So, since I’ve been updating folks on the Writers Guild of America strike against Big Media, a number of people have written me or commented: what can we do to help if we are not WGA members and/or don’t live in Los Angeles or New York City? Other than console you for having to live anywhere but New York City, I can offer something very concrete that you can do–something that could make a huge difference in this strike.
Make a phone call. Yes. that’s it–or write a letter if you prefer.
Don’t wait and say, "okay, I’ll do this later." Be an Organizer. Drag your eyes away from your computer now–right now (okay, for the West Coast numbers if you are living on East Coast time, phone the East Coast honchos now and, then, put the West Coast list on your list of "to-dos" before lunch or before your pre-lunch nap)–and dial…
Anne Sweeney, President, Disney-ABC Television Group: 818-560-1000
The Walt Disney Company, 500 S. Buena Vista Street
Burbank CA 91521
Kevin Reilly, President, Fox Entertainment: 310-369-1000
Fox Broadcasting, 10201 West Pico Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90064
Bruce Rosenblum, President, Warner Bros. Television Group: 818-954-6000
Warner Bros Studios, 3400 Riverside Drive
Burbank, CA 91505
Philippe Dauman, President/CEO, Viacom: 212-258-6000
1515 Broadway
New York, NY 10036
Leslie Moonves, President/CEO, CBS Corporation: 212-975-4321
CBS, 51 West 52nd St.
New York, NY 10019
Jeff Zucker, President/CEO, NBC Universal: 818-777-1000
100 Universal City Plaza
Universal City, CA 91608
And after you’ve made the calls, SEND THIS LIST TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW!
Points to make:
- Writers are asking for fair compensation when content is streamed or downloaded on the Internet. Right now, writers are getting ZERO. Publishers claims that everything on-line is only promotional are just bogus–they are selling advertising on-line!!!
- The media business is healthy. CEOs brag to Wall Street that they are making money from new media–all the better to raise money and keep the share price going up (which helps CEOs profit from generous stock options they are given) but they are hypocritically crying poverty when it comes to paying writers.
- If you need to, you can use these statistics to show how profitable media companies are and how well the CEOs are being compensated.
If you need more background, you can go to the website of either the Writers Guild of America west or the Writers Guild of America east.
So, don’t wait. Do it now. If thousands of people started calling these CEOs, Big Media would be hearing from the very customers they want to attract to buy content.
