AMPTP Brings Negotiations to a Halt

(The WGA recently released the following statement.)

Statement from the WGA: Today, just hours before the expiration of our contract, the AMPTP brought negotiations to a halt. The companies refused to continue to bargain unless we agree that the hated DVD formula be extended to Internet downloads. This morning we presented the AMPTP with a comprehensive package of proposals that included movement on DVDs, new media, and jurisdictional issues. We also took nine proposals off the table. The companies returned six hours later and said they would not respond to our package until we capitulated to their Internet demand. After three and a half months of bargaining, the AMPTP still has not responded to a single one of our important proposals. Every issue that matters to writers, including Internet reuse, original writing for new media, DVDs, and jurisdiction have been ignored. This is completely unacceptable.

(To quote John Bowman, "Under the current DVD formula, a writer receives 4 cents for every $15 DVD sold. Our reasonable proposal is to increase our share to 8 cents per DVD. This is far less than the cost of the box the DVD comes in." And, with new media the AMPTP doesn't even have to pay for a DVD box, their is no cost for them to release TV shows and Films over the internet.)