On Thu, 20 Dec 2007 19:38:03 -0800 (PST), Too_Many_Tools
wrote:

On Dec 20, 8:37*pm, Steve Ackman
wrote:
In , on Thu, 20 Dec 2007
06:06:06 -0500, Ed Huntress, wrote:

Yes, but Letterman is striking a separate deal with the Writers' Guild and
he'll probably be back on the air soon.

* Hopefully that means Craig Ferguson will be back
soon too.

I don't know about that....the networks are hurting (ratings way down)
so they are trying to get the late night people (who use the fewest
writers and supporting staff) to break ranks.

It will be interesting to see who wins this one...it is already
apparent who makes the difference in Tinseltown.

Note: I don't have a dog in this fight.

There are a few details to remember: Letterman owns his own show
through "Worldwide Pants", and if he can come to a separate agreement
with the writers and get back in high gear it might well break the
negotiations log-jam.

And it's the AMPTP's game plan to starve out the writers and the
rest of the industry, and try to get a contract that's even cheaper
than the one they had. Because if they cave to the writers, the
directors are next, then the Talent, then the technical people...
They might be able to pressure Letterman to NOT sign a separate deal.

Leno and Conan are hired help - very expensive hired help. They
have stayed out because they don't have to cross a picket line, but
the pressure is on to keep their other show staff from being fired.

I say let all the talk shows and daytime go back and let the shows
royally suck without any writing work being done. They won't be able
to get the A-list talent to cross the picket line, they'll only get
the B- and C-listers. And far fewer clips and cut-aways, because
that's all researched and worked out in advance - by writers.

And as the ratings plunge and all the advertisers demand refunds and
make-goods, the TV Networks will throw the shows back into re-runs to
try and salvage their finances. That's how the Networks and Studios
get hurt - the TV revenues and the Movie Box Office goes into the
dumper. Then they'll come back to the table and start talking
seriously.