CBS Writers Considering Dec 10th Strike To Disrupt Network's Presidential Debate

[villager]

Source: LA Weekly

The WGA is saying that CBS news writers are 'strongly considering" a December 10th strike date. The timing appears to be an attempt by union leadership to disrupt CBS plans for a presidential debate the same day. That's because several Democratic White House candidates like Barack Obama, John Edwards and Hillary Clinton have all said they won't cross a picket line to participate in a debate.

So far no exact date is set for a strike, which was authorized by the rank and file earlier this month. The writers working for both the CBS network newscasts and local news stations have been working without a contract for 2 1/2 years.

Read more: http://www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com/cbs-writers-considering-dec-10th-strike-to-disrupt-networks-presidential-debate/

[wheresthemind]

1. I really hope they wait until after...

I would like to see one more debate before the caucuses. It seems that they would be aiming for the extra publicity that the strike would get if they have to cancel a presidential debate.

[villager]

2. it's all about the leverage...

and there's little left, against the corporations...

[shaniqua6392]

3. I can certainly do without another debate

to support the writers union. I think they should go for it. We are behind them 100%!!! Go Union.

[madinmaryland]

4. Is Fox Noise channel still on these days?

With the fiction writers out on strike, how are they doing any of their stories?

[Heywood J]

6. Scabs.

Who honestly thinks Fox would have a problem with that?

[balantz]

5. It's hard to believe that the debates aren't a "sacred" thing,

operated by a neutral entity and broadcast openly. Isn't that how it was once? More power to the writers, I hope they get their due, but for CBS, or any corporation to have a monopoly on such a crucial forum,it should be criminal.

[Ian David]

7. Okay, I have been squarely behind the writers right up until THAT act of douchebaggery.

The writers union has decided that since the Democratic candidates are all on THEIR side, that they will use that fact to their advantage to hurt the Democratic candidates?

[balantz]

10. I agree with you on that move.

It shows no thanks, only selfishness. There are others in America being screwed at least as badly as they are who need their candidates to have the crucial air-time, even if it is skewed.

[TahitiNut]

20. Nonsense. It's a made-to-order photo-op to gain union support for the candidates.

Like ... the air-time will be there and it has to be filled with something. :shrug:

[rockybelt]

8. So we miss

another debate. So what. It's nothing but a bunch of talking heads telling lies. So what the fuck?

[balantz]

9. Some of us support candidates who otherwise don't get

media attention. When given the mic. some of the candidates have important things to say. Even if the questions are slanted and the time allotment is unfair, it is a small window for American Media Junkies to see something different than just the corporate sponsored candidates.

[villager]

11. what is the bias against Hollywood-connected news being "news"

in terms of where the mods put it?

Especially considering this has, in fact, affected the Dec. 10 debates. A reflexive bias?

One begins to wonder...

[BuyingThyme]

12. I thought this was a joke.

As in, the hollywood writers tell the Dem candidates what to say.

Maybe not.

[blogslut]

13. I like this move

By refusing to cross a newswriter's picket line, it puts our candidates in a very good light.

In fact, I would hope that CBS schedules a republican debate while the news writers are still striking. I want the image of republican candidates crossing pickets lines splashed all over newspapers, on teevee and on the interwebs.

[KamaAina]

14. A strike against the news? Sounds like a propagandist's wet dream.

A perfect opportunity for Big Brother to replace what's left of the news with Dana Perino reading off a TelePrompTer for a half-hour. :eyes:

Apparently, though, this strike would be targeted only at CBS. So Katie Couric gets an extra-long holiday break. Wake me up when it's over...

edit, oh, all right, Katie gets a capital 'K"

[sicksicksick_N_tired]

17. The propagandist's wet dream is all ready in place. It's a strike against that propaganda.

All depends upon how you look at it.

CBS is hardly an authentic "news organization".

[SoCalDem]

18. and they are already getting a break, since "the Daily Show"

"The Colbert Report", and Dave Letterman are not skewering them nightly..

My question is this.. "How would we KNOW the news writers are on strike:rofl:

They pretty much already just take stuff off the wire and from the WH fax machine..

[spanone]

15. cnn just reported that the debate has been cancelled

[KamaAina]

19. Indeed it has... plus, what were they thinking in the first place?

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/29/us/politics/29cnd-cbs.html

(registration-free link forthcoming soon)

The Democratic National Committee, finding itself in the middle of labor disputes between television writers and CBS, announced this evening that it was canceling the debate among Democratic presidential candidates that had been scheduled to be broadcast on some of the network's stations on Dec. 10....

Hollywood's television and film writers have been on strike since Nov. 5, and most of the Democratic candidates had pledged not to cross picket lines to attend the debate, which had been set to take place in a studio at CBS Television City in Los Angeles. That location has been picketed most days since the start of the strike, and no aspiring Democratic presidential candidate would have wanted to be caught on camera crossing the picket lines....

The debate on Dec. 10 was never scheduled to run on the entire CBS network, as individual stations would have been able to choose whether to broadcast it or not. But the 90-minute debate would have taken place from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Pacific time, putting the Democratic tussle into prime time in the East and Midwest and making it unlikely that many stations in the Eastern or Central time zones would have chosen to carry the debate. It would have been available on CBS's Web site.

Ohh-kay. Let me see if I've got this straight. This debate* was to have been held in a TV network's studio, not at a neutral site such as a university? And most of the stations on that network weren't going to show it anyway?! Ye gods.

Truly, 'tis said, "People tend to get the kind of government they deserve." :eyes:

[sicksicksick_N_tired]

16. I do not have a problem with that, at all. I hope the Dem candidates stand,...

,...outside along with the writers!!!

:bounce:

[villager]

21. it'd be great if they pulled a "Cradle Will Rock" moment, like Welles,

...and held the debate outside on the sidewalk!

[annabanana]

22. Aw C'mon! Wouldn't it be hysterical to watch the bobbleheads AD-LIB??

I would pay money to watch them make the "news" up as they went along...

[villager]

23. actually, it'd be great if the candidates had to debate each other without moderators

...or pre-fab questions!

[villager]

24. WGA Statement on Debate cancellation:

(issued last night)

"The Writers Guild of America, East and the Writers Guild of America, West regret
that the Democratic National Committee has had to cancel the December 10th
Presidential Debate hosted by CBS. This was triggered by CBS' fear that the
Democratic candidates would not cross a picket line by WGA-CBS News writers or WGA
Film and TV writers to participate in the debate - a concern that could have been
avoided entirely if CBS would simply sit down and negotiate a fair contract for its
news and entertainment employees. Instead, CBS chose to make a decision that stifles
the democratic process."