It is time that the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers stop being greedy and give writers fair compensation for their work. The writers are responsible these production companies large profits. They are responsible for the quality television shows that still exist in this time of mind-numbing reality television.
It has been more than two months since the Writer’s Guild of America and the Writer’s Guild of America West, two labor unions representing writers in the movie, television and radio industry, authorized its more than 12,000 workers to strike.
The writers are asking for better compensation for the shows and movies they produce. Currently, the residual writers received is of .3 percent but it is based on the sales of Video Home Systems cassettes (VHS). That percentage would be for the first one million in reportable income and .36 percent for any sales after that. However, with Digital Versatile Disc (DVD) production being much cheaper, writers are asking for the residual to be raised to .6 percent.
Yet, the AMPTP, who represents films and television producers such as NBC Universal and Paramount Pictures claims that due to the high cost of production, an increase in shared revenue isn’t possible. They claim that they can’t afford to pay the writers more.
Still, in 2004, the New York times reported that production companies made $4.8 billion in home video sales. A residual of .6 percent out of the reported profits made by these production companies is a very small price to pay for the creative talent offered by these writers.
Since these production companies are in the business of making money, they will settle for broadcasting idiotic reality television shows as long as these mindless reality shows keep making a profit.
Eventually, the absence of great television writing will affect the profits of producers and force them to give the writers not just what they have been asking for but what they deserve.
On Jan. 13, NBC Nightly News reported that the strike has so far cost the industry $1 billion in losses. Unfortunately, writers and producers aren’t the only ones loosing money. This strike adversely affects the many behind the scene employees such as janitors, prop and rental companies, catering companies and so forth.
It is time these producers stop being greedy and give the writers the compensation they deserve. They need to do the right thing and get everybody back to work.
