# Bad news for TV fans. Probable writers' strike **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 30, 2017, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-news-for-tv-fans-probable-writers-strike/783375 "2017-03-30T19:55:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2017, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-news-for-tv-fans-probable-writers-strike/783375/1 "2017-03-30T19:55:41Z")
[Here’s the story.](http://www.thewrap.com/wga-west-set-to-send-strike-authorization-ballots-to-members/) > [@](#): > > The Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) sent a memo to its members on Wednesday detailing how strike authorization letters will be sent out to them, as approved by the WGAW Board and WGAE Council. > > The decision, which was made by unanimous recommendation of the WGA negotiating committee, takes the labor union a step closer to a strike that could impact the whole entertainment industry. > > It comes after scheduled negotiations with the AMPTP concluded last Friday without a deal. Strike authorization ballots are expected to go out next week. The last time this happened in 2007/8 [at least 13 shows were cancelled](http://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2017/03/westworld-season-2-delayed-writers-strike), many due to the financial strain of the strike and big shows like 24, Battlestar Galactica, etc were pushed off the schedule and held till the following season. Now of course there are far more shows airing and consequently the damage could be even greater this time. I am really pessimistic about this. At the heart of it are grievances such as the following: > [@](#): > > One of the issues on the table as the W.G.A. renegotiates its terms with TV studios has to do with the increasing popularity of shorter, 10-episode seasons like those of Westworld. When writers are hired into exclusive deals on any given show, if that series lasts 10 episodes rather than 22 and the writer isn’t allowed to find work elsewhere, their income is essentially cut in half. “We’re still paid per episode, and now it’s 10 episodes with exclusivity,” said Nolan, who moved to the HBO series after working for five years on the (mostly) 22-episode-long network drama Person of Interest. “If the show only takes a few months [to do], you‘re still held to the show. That’s a 60 percent reduction in income.” It’s a fair point and I think the studios should give way on it. But will they? Not without a long and grim battle and maybe not even then. Of course compromise has to come somewhere along the line but it could take a long long time. Prying more money from the clenched fists of the media barons is never easy. I say good luck to the writers but we may all have a miserable time ahead of us. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2017, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-news-for-tv-fans-probable-writers-strike/783375/2 "2017-03-30T20:09:41Z")
Get ready for the reality shows folks! I wonder if the producers will be like: "Ok fine, give us 22 episodes per season then. Might as well get our money’s worth. ---
**Author:** ![Smitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Smitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smitty)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2017, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-news-for-tv-fans-probable-writers-strike/783375/3 "2017-03-30T20:37:49Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > It’s a fair point and I think the studios should give way on it. Why is that a fair point? No one is forcing the writers into these deals. That’s like taking a part time job and then complaining that you aren’t getting full time pay. If writers don’t like it, stop taking jobs with those terms. ---
**Author:** ![Chisquirrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6bbea6/32.png) [@Chisquirrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chisquirrel)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2017, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-news-for-tv-fans-probable-writers-strike/783375/4 "2017-03-30T20:42:50Z")
> [@Smitty](#): > > Why is that a fair point? No one is forcing the writers into these deals. That’s like taking a part time job and then complaining that you aren’t getting full time pay. If writers don’t like it, stop taking jobs with those terms. It’s like taking a part time job, and your employer saying you can’t have any other jobs. Fighting things like that is kinda the point of labor unions. ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2017, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-news-for-tv-fans-probable-writers-strike/783375/5 "2017-03-30T21:09:38Z")
> [@Smitty](#): > > Why is that a fair point? No one is forcing the writers into these deals. That’s like taking a part time job and then complaining that you aren’t getting full time pay. If writers don’t like it, stop taking jobs with those terms. You’re right. No one is forcing them to take those deals. Hence this very strike. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2017, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-news-for-tv-fans-probable-writers-strike/783375/6 "2017-03-30T21:24:08Z")
Nobody’s forcing the studies to hire writers, either. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2017, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-news-for-tv-fans-probable-writers-strike/783375/7 "2017-03-30T22:55:25Z")
Probably kill off a few shows, pushing more people to cut cords and dive into video services to get stuff that was made back before the little tantrum. It’s happened before, but, before, TV wasn’t in quite such a precarious position. ---
**Author:** ![mikecurtis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikecurtis/32/3284_2.png) [@mikecurtis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mikecurtis)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2017, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-news-for-tv-fans-probable-writers-strike/783375/8 "2017-03-30T22:58:43Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > . . .The last time this happened in 2007/8 [at least 13 shows were cancelled](http://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2017/03/westworld-season-2-delayed-writers-strike), . . . the last time it happened, Joss Wheden et al, got bored and gave us Dr Horrible [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Of9kHpCv1ts](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Of9kHpCv1ts) so i say bring it on! mc ---
**Author:** ![Meltdown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Meltdown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meltdown)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2017, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-news-for-tv-fans-probable-writers-strike/783375/9 "2017-03-31T18:01:00Z")
You know, this is really craven because I know livelihoods are at stake, but part of me looks forward to catching up on stuff I never saw just because it’s been impossible to keep up with everything good over the past several years. Maybe I’ll finally get a chance to watch “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.” I hear wonderful things about that Rachel Bloom.