AFTRA Members Making Opportunities in Changing Media

by James Parks, Dec 22, 2009

AFTRA President Roberta Reardon

The old landscape of daytime entertainment is changing. The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA), which represents daytime performers, is stretching out to make sure there are jobs in the new emerging media.

With the recent cancellations of “As the World Turns” and “Guiding Light,” there are few soap operas left to employ AFTRA members, says union President Roberta Reardon. The audience for soap operas is decreasing as more women join the workforce and are not at home during the day, she says.

The cancellations also affect the union, Reardon adds:

Daytime television is really an engine for us. It employs significant numbers of performers from background all the way up to the stars, and that’s hard to replace.

But the changes in the entertainment industry have created opportunities for AFTRA and the Screen Actors (SAG) to gain new members and find jobs that didn’t exist a few years ago. Reardon says:

We have looked around and made sure we have organized opportunities for our members in all areas of entertainment. Actors can work on scripted dramatic shows like “The Good Wife” on cable shows. They can work on shows like “David Letterman” and “Saturday Night Live.” They can do skits. We also have opportunities in audio books, video programming and radio and TV commercials. So we’re making sure that as one genre begins to fade, there are other areas for our members to work.

Reardon says the days when actors only performed in one medium are long gone. She cites the example of Tom Brokaw, who was a “gigantic star in network news,” but he also does documentaries and audio books. Or “Today Show” host Meredith Vieira, who also hosts game shows and does newscasts.

There are growing opportunities in cable entertainment for actors, Reardon says. 

Cable has really grown as an area for original content. People are finding cable a little edgier. You can cover subject matter you wouldn’t find on network TV.

Both AFTRA and SAG are actively organizing actors in the expanding media. The growth in audio books has created more work opportunities for union actors. Digital media and Internet programs are areas in which the two unions are negotiating terms and conditions. Reardon says:

It’s important for everyone to realize that as some shows fade, which always happens, our union is looking for more opportunities to organize new jobs. The entertainment business is a growth industry, and we’re trying to make sure union contracts are available in the new media.

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