"There Go the Awards" WGA denies waivers to Golden Globes, Oscars

[villager]

Source: Below the Line

Those wishing for a two hour Academy Award telecast have just been given their wish, apparently, by the WGA this evening. Here’s the announcement coincident with the “big meeting” in the Santa Monica Civic aud:


WRITERS GUILD DECIDES ON GOLDEN GLOBES AND ACADEMY AWARDS SHOW WAIVERS

LOS ANGELES - The Writers Guild has notified the Hollywood Foreign Press Association
and dick clark productions that their requests for an agreement to allow writers to
prepare material for the 65th Annual Golden Globe Awards show have been denied.

The Guild has also denied a request from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and
Sciences for a waiver in connection with the use of clips from motion pictures and
past Academy Awards shows for use during the annual Academy Awards presentation.

In letters to the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and the Academy of Motion
Picture Arts and Sciences, WGAW President Patric M. Verrone described the Guild’s
respect and admiration for both organizations, explaining that:

“Writers are engaged in a crucial struggle to achieve a collective bargaining
agreement that will protect their compensation and intellectual property rights now
and in the future. We must do everything we can to bring our negotiations to a
swift and fair conclusion for the benefit of writers and all those who are being
harmed by the companies’ failure to engage in serious negotiations.”

The signatories producing the Golden Globes and the Oscars are West Coast
signatories. The WGAW’s Board of Directors concluded, reluctantly, that granting
exceptions for the Golden Globes or the Academy Awards would not advance that goal.

Read more: http://btlnews.com/blog/archives/102

[Cha]

1. I hope the best comes out of

this for the Writers Guild.

[msongs]

2. the film industry corporations are the same thing as the file sharers at universities.....

both want to use the internet for their own benefit without consideration for the writers, authors, talent and creators who make it all possible.

Msongs

[Fed_Up_Grammy]

3. Awards shows are booooooring. I love to know the results

but haven't watched one of those awful shows in years.

[cascadiance]

5. Michael Moore might make it interesting this time with Sicko probably getting an award!

[Pastiche423]

4. Good for the WGA

They did not refuse to negotiation, the corporations did.

[fujiyama]

7. I'm impressed

They are playing hardball.

Good for them even if it means waiting longer for some of the TV shows I watch to be aired. The writers should be adequately compensated.

[Pastiche423]

8. You bet they should be!

This strike is not only for the members of WGA, but also for little america vs BIG AMERICA.

[NanceGreggs]

6. Haven't missed an Oscars show since I was a kid ...

... but happy to miss this one.

Go WRITERS! Without YOU, there would be no movies, no TV shows, no awards shows - nuthin'!

Hang in there!

[Zhade]

9. EXCELLENT.

A bold, and justified, move.

Go WGA!

[SoCalDem]

10. Actually a plus for me.. Just give out the awards and cut out the

stupid "off the cuff" banter that's so OBVIOUSLY "written"..(and badly)..

[villager]

11. not only no banter... no film clips!

It'll be about a 90-minute broadcast this year!

[SoCalDem]

12. The only things that most people even care to see are best picture

best actor-actress.. that would be a 10 minute show :)

[villager]

13. let's add the supporting actor and screenplay categories... 20 minutes!

;-)

[SoCalDem]

14. hell.... add in the songs.. 30 minutes

:rofl:

Just..please.. no dancing or yodeling

[Robbien]

15. These awards shows are big money for the networks

Good for the WGA for sticking to their guns in face of the huge amount of pressure they must have been under to grant exceptions to the awards shows.

Why would an awards show merit an exception anyway?

big thumbs up WGA.

[allisonthegreat]

16. Go writer's guild! There was also a comment that the actors would not show up

for the GG because it would mean crossing the picket line...I will live through it, but the writers and the people that it is effecting? It is hard on them.