We have long admired the Writers Guild of America–it’s been an important voice of conscience for an industry long interested more in bottom-line and politically expedient results than fulfilling its democratic and creative potential. The WGA played a key role alongside public interest media groups during the 2001-2003 battle fighting the Federal Communications Commission’s plans to further consolidate the broadcast, cable, and newspaper industries. Now the WGA has assumed an important leadership position for the “creative community,” especially in regards to the rights and royalties that should be shared from digital distribution. Everyone understands that the entertainment and news business has already fundamentally changed. The time to ensure fair participation and opportunity is near the beginning of this transformation–not what the Directors Guild of America did by postponing a serious approach to the issue for three years.
We hope the members of the WGA will fight on, even though we know there are serious hardships. As always, the media owners are pulling a fast-one, hoping the writers will get scared (as many did during the Blacklist era).
The largest media companies working in television and films have been on a buying spree, acquiring digital marketing and advertising companies. They have aggressively moved into broadband, mobile communications, and video games. They have also fully embraced cross-platform strategies (digital upfront’s, for example) that are another sign of fundamental changes in the industry. The joint News Corp./Fox and GE/NBC U broadband video service Hulu.com is a good example of how the industry is responding to the changing audience and distribution models (that includes deals with Comcast, Time Warner, Microsoft and Yahoo!). Don’t forget the buying and deals involving emerging markets in Asia. Here’s just a very cursory, thumbnail of some of the deals. We hope WGA won’t place its strike in “turnaround.” Someone has to stand up (and while we are on the subject, the mainstream news media have done a horrible job explaining the issues involved in the strike. Nor have the networks identified their own conflicts when their news divisions have covered the story).
Time Warner’s digital acquisitions (2007): Tacoda, AdTechAG, Third Screen Media, Quigo.
News Corp, Strategic Data Corp (permitting the expansion of its MySpace, IGN and other Fox Interactive Media properties to engage in advanced data collection and hypertargeting users); Photobucket; Flektor; 2 IGN Entertainment, MySpace, Scout Media (and don’t forget recent creations such as FIM Labs, FIM Mobile and FIM Stations Group). Jamster/Jamba (a joint venture).
Viacom: Neopets, Sportsline.com, Atom Entertainment, IFilm, RateMyProfessors.com, Harmonix Music Systems, XFire, Y2M (and don’t forget Viacom’s cross-platform ad and content sales operation).
NBCU: Oxygen Media, iVillage, Sparrowhawk Holdings (also remember Hulu).
Disney: Pixar, Club Penguin, Minds Eye Productions, Living Mobile, iParenting Media.
Sony Pictures: Grouper, You Tube Channels, and see: Sony Pictures Mobile, Station.com
PS: We like this description via Fox Interactive Media of its businesses (our emphasis): “FOX Interactive Media (FIM) provides an integrated network of sites that collectively offers more than 200 million worldwide users socially rich media experiences centered on entertainment, news, information and self-expression. FIM’s online sites include MySpace (the largest networking destination in the world), IGN (industry leading video game website), FoxSports.com, AmericanIdol.com, Rotten Tomatoes, Askmen.com and Photobucket along with numerous other online destinations. FIM is a cutting edge internet company with a track record of explosive growth both through internal development and strategic acquisitions. FIM is located in Beverly Hills, CA.
Fox Interactive Mobile is charged with overseeing the mobile extensions of FIM’s online assets, including FOXSports.com, IGN.com, MySpace.com, MyFOX.com, AskMen.com and others. The mobile operations team is responsible for managing diverse branded mobile product offerings on a global basis, spanning the wireless product spectrum from WAP to video.”
adam green verizon ringtoneringtone 0.99ringtone samsung a920 mp3american ringtone hero greatestringtone 7100t free blackberrythumb 2 swap ringtonesringtone 3585 alltel free cellular phonecareer opportunities accrington Map
