美国国家公共电台 NPR Netflix And Cord-Cutting Era Complicates Writers Guild Contract Talks

 

KELLY MCEVERS, HOST:

There is some drama here in Hollywood with a possible writers' strike. The Writers Guild¹ of America is negotiating a new contract with studios and networks. The current contract expires May 1, and if the two sides do not come to an agreement, there could be a strike. The last writers' strike was a decade ago, and the industry has changed a lot since then. To talk about this here at NPR West, we have NPR senior editor Nina Gregory. Hello.

NINA GREGORY, BYLINE²: Hi.

MCEVERS: What is it the writers want?

GREGORY: Well, first of all, because negotiations³ are ongoing⁴, no one will speak on the record. But I have spoken to members from both sides. From the Writers Guild side, I've spoken to somebody who's been in the union for some 50 years. I've spoken to new members, including a staff writer on a network drama that is an Emmy Award-winning, very prestigious⁵ show. And he was explaining to me that he made last year $34,000.

People have an image of TV writers as being fancy-sneaker-wearing, fancy-car-driving, great-lifestyle-having writers. But in fact, the reality is most writers don't live that kind of lifestyle. And their contracts right now are based on an older model of television where there were, like, 22 to 24, 25 episodes a season. Seasons are shorter now. There are eight, 10, 12 episodes, and writers would like to have more flexibility⁶ in that contract - working for a shorter period of time - to reflect that shorter season. They'd also like a raise. They'd like the rate per episode to go up.

While we're in an age of peak television with huge international distribution of American-made shows plus billion-dollar blockbusters, these media companies - you know, CBS, Viacom, Fox, Time Warner, Disney, Comcast - they're making some pretty big profits - collectively $51 billion. That includes things like theme parks, of course. But the writers are saying they'd like a piece of that. They'd like raises. They'd like to see increases from their producers into their health insurance fund, and they'd like to see more flexibility in their contracts.

MCEVERS: What's the other side saying? What are the producers saying?

GREGORY: Again, because of their media blackout, they're not saying much. But sources close to the negotiations have told me that producers have offered up some raises as well as shorter contracts and some $60 million for the health insurance fund. The producers are very concerned about the solvency⁷ of the health insurance fund, and they would like to see more lower costs options and more contributions from the writers to their own health insurance.

MCEVERS: OK, so let's say there is a strike. What does this mean for me, you know, a TV viewer?

GREGORY: Well, the first thing you would see, I think, is that late night would go into reruns. Those shows are written every day. Of course, they're very topical. You would probably see other shows - network shows, cable shows - go into reruns. You might actually see somebody like - a company like Netflix drop a bunch of new shows because they produce shows differently from the rest of the gang. They do an entire season at once. When Netflix releases something, you get all the episodes. So they could actually, you know, maybe benefit from this.

MCEVERS: OK, so what's next?

GREGORY: The writers are voting on what's called a strike authorization⁸. That means that they would grant their negotiating team the power to call for a strike if the two sides don't come to an agreement by May 1. The networks also have the upfronts (ph) looming⁹. That's when they go to New York, and they show their new season to advertisers and hope to get a bunch of money from advertisers. And they certainly don't want to go hat in hand during a strike.

The last time around, NBC had to return money to advertisers because it didn't have the goods. Both sides have every incentive¹⁰ to come to a deal. You know, it's not just the writers here who would be affected¹¹. You have caterers. You have shoe-repair people. You have a whole industry here, not just here in Los Angeles, but around the country that would stop working as a result of this. So they all have every reason to try to work this out.

MCEVERS: NPR senior editor Nina Gregory. Thank you.

GREGORY: Thank you.

(SOUNDBITE OF CUBAN STARS SONG, "QUIMBARA QUIMBARA")

1 guild   

n.行会，同业公会，协会

参考例句：

• He used to be a member of the Writers' Guild of America.他曾是美国作家协会的一员。
• You had better incorporate the firm into your guild.你最好把这个公司并入你的行业协会。

2 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

3 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

4 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

5 prestigious   

adj.有威望的，有声望的，受尊敬的

参考例句：

• The young man graduated from a prestigious university.这个年轻人毕业于一所名牌大学。
• You may even join a prestigious magazine as a contributing editor.甚至可能会加入一个知名杂志做编辑。

6 flexibility   

n.柔韧性，弹性，（光的）折射性，灵活性

参考例句：

• Her great strength lies in her flexibility.她的优势在于她灵活变通。
• The flexibility of a man's muscles will lessen as he becomes old.人老了肌肉的柔韧性将降低。

7 solvency   

n.偿付能力，溶解力

参考例句：

• Fears about the solvency of the banks precipitated the great economic crash.对银行偿付能力出现恐慌更加速了经济的崩溃。
• Their targets,including profitability ratios,solvency ratios,asset management ratios.其指标包括盈利比率、偿债能力比率、资产管理比率。

8 authorization   

n.授权，委任状

参考例句：

• Anglers are required to obtain prior authorization from the park keeper.垂钓者必须事先得到公园管理者的许可。
• You cannot take a day off without authorization.未经批准你不得休假。

9 looming   

n.上现蜃景（光通过低层大气发生异常折射形成的一种海市蜃楼）v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的现在分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近

参考例句：

• The foothills were looming ahead through the haze. 丘陵地带透过薄雾朦胧地出现在眼前。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Then they looked up. Looming above them was Mount Proteome. 接着他们往上看，在其上隐约看到的是蛋白质组山。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 回顾与展望

10 incentive   

n.刺激；动力；鼓励；诱因；动机

参考例句：

• Money is still a major incentive in most occupations.在许多职业中，钱仍是主要的鼓励因素。
• He hasn't much incentive to work hard.他没有努力工作的动机。

11 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。