“In a show of unity, five unions representing actors, writers and directors issued a joint call for talks to make sure their members get a cut of revenue generated by the sale of TV shows on Apple’s iTunes software,” The Associated Press reports. “The unions sent a clear message to TV producers. ‘We have not yet heard from the responsible employers of our members,’ their joint statement said. ‘But we look forward to a dialogue that ensures that our members are properly compensated for this exploitation of their work.'”
AP reports, “The unions have not yet called ABC or its parent, The Walt Disney Co., to discuss how much of the $1.99 that Apple is charging for a single episode should go to writers, actors and directors.”
Full article here.
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This’ll all work out. Disney isn’t stupid and this is very standard stuff. It’s between Disney and the unions, it has nothing to do with Apple. We imagine the unions will get some sort of a percentage for their members. How much of a percentage is the real issue.
I’d say that means they see it as a viable business model. Hopefully going to see more content very soon.
Vaguly related note: What would it take, size wise [MB/GB] and codec wise, to get it so that the downloaded material could be pristinely viewable on a large screen? Can H.264 handle it? Will it ever happen: 1 file for iPod, computer, AND big screen?
It blows my mind that this wasn’t worked out before the announcement. Crazy world of big business.
moiety5,
H.264 can definitely handle it (can do Full High Definition), but Hollywood nor broadband currently can’t handle it for different reasons. Hollywood would freak to have that quality out there and it would take too long to download for consumers today.
H.264 delivers excellent quality across a wide operating range, from 3G to HD and everything in between.
More information about H.264: http://www.apple.com/quicktime/technologies/h264/
yeah that is definitely the biggest issue. I mean, when I view a tv show on my 23 cinema, I se A LOT of encoding. If it can’t be viewed on a 23, how are these files ever going to come close to 30″ tvs, not to mention these awesome plasma’s etc. That is a big problem, imho…
G Spank,
That would have ruined my surprise. First we release, secret intact, then we’ll do the other deals we need to do after everybody knows about it.
Piss on the unions. They sit around, wait for innovation to bubble up, then stand in the chow line like the goddamned welfare queens that they really are and demand their handout, thier entitlement.
Nothing changes.
Thanks Fred.
Assuming Hollywood in the near future is banging down SJ’s door begging for their content to be on the Store AND that the broadband infrastrucutre is more universal, then does it look likely? One file for iPod and big screen would be amazing.
I suppose iPod’s hard drives would have to get substantially bigger very quickly. . .
G Spank said:
“Piss on the unions. They sit around, wait for innovation to bubble up, then stand in the chow line like the goddamned welfare queens that they really are and demand their handout, thier entitlement.”
We are talking about the writers, actors and others who’s “work” was to make the product you wish to buy. Stick your jackass statements up where you have plenty of room.
i seem to remember the cast of gilligan’s island didn’t get any money for syndication because it was such a new thing they didn’t realize its potential. i’m sure it happened to quite a few actors back then. this move just seems prudent considering their purpose and their history.
What happened to taking a day’s pay for a day’s work. In Hollyweird, they expect money in perpetuity.
“Come in here, dear boy,
have a cigar.
you’re gonna go far, fly high,
You’re never gonna die,
you’re gonna make it if you try;they’re gonna love you.
Well I’ve always had a deep respect, and I mean that most sincerely.
The band is just fantastic,
that is really what I think. oh by the way,
Which one’s pink?
And did we tell you the name of the game, boy, we call it riding the
Gravy train.”
Pink Floyd
killbill: Lurn to reed.
And, btw, w is right.
In w’s world there are no workers only people who clearly labour for nothing other than the satisfaction that they are helping their employer make more money.
Meanwhile in the real world most people work for one reason and one reason only…money. People sell their labour in exchange money. Employers “buy” the labours of workers and pay them in money. Unions are paid agents of workers and it is their job to get more money (and better conditions) for their members.
At least that’s what I did when I worked for unions. And nowadays as an employer that’s what I expect the union to do when I negotiate a new employment contract. Yes it means less profit, but that’s business. What do you expect, people working for no compensation but are then compensated by the government. And the government get’s the money from business to compensate workers. That’s communism you dolt!
MDN word “miss” as in w’s brain is missing.
Oops! There’s no apostrophe in gets. My apologies to all those who care (like me).
They have been selling VHS tapes and DVD’s of television shows for years. What’s the difference? You make a profit from external sales, a percentage of that profit goes to the people who produce it.
People make simple things so complicated sometimes.
The opposite of what Steve Jobs & Co. is famous for.
“Piss on the unions. They sit around, wait for innovation to bubble up, then stand in the chow line like the goddamned welfare queens that they really are and demand their handout, thier entitlement.”
So, in your world, artists work for free and studio executives make all of the money. Nice.
I guess people need learn to read. He is saying UNIONS are the lazy ones… not the actors, writers, ect….
The Dude abides.
MW: Using
The unions are USING their members with BS dues.
Yeah, last time I checked, most artists responsible for the content don’t receive pensions, christmas bonuses, salaries, health benefits, sick days, or stock options.
SHeesh, if musicians should get a cut of music sales, isn’t the same true for other forms of entertainment as well? Why should a studio or record label get to sell the item for 100 years for all of the profit? They shouldn’t and it sometimes takes a union of artists to get some leverage.
See the quote below? It’s already handled. So why this discussion? What you don’t understand is is they want more. They hear the name iTunes and think ‘Cash Cow’. No, this is going to become a problem for Apple and it’s users.
“The groups already have agreements that cover the re-use of their work on the Internet or in “pay per view” models, such as video on demand. The unions also have newer agreements covering work produced for the Internet.”
MDWord: Figure as in “They need to figure this out so I don’t miss my soaps” 😀
Fucking bullshit. When is it enough? Fat pigs. And we the viewers get spread eagle. Anyone siding with these fucking twits are either morans 😀 or work in the business. If it’s the latter Shut the fu*k up!
MDWord: Problems as in “This shit is already causing us problems.”
i think that some of you are missing the point here. if the unions are being paid by the artists, directors, writers etc, to represent them and to negotiate on their behalf, then they are doing exactly that. i am not a member of a union (my employer prohibits them) but if i was paying someone to represent me and look after my best interests, then if they did NOT do so, i would stop paying them and look elsewhere for support.
you have to remember that an individual artist does not (barring the tom cruises and julia roberts of the world) have the ‘firepower’ to take on a studio. i know that some readers will think me rather socialist, nay communist in this attitude. however, this concept of someone representing the views of a collection of others at the negotiating table is one on which most democratic countries run. no i am not talking about unions any more. we all elect a local representative to put our view to central government in some form or other. this is exactly the same idea.
the unions are not lazy, they do exactly what either their members instruct them to do, or what they feel is best for their members, it is their raison d’etre.
therefore, there is no surprise here. there is no subterfuge here. there is no gravy train here. this is just standard behaviour for the people in this line of business.
mw: red – typical, i’m sure some smart-arse will apply this colour to me (in its political suggestion anyway)
“I guess people need learn to read. He is saying UNIONS are the lazy ones… not the actors, writers, ect..”
you’re a moron who forms opinions without any factual basis.
maybe bargaining agent should be substituted for dense individuals who have an aversion to the concept of a union
you’re the protype of a CEO’s ideal employee
Unions are doing what they are supposed to be doing… making sure that their members get a fair percentage of the fruits of their labors. New revenue streams have to be negotiated with new contracts, and Disney is a good company and will surely bargain in good faith here.
These mindless platitudes labelling union members or management are uninformed. A union is as good (or as bad) as its members. I see nothing greedy here. I’m in the IBEW, and I’d be irritated if my union didn’t represent me in cases like this.
union |ˈyoōnyən| noun
A radical political organization designed to decrease efficiency, quality, productivity and meritocracy in the workplace while extorting the maximum cost in pay and benefits from the employer.
na·ive·té (nī’ēv-tā’) n.
lack of experience, wisdom, or judgement; innocence or unsophistication.
By Definition: A right-wing, anti-worker, anti-artist, anti-family values apologist for thieving companies who prey on the talents and energies of workers. See also: Jerk.