what if we had an entire network with Tales From the Darkside level quality.”
If you think about it, HBO has been the place to be if you are a serious writer or television director for over a decade. Without having to write around the format of commercial-needing networks the artist can base all decisions on the needs of the story. And it shows with HBO cranking out awesome shit like Sopranos, Deadwood, Rome, Curb Your Enthusiasm, etc.
Did you really mean to describe those reality people as “starlings”? If you meant it, that’s pretty funny.
There is a way to negotiate from a union job outside of the union: if the employer thinks you’re good enough, you can get promoted to a non-union position, even if they have to create one for you. But that’s a high bar to get over.
A lot of viewers, maybe most, will be disappointed at the ending of Lost because it will reveal that all that was happening was in a different context and had a different meaning from what those viewers thought. But they’ll get over it and buy the DVDs, because rewatching it from the beginning with that knowledge will be like seeing a whole new show…a comedy, and not sci-fi or fantasy. It’s as if the characters from The Wrong Box had incorporated into their plot the methods of Watchmen and identified with semi-historic figures as discussed in Holy Blood, Holy Grail with the sense of humor of Illuminatus! — and the story was told in the style of Illuminatus! and Watchmen.
If you think about it, HBO has been the place to be if you are a serious writer or television director for over a decade.
AMC has been running laps around it recently though.
The next big trend in high-end cable drama seems to be adapting novels into TV series. AMC is looking at Carter Beats the Devil, and HBO is considering Middlesex.
The AV Club had an article about the concept, and some of the projects in (pre-)production, recently:
http://www.avclub.com/articles/tvs-new-series-source-novels,30154/
I like Van der Werff’s idea of doing one season adaptions of the Perlstein books. Looks like some highly regarded fantasy and sci-fi books might make the leap too.
Link fail.
http://www.avclub.com/articles/tvs-new-series-source-novels,30154/
Futurama re-birth FTW. They almost had some problems with a voice talent strike, but there was posturing on both sides, and the deal is in.
House was a surprisingly good “big-4” tv show for a while. BSG was a decent cable show for a few seasons.
Based on rec’s, I’ll be renting DVDs for the Weeds, Breaking Bad & Always Sunny in Philly.
Ugh. edit, 1st ¶. “They almost had some problems with a voice talent strike, but there it was mainly posturing on both sides, and now the deal is in.
Breaking Bad is very good. The main character is an authentic nightmare for academic engineers/scientists.
You missed the point, when I hear people say “those damn unions (or whatever) only protect the shit stains” the person never considers that every worker thinks they are the hard working, good employee and its someone else that is the shit stain.
I got the point and all you just did was reiterate the same thing you said the first time. The point is that as a union it doesn’t matter who sucks and who doesn’t. The bar isn’t ability. So the shit stain or non shit stain get treated exactly the same or by a measure other than ability, seniority.
Super-duper workers might imagine that they need no protections or that they could do better by bargaining alone because the boss will always love and reward them because they are so crucial to the enterprise (both dubious imo)regardless, but the protections in the contract cover everyone.
Better workers can contract as well. You aren’t even trying to argue the ability to influence a contract, you just just made the point for me. The people of value can negotiate for the protection they desire. Interesting thing about saying unions are so vital is the movement of people in today’s work force. People aren’t staying with one company all their life anymore and moving as their value increases. One of the reason union membership is down and unions are not moving into new fields.
No one is making anyone work for an employer that has a contract with a union to only employ union workers.
Don’t miss quote me out of context. It’s in poor taste and pathetic. Your argument falls apart if you read on and don’t pull the single snippet to try and prove a dying point.
There’s no question unions benefit a group. Since there are individuals within the group that are useless the group is seeing some benefit. I never said it was net benefit.
There is a way to negotiate from a union job outside of the union: if the employer thinks you’re good enough, you can get promoted to a non-union position, even if they have to create one for you. But that’s a high bar to get over.
Some union contracts are written that do not allow companies to promote out of the union to management without repercussions. So you are still not negotiating on your own because the company has to consider union ramifications.
I honestly don’t think you have any experience with unions MNG. Either that or you are a life member, but I don’t know one life member in a union that doesn’t think they at least help out the useless people more than the capable people.
That includes some die hard redneck UAW members.
I worked as non-union help with at a unionized workplace as an undergraduate. It was great. There was a contract rather than being employed at will, and guess what, both sides were held to the contract. Usually libertarians practically masturbate thinking of the sancitity of contracts, but when it comes to employer-union contracts, watch out, that shit spoils the whole wet dream…
This may amaze you but individuals often negotiate contracts that give them many of the same protections as unions negotiate for their members (not hard to imagine as unions have a legal duty to represent every individual in the union when bargaining). Look at the goofball that Diseny hired a while back (what was that guy?) who practically did nothing and then Disney had to pay the guy off to leave an enormous amount (so big it provoked shareholder derivative suits). Why did Disney go through that? Because they and the dude had a contract. The dude was hardly a “shit stain” but he negotiated to get protections. Why should someone representing a group of employees not strive toward the same thing?
Oh, that’s right, you have this superiority thing, you and a few other select people are “valuable” people, many others are “shit stains” and you hate to see the latter protected. Those worthless fucks should get what’s coming to them, right, so that your boss can more plainly see how special you are. Once the shit was cleared away he would finally be able to notice you, promote you where you should be, rub vaseline on your hiney and tell you that you’re special…Dude, get over yourself and your Randian fantasies…
Ovitz was the fella’s name in the Disney case
Okay, to be completely honest I havent owned a TV in about 5 years so maybe in that time things changed but I doubt it.
As far as the union side of the discussion is concerned, I have spent some time working both union and non-union in two similar companies and really there isn’t much difference. It sucks to have to pay dues only to be held back by union policies but the shit stains are in both places – they know how to survive anyway they can be it sucking up to the boss or manipulating union work rules.
I agree people often negotiate contracts for themselves with the same benefits and protection as unions. The difference is unions manage to cover everyone. Not just the individual. So while several people do not perform and a few do, the company is held to the standard of the few performing. Have you ever seen first hand what is needed to terminate a union employee? The problem with a union/employer contract is that there is no way to separate the union. When I enter a contract I am the one responsible. When a company enters a contract the company, as an entity is responsible. When a company and a union enter a contract the company is responsible, but who is responsible on the union side? 50, 100, 10,000 individuals. The very thing you make fun of is the problem. Now if people wanted to get together and contract together and each state their willingness to be responsible for the contract then fine. But that’s not how the game works.
I don’t have a superiority complex. I have a complex about being mixed in with those that aren’t willing to work. If you enjoy being forced, or to not work there, to support others or ensure others have to do less others then I applaud your caring. It isn’t about being better, its about being allowed to prove you are better. It isn’t a belief that I am better. It’s a belief that the best person for the job should get it. I’m more than willing to compete and lose, hell I lose all the time. I just want to be able to compete. In a union you don’t get to and you don’t have to.
I don’t have to worry about the worthless fucks. I refuse to every work under collective bargaining in its current form. I can get farther competing on my own or with those I choose as my partners.
Saying that there’s no value to a Leno show after it airs is just plain wrong.
You don’t market several DVDs, each with “4 weeks of Jay Leno”; you market a DVD of “Jaywalking”, a DVD of “Found it on eBay and Things we found at the 99 cent store”, a DVD of “Headlines”, a DVD or two of “Best of the monologues”, a DVD or two of “Best of the interviews”, etc.
I thought music sales were hurt not because of downloading but because they were putting out bad product. Reason was very firm on this fact! TV seems at a creative highpoint (at least in some areas) so how could DVD sales possibly be hurting? What could it be?
collective bargaining is, on average, to the benefit of the employee union
The worst of the worst is pop-up advertisements with motion, like the tv equivilant of a web pop-up ad.
We need the equivalent of ad blocker for tv.
Lastly, as to your skew, all the law requires is that management bargain in good faith with the certified representative. Thats it They can refuse every single demand as long as they bargained in good faith, every single one. Oh the tyranny!
Explain why anyone should be required to bargain in good faith.
Also, how can you tell?
Consider the NFL. Collective bargaining sets a minimum floor for employees, but then many employees bargain individually for their salary (you want to argue the NFL is not a collective bargaining union enterprise, be my guest).
If all unions were structured like the MLBPA, there would be far less anti-union sentiment. Each contract, the union tries to get CLOSER to a free market situation. Jim Bunning was the Phillies player rep during his playing days.
” mean, SOMEBODY got paid for all the scripts used for the eleventy thousand really bad SyFy network made-for-TV movies. They probably just didn’t get paid a lot for those scripts.”
They shouldn’t have got paid anything, and been grateful for escaping with their testicles and “love” appendage. And I’m not nearly so merciful to the writers over at the “horror” channel, unless they misspelled “ho or” sumthin. If only it was sooo bad it was good.
You don’t market several DVDs, each with “4 weeks of Jay Leno”; you market a DVD of “Jaywalking”, a DVD of “Found it on eBay and Things we found at the 99 cent store”…
You market those as web videos chock-full o’ advertisements.