how long do you think the writers strike will last?

[Annyam]

the writers strike is a big deal right now. some of our favorite shows are gone right now like the office and many more favorites.

[gobias30]

The writers strike 20 years ago lasted like 28 weeks so i said that it would last 8 months but what do i know.

[Frightened Inmate #2]

I'm going with 3 months. At some point, the people who are not working because of the writer's strike who have nothing to gain because of the writer's strike and who are struggling financially as a result are either going to start pressuring both sides to reach an agreement, or are going to "cross the picket line" out of necessity. (Although technically it is not crossing the picket line if you aren't actually the one on strike or taking the job of someone who is on strike.)

So I say in January, with both sides sweating, you're going to start to see some action and compromise. No more holding out for the corner office.

[Annyam]

ill have to say like 5 months because they already are starting to give out some agreements there just being turned down by the writers. I think that soon the directors will soon just give up on the fight and give in because without the scipt they have nothing to shoot. it all should be owed to the writers.(well most of it).

[vcalzone]

You're wrong about this one, buddy. The writers are more than willing to negotiate, and they're not asking for a ton in return. Take a look at the coverage on deadlinehollywooddaily.com. The AMPTP said they wanted to negotiate after Thanksgiving. Naysayers said they really just wanted to try to get showrunners back to work before they could invoke force majeure and suspend the contracts of everyone involved on their shows. The WGA said on Thursday that they suspected the AMPTP would walk out of negotiations the next day and issue a press release saying that theree was no agreement and that it was all the fault of the WGA. Guess what happened.

There's more at stake than just salaries and pay scales. It's a matter of being paid for your own creativity and being paid for giving up your rights to your own creation.

[Annyam]

well i was getting my info off the news on google and so some info could have been different. it said that 3 negotiations have been tryed to be made and they all have been rejected. but thats cool now where getting into the differences of what the news people think too. but man i was surprised that alot of people agreed with me on the 5 months. i guess i just had a lucky guess.

[vcalzone]

Well, you're reading the news wrong, I have to say. There's a difference between making an offer and making an offer you know will be refused. And that's saying nothing of the WGA's own offers.

Look, even if you're conservative and/or think unions suck, The Weekly Standard called what the WGA is asking for (their base negotiating position, mind you) "not unreasonable". Coming from the preeminent conservative magazine (back me up on this, FI#2) that REALLY doesn't like labor unions, this is a heavy statement.

[Annyam]

have you heard any more news about it? i am dieing for more office to come out and that cant happen. they better budge soon......i hope.

[Frightened Inmate #2]

Well, you're reading the news wrong, I have to say. There's a difference between making an offer and making an offer you know will be refused. And that's saying nothing of the WGA's own offers.

Look, even if you're conservative and/or think unions suck, The Weekly Standard called what the WGA is asking for (their base negotiating position, mind you) "not unreasonable". Coming from the preeminent conservative magazine (back me up on this, FI#2) that REALLY doesn't like labor unions, this is a heavy statement.

I've got your back, vcal. As a conservative unions-suck-thinking writer myself... one who wants to see the entire season of "Lost" produced NOW, I get torn on this matter. Ultimately, I have to say the writers are making reasonable requests to protect their financial interests in the product they help to create. To use a baseball analogy, it's like the lame contract the Yankees offered Joe Torre, knowing he would say no and then the Yanks could shrug their shoulders and say to the fans, "hey, we tried."

There are tricky gray areas for the WGA, because for the short term, there are plenty of alternatives to fresh scripted series to fill the airwaves - reality shows, reruns, and I imagine if it's prolonged, independently-produced and foreign-produced products may be down the road.

[Annyam]

i still want it over i mean what could we dowithout lost?

[Frightened Inmate #2]

i still want it over i mean what could we dowithout lost?

Yahtzee?

[Annyam]

good one but seriously i mean lost, the office, many more of my friends favs. not sure if family guy is done for or not but if so i like that too.

[Frightened Inmate #2]

I'm going with 3 months..

HOMERUN!

[vcalzone]

Nice!

[gobias30]

I find it very odd that the strike ended right before the oscars. If it weren't for that I think it would have gone on longer.

On a side note the writers wanted to be paid for shows distributed on the internet. I'm not sure if this is correct but I heard that they don't get paid for shows on the internet until 17 days after the show has aired. By then anyone who would have wanted to watch a show on the internet probably would have so it sounds like their deal wasn't as good as they'd wanted it to be.