WGA agreement will not end the struggle against streaming
On Sept. 24, 2023, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) announced their tentative agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) after a 146-day strike—the longest in industry history. The WGA published an official letter noting that many of their demands have been met, but have yet to specify the exact parameters. While this announcement will effectively suspend WGA picketing, it does not entail renewed conditions for all members of the filmic workforce; WGA members will not return to work until all negotiations are finalized, and the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) will remain on strike for the foreseeable future.
Most of the WGA’s strike-inducing concerns relate to the ongoing “streaming revolution,” a term that began circulating in 2019 to describe the sudden dominance of streaming services as a source of digital media consumption, effectively usurping cable television. The pandemic hastened this overtaking, and nearly four years later, 86% of surveyed Americans pay for multiple streaming services.
When network television hit the mainstream during the mid-twentieth century, writers, actors, directors, editors, and all other members of set were assured a consistent, dependable pay schedule thanks to regimented broadcast-cable style. After streaming services transitioned from independent and supplementary models to corporate giants in the 2010s, said corporations began cutting costs and hiring writers for more limited time frames, leaving writers without work for indefinite periods of time. Additionally, where writers once profited from all television episodes via re-runs and their corresponding residual pay, streaming services offer only one paycheck—no matter how often the episode is streamed. These business practices make living as a film and television writer even more of a challenge amid a job market that was highly competitive to begin with.
The manipulation of streaming services to the whims of corporate greed is particularly insidious in contrast to streaming’s origin as an unprecedented creative outlet for writers that had historically scrounged for work wherever possible. In other words: corporate greed lured creatives into a trusting embrace only to swiftly deprive them of their livelihoods.
So, while the recent updates from the WGA are a small step in a more positive direction, the film industry remains in dire restraint. The WGA itself has not yet reached a finalized approval, and SAG-AFTRA remains on strike as they seek conclusive resolutions to their extensive list of demands. While one picket line has waned, the fight for a more equitable industry is far from over.
While it would be near-impossible to evade the clutches of every single streaming service, broadcast corporation, and advertising scheme, we as consumers ought to be more conscious of how we engage with media. SAG-AFTRA continues to strike against some of the most prominent corporations, including Amazon, Apple, Disney, Fox, Netflix, Paramount, HBO, and Warner Bros. Avid film fanatics and casual viewers alike would struggle to boycott everything these companies have wrangled into inconsistent ownership; however, being more aware of where our media comes from helps us to be more vigilant consumers. It may be tempting, for example, to snag Mattel's official “I Am Kenough” hoodie, but knowing that this purchase will go directly into corporate pockets—rather than to the workers that breathed life into Barbie—may make you think twice.
While streaming services are ubiquitous and thus nearly unavoidable, companies within the AMPTP continue to churn out unoriginal films on a regular basis, and these sequels, prequels, reboots, and remakes are equally-committed to creative suppression. As of today’s publication, Geneseo Theaters will show six films, only two of which are original properties (The Creator, dir. Gareth Edwards, and Dumb Money, dir. Craig Gillespie). Those committed to fairness within the film industry should actively seek out original creative projects produced by independent film companies whenever possible. As for The Lamron, we will continue to publicize the efforts of workers at the helm of the film industry, and will not promote content from major corporations that go against the values of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA.
To learn more about the WGA and SAG-AFTRA, visit their websites: wgacontract2023.org and sagaftrastrike.org, respectively.
Thumbnail Photo via WikiMedia Commons