Jay G., both your posts are well put.

Gunde, why do you say that? As Jay G. points out, viewers have been drifting away for a long time. It's disruptions from the routine that often provide the impetus to do so. I for one left TV behind when I bought my house in 2004 and didn't bother to have cable installed. Last fall I finally got it as part of an internet and phone package because it locked in low prices on the other services, but I haven't watched even one hour of programming with it yet. At least some people who stopped watching TV because of the strike's disruption will surely stay away in favor of DVDs, internet, gaming, books or whatever else is occupying their time now.

The last writers strike back in the 80s was the biggest inflection point for the major networks loss of audience. Unless they've already reached bottom, there is every reason to think that this writer's strike will have a similar impact.

Indeed. One of the big contention points with writers is that New Media is taking over the old business model. The Big Three/Four Networks are no longer the only game in town. They lost their right when people started paying for more channels with more content back in the '90s rather than deal with being victim to four to five networks of entertainment and a few UHF stations that could air anything.

At this point, even with more cable stations becoming superstationized into the same 'movies and reruns with occasional new programming' model, this still beats network TV. The only ones who don't realize this are the execs of the Big Networks. Not only are they getting their asses kicked, they're getting them kicked by cable stations that either offer niche programming or simple reruns. I can't recall when I saw a new bit of programming that wasn't on DVD nowadays, and appointment television went out with Seinfeld. This writer's strike is essentially the writers covering their asses because they know the change is coming. And this change is probably going to reduce the Big Networks into glorified shadows of what they used to be, aka TBS/TNT Part 2.

And honestly, let it happen. How much money and time is wasted on making numerous pilots that will never air or be given a chance if they fail to make the mark on the first try. Cable programming is much more forgiving than network, especially when they air every single episode of a show they buy. The Big Networks are simply wasteful and, as shown by cable, throw away gold. Family Guy? Futurama? And these are only the biggest cases of canceled shows that Fox still won't admit to wrongly canceling. Think of all the shows that could have been that got three episodes aired out of order on different nights over a month and you'll see an outdated system that looks for instant gratification at the expense of their industry. Also, new shows are spread out throughout the year instead of the pathetic Fall Lineups and Mid-Season replacements that simply do not work in this day and age.

If anything, this could spell the end for the giants of Free TV. Then again, people have been paying outrageous prices for TV for about a decade or two now, so it's not such a sudden death in the family as an extended wake that people have started drifting into.

That would be a pretty funny skit, actually.

Studios aren't including things because they like or care about you, they are including things because they think it will help them sell more copies. If they think including Harlen Ellison will sell them more copies, they should pay him. If it's not worth it to them, they don't have to pay and he won't be on there.

Personally, I think the guy's an asshole (and I suspect he'd agree), but he's an entertaining asshole (and I like a lot of what he writes) so I'm probably more likely to buy something he wrote that includes interviews or commentarys from him.

The only thing this WGA strike is really affecting on DVD is the audio commentaries. I assume most of the interviews and behind the scenes footage is already shot and in the can.

Well, television casts have been able to negotiate increasingly sweet deals. It wasn't necessarily fair for the cast of "Friends" to rake in $600k per episode while the people writing their jokes were making a fraction of that per year.

The impact on a show like that of a cast member deciding not to return is potentially huge, and no single writer can make that same sort of threat; the show can limp along with a diminished writing staff, and worse writing for years if the cast is intact. "King of the Hill," "Friends," and, arguably "The Simpsons" prove that.

I don't know, I agree that the big networks clearly don't have the dominance they once had, but to say the cable stations are completely kicking their asses? Outside of sporting events and specials, even successful cable shows get a fraction of the viewers of the network ones. The Closer is basic cable's most-viewed scripted series ever. Its recent 3rd season finale drew 9.2 million viewers. Just looking at last night's broadcast ratings that falls just above the 8.99 million viewers for Celebrity Apprentice, a show that's ratings are just average.

As for appointment television, a lot of people will hate me saying this but American Idol is still pulling in over 30 million viewers for its seventh season. You may hate it, but for many *this* is the new appointment t.v.

And finally, you mention those rerun-heavy cable stations and tv-to-DVDs making networks obsolete... what where would that content come from if the networks weren't airing it first?

I'm not saying you're wrong in your thoughts, just that the networks aren't currently as dead as you make them out to be. In a few years possibly, but not quite yet.

I don't really care about the participation of the writers except on the Simpsons & Family Guy DVDs for the commentaries.

That sounds like typical anti-WGA BS studio spin to me

If I was a professional screenwiter, or actor, or anyone who had a major contribution to a creative television or movie project, the only way I would accept a free convention or speaking appearance is if I was given some kind of guarantee that X amount of dollars would be given to my favorite charity. Or if I was actually at a non-profit/charity event or promotion. Convention organizers (Creation, ect) make major dollars practically jamming fans wallets open for crap like "VIP GOLD" tickets, and overpriced "photo with the stars" booths.

On the other hand, if it really was a complete grassroots fan-run convention, (and those are exceedingly rare) with no corporate suits in charge, I might be convinced to take basically nothing to appear.