Search Results for 'colbert'
Legislation & Politics |
May 5 |
Laughing at the News: Comedy Writers Speak
Jon Stewart or Katie Couric? Jay Leno or Charles Gibson? David Letterman or Brian Williams? A growing number of people are choosing Jon, Jay and David as their sources for news while the anchor class and newsmakers are turning up more often on the late night sets and in the skits.
On Friday at 7:30 p.m. at the Newseum in Washington, D.C., the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) will explore this change in the public’s news consuming habits and the
growing synergy between Washington, Wall Street, the media, and the late night comedy/variety programs.
Legislation & Politics |
Oct 20 |
McCain Loses Letterman (Not to Mention, Gen. Colin Powell…)
Ed Sills, director of communications for the Texas AFL-CIO, follows up on Sen. John McCain’s appearance on the CBS show, “Late Night with David Letterman,” last Thursday, in which the comedian grilled and skewered McCain over his flimsy attacks on Barack Obama.
When the history of the 2008 presidential election is written, at least a long footnote if not more will be required to examine the effect of TV comedy on shaping perceptions. In the 1960s, Lyndon Johnson knew the Vietnam War was a lost cause when he “lost” Walter Cronkite.
Well, John McCain has managed to “lose” another CBS icon, David Letterman, even before the election. Last Thursday night, Letterman absolutely fried McCain on his TV show before millions of viewers. It had been clear that Letterman was angry when he used a live feed from the CBS newsroom to demonstrate on his show that when McCain told him he had to return to Washington to help with the Wall Street bailout, he actually was heading across the street to do an interview with Katie Couric at the same time.
Organizing & Bargaining |
Feb 8 |
Writers May Have Pact. Huckabee Crosses Picket Line—Again
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Television and movie writers who have been on strike since Nov. 5 will meet tomorrow in New York City and Los Angeles to discuss a potential tentative agreement that could end the strike. The Writers Guild of America members have been fighting to win a fair share of revenue for their work distributed online, through DVDs and other new media.
Also on the strike front, Republican presidential candidate and former Gov. Mike Huckabee (Ark.) crossed another picket line (See below.).
Officials of the Writers Guild of America, East ( WGAE), Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) have been meeting informally since Jan. 24, the first meetings between the two sides since the producers walked out of negotiations in December.
Organizing & Bargaining |
Jan 24 |
Comedy Writers’ Mock Debate on Capitol Hill No Joke
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No wonder television executives haven’t been in a hurry to reach a fair agreement with striking writers. They told Congress yesterday that they have a whole lineup of reality shows—no writers needed—ready to fill the airwaves, including “America’s Brownest Walls” and “Are You a Better Surgeon Than a 5th Grader?”
Well actually, those aren’t real shows—thank goodness—and the “producers” appearing before several U.S. House members yesterday weren’t real producers. They were members of the Writers Guild of America who have been on strike since Nov. 5, fighting for a new contract that includes a fair share of revenues from Internet and electronic distribution of material they’ve written.
Organizing & Bargaining |
Jan 11 |
Another Production Company Breaks Ranks and Reaches Pact with Writers
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There are two new developments on the writers’ strike front.
A second large independent movie company has broken ranks with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) and reached an agreement with the Writers Guild of America. Also, the faculty at Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations (ILR) has severely criticized one of its members for crossing the writers’ picket lines to appear on “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.”
The New York Times reports this morning that the Weinstein Co., one of Hollywood’s largest independent film companies, reached an agreement similar to the one between United Artists and the writers earlier this week.
Organizing & Bargaining |
Nov 29 |
School Kids of the World Unite—for Striking Writers
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It’s tough to stand in solidarity with striking workers when you’re a school kid. But rebel girl Danae, in the syndicated comic strip “Non Sequitur,” made a good try today when she came out in support of the strike by television writers.
Wiley Miller’s cartoon includes this exchange between Danae and her elementary school teacher:
Why didn’t you do the essay homework assignment, Danae?
I’m taking an ethical stand ma’am.
Um…an ethical stand on what?
The writers’ strike! I feel that writing an essay now is the same as crossing a picket line.
[Danae now sits outside the vice principal’s office] The AFL-CIO is going to have a field day with this lady!!!
Organizing & Bargaining |
Nov 23 |
Sixteenth Day of Writers’ Strike. But What About the Producers?
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We’ve seen and read a lot about television writers on strike for issues like not getting paid for the work they do when it appears on the Internet and in other new media.
But what about the television producers? How about hearing their side of the story?
Thanks to “The Colbert Report,” now all sides can get a proper airing.
Check out this “Colbert Report” video from a representative of the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.
Like he says, it’s his first time video-log blogging.
Organizing & Bargaining |
Nov 20 |
CBS News Writers May Be Next on Picket Line
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CBS News writers authorized their union, the Writers Guild of America, to call a national strike. Some 500 CBS News television and radio writers have been working under an expired contract since April 2005.
Broadcast writers across the nation have been on strike since Nov. 5, seeking a contract that includes a formula for fair compensation for their work when it is broadcast on the Internet, downloaded to iPods or cell phones or distributed via DVD. (Check out the video created by writers of the Stephen Colbert show, members of Writers Guild of America, East, for a fun look at why writers are on strike.)
Organizing & Bargaining |
Jul 1 |
Turn Off the Laugh Track—Comedy Writers Win Contract
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Stop me if you’ve heard the one about the comedy writers, the union, the network and the contract. On second thought, don’t. It’s a great story with a fabulous payoff.
In May, we told you about the more than 30 comedy writers on several of Comedy Central’s most popular shows and their move to win a voice at work with the Writers Guild of America West (WGAW) and East (WGAE).
Drum roll, please…
Writers on The Sarah Silverman Program, Mind of Mencia, The Showbiz Show with David Spade and American Body Shop reached an agreement June 19 with the laugh network that includes Writers Guild compensation levels, pension and health benefits, credits and a residual formula for reuse (including DVD, basic cable, and Internet).
Organizing & Bargaining |
May 13 |
Comedy Writers Go for Another Hit—a Union Voice
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So, have you heard about these comedy writers who walk into a union hall?
No. Seriously, this isn’t a joke.
Thirty-five writers on six of Comedy Central’s major shows—some of the laugh network’s most popular—say they want to organize into a union and join the Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW).
The writers produce laugh lines for the shows The Mind of Mencia, The Sarah Silverman Program, Reno 911! and The Showbiz Show with David Spade, along with the soon-to-air Lil’ Bush and American Body Shop.
