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WGA Ratification Vote Almost Here as Aftershock Still Felt
It's been two weeks since the WGA's strike order was lifted and ratification ballots were sent out to membership. Now the votes on the new three-year contract are being tallied, and an announcement on the result is expected Tuesday.
As 10,500 guild members await closure on the three-month strike, other discussions and issues stemming from the strike continue to surface. On Tuesday, CBS chief Leslie Moonves commented on another way the strike has impacted the industry, saying that, while the 100-day strike order "lasted longer than any of us would have liked," it actually helped the industry.
Not only did it save CBS $70 million in its fourth quarter, he said, but it gave nets an opportunity to reexamine their series-development processes — i.e., and start cutting back. In the same statements, Moonves asserted that "pilots are vastly overrated," and counted the reduction in spending on them as a major plus for the bottom line.
In the meantime, the WGA is still working to squeeze in some more love for its members. On Monday the WGA said it had introduced a bill into the California state senate that attempts to make up for a provision in the contract that didn't make it in. According to the Reporter, the guild said the proposed bill would "end the practice of selling television series and films for less than fair market value."
Will the senate go for it? Does Moonves have a point? Will the effects of the strike keep reverberating? Give us your take. — Anna Dimond
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Feb 26, 2008 4:57 PM
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I agree. How many great pilots get approved for series by the network only to have the shows that follow be horrific? eg. Bionic Woman. I'd like to see more pilots picked up based on strong scripts, great storytelling and potential for great storylines, rather than million dollar pilots.
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Feb 26, 2008 9:37 PM
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