Hollywood Writers Guild Strike and Streaming Economics
The Writers Guild of America (WGA) initiated a strike against major Hollywood studios, marking the first such action in 15 years. Writers are demanding better pay, mandatory staffing levels, and residuals for content sold to streaming giants like Netflix and Amazon. Industry analysts suggest studios may have enough completed content to withstand a year-long work stoppage, while streaming services continue to struggle with profitability following the post-lockdown market shift.
writers guild of america· hollywood strike· netflix· streaming residuals· disney plus
00:00 She's the Yoko of the Royals, man. Adam Curry. John C. DeVorah. It's Thursday May 4th 2023 this is your award-winning Gimbo Nation Media Assassination episode 1552! This is no agenda. Crank it! Cracking up the drone wars and broadcasting live from the heart of the Texas Hill Country here in FEMA region number six, In The Morning everybody. I'm Adam Curry And from Northern Silicon Valley that considering the date we're all saying the same thing may the fourth be with you? I'm John C. Dvorak Oh yeah, I forgot all about that. I'm not a Star Wars fan. I mean I watched the first one an Empire Strikes Back and that was it
00:44 I was done. That was it, i didn't need any more than that yeah no it wasn't enough well i will say there's not going to be any star wars movies for awhile It happened twice in the existence of this show and both times it has only benefited us. It has? What what? The writer's strike. Yeah, I know it till it has only been once during the show this is the second time yeah this is the second time so and it lasted a first one last at 100 days and it took up it ruined their business and hurt them the bottom line in Hollywood California and I don't see and the thing is I think do I have I think of a clip about this maybe I have a clip I've a backgrounder
01:39 And uh, we'll play the background. We're talking about it's from France 24 because you know they at least try to give us some valid reporting It is day one of the first Hollywood writer strike in 15 years and writers have certainly turned out in huge numbers hundreds of people marching right now in front of the Netflix headquarters In Hollywood chanting slogans like corporate greed has got to go no contract No script and LA as a union town and that's hey ho We've heard lots of support, lots of cars dozens and dozens of them honking their horns in support of these riders as they drive by. These riders who are asking for several things including better pay streaming residuals or royalties for when a show that they've been working on is then sold onto a streaming giant like Netflix and also mandatory staffing but that last point is the one that was really the major sticking point in negotiations with these entertainment companies
02:33 And that is what led to those talks breaking down last night. We're already seeing some consequences, some of those late-night talk shows like Jimmy Kimmel Live!, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert all going into reruns starting tonight and of course the longer this strike goes on the more consequences we will start seeing in the entertainment world here in Hollywood. Yeah I'd always loved this except this time they're really screwed! They're totally screwed this time because they're not gonna get anything they want There's no residuals in streaming. They all accepted these deals like, okay well you... And they got bonus on them! Yes they got extra money up front Not that I'm not on the side of the writers being a writer myself but i'm not in that union but I will say this they were giving them extra money because of the no residual situations from the streamers Netflix and those guys
03:27 They were throwing money around like it was crazy. Netflix and Amazon Studios, tons of money flying around. And my understanding is that these studios also expected this strike some years ago and have put so much stuff in the can that they can float for a year. Well, so there's number of things and I'm not against organized labor, I am not against unions... I think I am pro-union! I'm SAG AFTRA, I believe although you know i've never made enough money to get into the retirement fund
04:03 I used to get, i don't even get money from anymore. I used to get 12 cents from uh seriously! Or like a dollar five. I would get a residual check from Swamp Thing and Circus of the Stars also got me residuals for a little bit there but part of it is you know this per episode thing and then on streaming if you do Friends today which had what 30 episodes a season? It would have eight You know, so there's a per episode thing. Yeah that's the other thing everyone subscribe to these eight episodes in fact even on network TV there was one show called The Good Place
04:42 Which was a funny show, but it varied. It wasn't even the same from year to year. It was 10 episodes and then they take a year and half off because when we get ten good episodes or twelve good episodes, we'll put another season together. And they go on and on... I liked that show but never even watched the last season! There was like a two-year delay for it to come out because they've taken their time. Come on! And since Caesar used to do like 40 shows a year, hour and a half comedies all original. Hey we do 110! We do 110 three hours of post? Yeah the writers now you see like none of the late night shows all those guys they're worthless without their writer room and the jokes are okay but you know they might write more than the jokes it's the questions it's the interviews it's also incredibly phony and just bullcrap
05:38 And I and I please Writers Guild of America don't you know members don't write us and tell me what it's about. No, I don't care really We have the list of what it's about you sent it to me Yeah It's a huge list one of our guys has is involved in this strike and he sent us a huge list of all the demands and all the counter proposals put it in the show notes everyone can take a look at it but But the world has changed. You're turning speakers to change, I mean it changed for every writer. I mean look at the magazine business if you want to go back to the early days like let's say when the magazine business was a millionaire back in the day you were riding high on the hog. You had limo 24 hour service. You had your money in a brown paper bag. I did can't really speak or so just a little bit just a tad here and then if you are sure and so if you go
06:32 Back, let's say in the 70s you go back to that. There was a period of time before that where there was called the short story market for all these magazines like Call Yours and all these used to publish short stories and then they were quarterlies that would do stuff like that did that business come who what short story writer? Do you personally know I don't know if it also if you look at the business Disney Plus Netflix on Netflix Paramount These guys are bleeding money. The whole thing was short-sighted, they all were going to get in the streaming business of the future." Yeah maybe during the lockdown there was some business some future in it but then that ended during COVID and people aren't going back to the movies... It's just a different world and the free money train is over so you know this is not any speculative money that's going into these projects
