Strike News

The Strike News, such as it is, is not good. The word is that the WGA dropped its demand for increased DVD revenues in exchange for a promise that the Producers would make a genuine offer in the area of Internet revenues. Then the Producers announced they were not making any sort of offer in the area of Internet revenues. Then the talks broke off — this all happened Sunday night — and the Producers walked out, except they say the WGA walked out, and the strike was on. Guild statements and rumors would seem to suggest that the demands with regard to DVDs will go back on the table whenever negotiations resume. The Producers are making noises like that may not be for a while.

What does it all mean? Hey, we told you more than a year ago here that — and I quote myself — "I think this town is heading for The Mother of All Strikes as the guilds demand a better deal for home video and the studios pursue their wish-dream of sharing nuttin' with nobody." That's where we are.

I'll post more about all this after I finish a couple of pressing assignments (not in areas the WGA covers, of course). In the meantime, go read Ken Levine and Brian K. Vaughan.