Strike: News tidbits
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- November
- 12
Here’s some odds and ends from strike news:
• Variety reports that NBC is considering using substitute hosts to replace its latenight stars. Non-writing staff on the shows were told they’d be laid off in two weeks if the strike lasted longer than that.
• TVWeek says that CBS News could be affected by the strike. More than 500 CBS News employees are members of the Writers Guild of America; they’re scheduled to vote Thursday on whether to strike. They range from news writers and editors to desk assistants, promotion writers and researchers in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Washington and have been working without a contract since April 2005 and without a raise since April 2004.
• Variety talked to the TV Academy (the Emmy folks), and reports that it’s too soon to tell how a prolonged strike might affect them. Apparently, a show must have aired six episodes to be eligible. Most fall shows have already aired that many  or nearly that many. Most mid-season replacements have that many in the can. Variety says, however, that some cable series could benefit from having their regular length seasons (usually 13) already aired or in the can, while the regular broadcast network shows will have had shorter seasons than that. Hmm. Emmys for Battlestar Galactica? The 4400?
• TVWeek reports that some daytime shows  Live with Regis and Kelly and The View  are strike-proof because they “aim for an unscripted, unrehearsed, anything-can-happen atmosphere.” Regis has no WGA writers and The View has a few professional standup comediennes (Whoopie, Joy Behar and Sherry Shepherd) who know how to get by without a script. Soaps on the three networks apparently have scripts written “well ahead and are said to be capable of shooting original episodes for another two or three months.”
This entry was posted
on Monday, November 12th, 2007 at 4:48 pm by Amy Vernon.
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Amy,
I think you should let NBC know that Margie and Edna are always willing to do substitute hosting. They even write their own material.
Thanks.
LOL, Margie and Edna in place of Leno or Letterman, the ratings would go through the roof!
OMG. I think I have to call the networks and make a pitch.
Wait a minute though, wouldn’t that make Margie and Edna scabs??? I would think that they’d want to support the working man (and woman). However, I doubt that anyone would try and stop them from crossing the picket lines, especially if they had their pistol and sword with them.
Edna,
You’re the only scab in the universe! Nobody would stop us from crossing that picket line. Your face would send them running.
I always support working men. Unemployed men, rich men….
You are totally right, of course, Beth. I would never imagine impunging the ladies’ character to imply they would be scabs.
LOL Jane!
Not to worry Amy; I think that Margie and Edna would be quite taken with the idea of being TV stars, no matter what the circumstances.
I can’t speak for Edna- nor would I want to- but Margie loves the idea of being a bigger star than she already is!