What if there is a writer's strike?

[yukailin]

What kind of contigencies do the producers have in place in the event of a Writer's Guild Strike this summer? Where do you fall on this issue?

I know this is a serious subject and you may not want to take sides publicly, but I was wondering if any steps had been taken in case it happens.

[Gregg Nations]

If there is a strike, we will shut down immediately. Carlton is on the negotiating committee for the WGA, and there is no way that any of the writers would cross a picket line. We will not bank episodes or scripts. Depending on how many episodes are completed before a strike were to happen, it would be up to ABC to decide how to air them.

Personally, I think the WGA is in a very good bargaining position, and if there is a strike, it's the producers and studios who are being the uncompromising ones. This could be a contentious round of discussions and you never know how things will work out. Hopefully it'll all go smoothly and it won't be an issue.

[yukailin]

Let Carlton know he's got support here on the 'lage and to hang tough.

I know some of the issues the WGA is dealing with are also problematic for some of the other guilds as well, such as SAG, the DGA and some of the technical groups. Issues such as Webisodes, iTunes and Network site downloads of episodes. None of these things are being counted in with normal Ratings, most of the groups are not getting paid for them, and the Webisodes are extra work on top of not being counted towards anything. Then again, all that extra stuff that goes on DVDs is also extra work that not everyone get's paid for.

I know there are other issues, guess I'll have to start reading the local papers more to get a better handle on what will be the big topic of discussion this summer.