THE LONG TERM IMPLICATIONS OF THE WRITERS STRIKE ON …€¦ · ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY Web Conference — January 16, 2008 ©2007 Foley & Lardner LLP ... labor agreements with 10

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PENCILS DOWN! POISON PENS OUT!

THE LONG TERM IMPLICATIONS OF THE WRITERS STRIKE ON THE

ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY

Web Conference — January 16, 2008

©2007 Foley & Lardner LLP

Presented ByTHE ASSOCIATION OF MEDIA &

ENTERTAINMENT COUNSELand

FOLEY & LARDNER LLP


ModeratorJimmy Nguyen– Foley & Lardner– Former co-chair,

Entertainment & Media Industry Team

– AMEC Law Firm Advisory Board


Who does the strike involve?

12,000 members of the Writers Guild of America, who write primarily for television shows and movies. The Writers Guild of America is split into two guilds, West and East; the two components were jointly negotiating the new writers’ contract and are on strike together. The Alliance of Motion Pictures and Television Producers (AMPTP)


Developments in WGA Strike

Three months since the Writers Guild of America struck the studios and networksTelevision Critics Association 2008 Press Tour--CancelledGolden Globes “Press Announcement”



Individual interim agreements with David Letterman, United Artists and Weinstein CompanyInvocation of Force Majure—Layoffs at StudiosNo WGA waiver for the Grammys



No WGA/AMPTP negotiations scheduledTalent agencies implement pay cutsUp to $20 million loss to NBC Universal from Golden Globes

DGA negotiations started this week




Panelists

Carole Handler– Foley & Lardner– Entertainment,

intellectual property and antitrust law


PanelistsArnold Peter– Raskin Peter Rubin &

Simon– Former Director of Labor

Relations, and then Vice President, Legal & Business Affairs, Universal Studios

– Negotiated more than 40 labor agreements with 10 unions representing more than 15,000 employees


PanelistsKen Suddleson– Foley & Lardner– Formerly Executive Vice

President, Office of the Chairman, Paramount Pictures

– On behalf of Paramount, participated in industry union negotiations through the Association of Motion Picture and Television Producers


PanelistsSallie Weaver– Entertainment

Strategies Group– Chief Negotiator

and Former Deputy National Executive Director of the Screen Actors Guild


Panelists

David White– Entertainment

Strategies Group– Former General

Counsel of Screen Actors Guild


Central Issues Today


Issues To Consider

At this stage, which side has the most to lose and to gain?


Issues To Consider

Who is winning the PR campaign and what impact will it have on the eventual resolution of the strike?


Issues To Consider

How will the Directors Guild negotiations with the studios impact the strike?


Issues To Consider

Can the WGA now possibly agree to a contract that does not include jurisdiction over reality programming for the WGA?


Issues To Consider

What is the impact of the strike on time honored aspects of the entertainment industry such as the pilot season, upfronts and annual press junkets?


Issues To Consider

What is the permanent damage to the industry in terms of lost jobs for the WGA, lost advertising revenues for the studios and the impact on related ancillary businesses?


Issues To Consider

How significant are the WGA Interim agreements with Letterman's production company, the Weinstein Company and United Artists?


Issues To Consider

What does the WGA refusal to grant waivers for the Golden Globes and Grammys mean for the business?


Issues To Consider

What will the impact of the strike be on the international competitive position of the studios?


Issues To Consider

Entertainment business is a close knit industry but will the strike permanently rupture the very relationships that make it function so profitably?


Issues To Consider

What happens if the strike lasts, as some predict, for six months or longer?


Issues To Consider

What is basis for the studio pink slips and how will it impact the strike?


Questions from Webinar Audience


For Follow-up Information:Carole Handler, Foley – [email protected] or 310.975.7860

Arnold Peter, Raskin Peter Rubin & Simon– [email protected] or 310.277.0010

Ken Suddleson, Foley – [email protected] or 310.975.7968

David White, Entertainment Strategic Solutions– [email protected] or 310.691.5195

Jimmy Nguyen, Foley – [email protected] or 310.975.7837


For Follow-up Information:

Please click here for a copy of this presentation and handout materials.(full link: http://www.foley.com/news/event_detail.aspx?eventid=1904 )

Documents

THE LONG TERM IMPLICATIONS OF THE WRITERS STRIKE ON …€¦ · ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY Web Conference — January 16, 2008 ©2007 Foley & Lardner LLP ... labor agreements with 10