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Editor's Blog

(December 13th, 2007 - Editor)          Television as we know it may be gone forever.

          With the two sides each blaming the other for the latest breakdown in talks between the Writers Guild Of America and The Motion Picture And Television Producers Association, the chances of saving the current network television season are fading fast.  The networks are inserting game shows and reality series into the time slots being vacated by comedies and drama series as they run out of new episodes and exhaust their options for repeats. A few new episodes have been saved for the critical ratings periods in February and May. The rest of this television season will be scrapped if the two sides do not find a lot of common ground quickly.

          Also in jeopardy are the group of new show pilots that are traditionally approved right after the holidays. The months of January, February and March are the time when these new efforts are taken from a few page-long outline called a "Treatment" and expanded into a pilot episode, put through casting and put into production for a single episode. By April, the networks need to have a new crop of pilot episodes delivered to them for audience testing and final editing. The new pilots either get "Pick Up" orders or slip quietly into obscurity, never to see the light of day again. All of the surviving titles are arranged neatly into a fall schedule, which is delivered to the advertisers and the press in early May in a ritual called "Up Fronts".

          If Up Fronts do not happen as expected next May, or if The Big Three are forced to offer a reinvented version of network television, the box will change forever. If the networks are forced to create shows that do not have writers, but still appeal to the general audience and the advertising buying community, that is what they will do. If they are successful, the small screen will be flooded with Game Shows, Reality Series and "Talking Heads TV". If a significant number of advertising dollars are committed to these new shows, then the sitcom and the drama may become a thing of the past on network television. If the networks are able to build and keep the majority of their current audience with shows that cost only a fraction of what is now being spent on dramas and comedies, I fear for the future of writers, actors and hundreds of other trickle-down occupations in the industry.

          Both sides in the dispute are trying to find their place in the changing television and feature film landscape. The writers want to ensure they are paid for their work as the technology used to deliver their scripts to the audience changes. The producers fear that attaching fees to new technology before there is sufficient revenue to support it is at least premature. Likewise, the producers fear that with the recent slump in DVD sales, a doubling of the writer's royalty is also difficult to support. As the strike deepens, new issues are being brought into the negotiations. The writers are asking that the writing staffs of primetime game shows and primetime reality series be included in their contract, a move that would add significant production costs to those programs. Producers counter that advertising sales are falling and there is no revenue to support these additional costs.

          There will be no winners. I just hope that an already fragile TV industry can survive it.

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          The staff of ABC News 20/20 will attempt to separate the facts from fiction when it comes to traveling for the holidays in an episode of their news magazine titled "Travel: Myths, Lies and Downright Stupidity", airing Friday December 14th on ABC.

          When preparing for holiday traditions, despite the anticipation of food, family and fun, many people will also focus on a much more mundane topic, travel arrangements. There are airline reservations to make, hotel rooms to book, perhaps even a cruise to plan. But be careful, because many common assumptions about traveling are nothing but myths.  The myths include: Online travel reviews: Can you trust online reviews of hotels? Lynn Sherr reports. Flight Delays: Who hasn't experienced flight delays? When the airline says your flight is on time, should you believe them? Sam Champion reports. Cars and Gas: Even when your car's gas gauge reads "empty," there is still more gas left in the tank. Is that a myth, or does empty mean empty? John Stossel reports. Safety on planes: Many people believe the back of the plane is the safest if there is a crash. But is that true? John Stossel reports. Cruises: The ship's doctor is a member of the crew - true or false? Deborah Roberts reports. Lost Luggage: You've heard it before - when it comes to your luggage, the airlines do a lousy job. But the airlines say this is a real myth. True? Jim Avila investigates. Resort Fees: When you pay top dollar for a resort, is everything really included? Chris Connelly reports. Ticket buying: When it comes to buying tickets and the internet, are coach fares always cheaper then first class? Bill Ritter reports. Lightning: Can lightning take down an airplane? Elizabeth Vargas reports.

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          The FOX network is trying several new ideas to promote their mid-season replacement series Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. The one hour drama series based on the popular James Cameron films will debut on the network on Sunday, January 13th, before taking a regular place in the schedule on Monday, January 14th. To help get the word out on the series, the network has planned two different promotional efforts, each designed to bring attention to the series in very original and ground-breaking ways.  First, at www.fox.com/terminator fans also have the opportunity to design an original poster and enter the Official Fan Poster Contest. The creator of the winning design will receive a trip for two to Los Angeles where the winning poster will be revealed by cast members at the series premiere party on Wednesday, Jan. 9.  The deadline for contest submissions is Midnight, Dec. 14. Also, www.Fox.com/terminator encourages fans to download and vote for their favorite official show poster.  Lucky fans who visit the site also have the opportunity to receive a special print of their favorite show poster.  For more information visit fox.com/terminator. Also, fans now have the opportunity to terminate themselves at www.getterminated.com, a new site where they can upload a photo and transform themselves into the ultimate T-888 Terminator model.  Visitors will also be able to “take back the future” by inserting themselves into an action scene from the series. The results can be shared with family, friends and co-workers, and can be posted on social-networking sites such as MySpace.

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          Fans of the new drama series October Road, airing Mondays on ABC, also have an on-line connection to the series. The ABC Television Network has launched a microsite of abc.com titled "Meet Me On October Road" where fans can post their own stories of lost loves and friendships. From the "October Road" home page, visitors can click on a link to take them to the "Meet Me on October Road" microsite. A short introduction floats over an autumn scene on a winding New England road, culminating with a video clip of Nick and Hannah (Bryan Greenberg and Laura Prepon), who are struggling with their own reconnection, and invites visitors to submit their stories.

  -  Editor  -

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