Monday, 23 June 2008
Monday, 16 June 2008
Fewer options for SAG
Tough to improve upon deals for WGA, AFTRA, DGA
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AFTRA's agreement is similar on key issues as pacts approved this year by the WGA and DGA, and it remains unclear how SAG might mark any further gains in those same areas. Like the others, AFTRA's deal -- now tagged for a membership ratification vote -- includes an increase in base pay, increases in employer contributions to the health and retirement plan and historic new jurisdiction over new media.
"I don't think (SAG is) going to be getting a better deal," entertainment labor attorney Alan Brunswick said. "I'd like to think they're realistic enough to know it doesn't make sense for them to strike by trying to better a deal three other unions have agreed to."
One of the stickiest issues that AFTRA president Roberta Reardon said they faced involved an AMPTP proposal to create a clip library and remove the right of consent for the nonpromotional use of clips. But that effectively was tabled in the tentative AFTRA agreement, to be revisited within three months of the pact's ratification. In the interim, actors will retain their consent rights.
Also, AFTRA and management agreed that actors joining new programs after July 1 can bargain the consent issue at the time of hire. That's a solution first proposed by SAG's negotiators -- and rejected by the AMPTP -- when they were bargaining in April.
As the only industry guild without a deal, SAG's hopes for making breakthrough gains on major issues appear to have faded. The guild's leadership might now be forced to focus on finding some areas in which progress can be made, given the current labor landscape, that it can sell to its membership.
Among the issues left on the table when SAG and the AMPTP suspended talks May 6 were proposed rollbacks to force majeure and new limits on product integration.
Force majeure comes into play when a production is interrupted for reasons beyond anyone's control, such as a strike or an earthquake. Currently, the studios and networks have the right to lay off employees and shutter production but must negotiate compensation with the guild.
The AMPTP has taken the position that force majeure would work better if individual negotiations between the producer and performer take place, something SAG is against.
"The employers have proposed doing away with these critical protections entirely, leaving it to you to individually negotiate," SAG told members in a briefing last week. "This not only takes away the collective clout of being part of a union but also would be like negotiating your health and retirement benefits alone, when you need your union the most."
The complexity of the force majeure provisions became clear for the unions as well as studio execs during the WGA strike.
"Nobody could figure out what the hell it meant, including SAG," an insider said. "Every company had a different interpretation."
AFTRA has a "most favored nation" clause on force majeure in its tentative pact, meaning it gets the same deal as SAG if improvements are made.
AFTRA's agreement does not include any new provisions on product integration, another potential area for SAG to make gains.
As viewers turn on their DVRs or turn to cable, the studios and networks have faced dwindling ad revenue. Product integration -- different from product placement, such as the prominent Coke cups placed on the judges' table on "American Idol" -- is seen as a way to make up for that lost revenue.
The studios, mindful of not alienating the audiences of non-reality programs with in-your-face advertising, have said they want to keep the integration as seamless as possible. It can be as easy as a character saying, "I'm going to Home Depot."
But SAG's leadership believes its members are being forced to "incorporate clumsy dialogue and action in order to pitch producers and services in television series and motion pictures more and more each year," according to a recent guild briefing. The union has proposed that actors receive compensation and pre-approval for product integration.
SAG and AFTRA's current contracts expire June 30.
See Also
Sunday, 8 June 2008
Alberto Grollo and Capitanata
Artist: Alberto Grollo and Capitanata
Genre(s):
Other
Discography:
After The Storm
Year: 1999
Tracks: 8
 
Saturday, 7 June 2008
Disco - Various Artists
Artist: Disco - Various Artists
Genre(s):
disco
Discography:
I Love Disco 80's Vol.2 2CD
Year: 2006
Tracks: 22
Disco Estrella, Vol. 9 (Summerlove)
Year: 2006
Tracks: 39
The Disco-Tech Of... Alexander Robotnick
Year: 2004
Tracks: 21
Boys In Black Cars
Year: 2002
Tracks: 12
The Best of Italo Disco, Vol. 12
Year: 1989
Tracks: 16
The Best of Italo Disco, Vol. 11
Year: 1988
Tracks: 16
The Best of Italo Disco, Vol. 9
Year: 1987
Tracks: 16
The Best of Italo Disco, Vol. 8
Year: 1987
Tracks: 16
The Best of Italo Disco, Vol. 7
Year: 1986
Tracks: 16
The Best of Italo Disco, Vol. 6
Year: 1986
Tracks: 16
The Best of Italo Disco, Vol. 5
Year: 1986
Tracks: 17
The Best of Italo Disco, Vol. 4
Year: 1985
Tracks: 16
The Best of Italo Disco, Vol. 3
Year: 1985
Tracks: 13
The Best of Italo Disco, Vol. 2
Year: 1984
Tracks: 18
The Best of Italo Disco vol.1
Year:
Tracks: 11
La Maxi Boite Des Annee 80 Vol.18
Year:
Tracks: 14
BBC has a "Firm Grip" on Star's Salaries, Says Chairman
The BBC Trust has said the corporation has a firm grip" on the amount it pays its biggest names.
The trust, the corporation's governing body, commissioned a review after salary details were leaked last year, including a three-year deal for Jonathan Ross reportedly worth �18m, Little Britain stars David Walliams and Matt Lucas' deals of �6 million; and Graham Norton �5 million over a similar period.
Documents leaked in 2006 claimed Jeremy Paxman was paid �940,000 a year, Radio 2's Sir Terry Wogan received �800,000 a year and Radio 1 breakfast host Chris Moyles pocketed an annual �630,000.
Speaking ahead of the trust's publication, the trust's chairman Sir Michael Lyons said the situation was "not as bad as some people thought it might be", but warned that more could be done in negotiating contracts and salaries.
Appearing on BBC Breakfast, Sir Michael refused to discuss individual cases, and said the trust's report would not disclose full details of star's pay deals.
"It would put the BBC in a very difficult position in relation to retaining staff who could work elsewhere," he explained.
Sir Michael also blasted suggestions that the corporation had exceeded the going market rate for its most famous faces.
He said, "The BBC doesn't pay more than others and indeed there has been a firmer grip on talent costs in recent years," he said. "In some cases we pay less than others," adding, "This is not a green light for the BBC to pay whatever it wants." He added that the BBC should do more to develop new talent.
Some license fee-payers, politicians and rival broadcasters have raised concerns the BBC pays its stars too much.
Ross' multi million deal with the publicly funded broadcaster was said to have influenced hefty contracts struck by ITV to secure the services of Simon Cowell and Ant and Dec.
But BBC director general Mark Thompson defended the top pay deals in front of a Commons select committee last year, saying that a BBC which did not secure big stars would not please the public.
See Also
Len Faki
Artist: Len Faki
Genre(s):
Techno
Other
Discography:
Rainbow Delta/Mekong Delta
Year: 2007
Tracks: 2
Delta Remixes
Year: 2007
Tracks: 2
The B-East Roller Instrumentals Vinyl
Year: 2006
Tracks: 2
Figure 5
Year: 2005
Tracks: 3
 
Zug Izland
Artist: Zug Izland
Genre(s):
Rock
Discography:
3:33
Year: 2004
Tracks: 14
In its exhort materials, the Detroit sleaze metallic element band Zug Izland described its songcraft as "an exploration of imperfect human morals brought off through the imagination of a pure fantasy." Maybe so, but the combo's origin as the support banding for Insane Clown person Violent J was a punter indicant of sound and purpose. Led by vocaliser Syn, Zug as well included sometime-ICP producer Mike P on guitar, drummer Little Pig, keys human Dan Miller, and bassist B Nestor, wHO quick replaced original bassist Guido Milligan. Naming itself after a decaying industrial land site in Detroit, the quintet settled into the Psychopathic Records family and began conducive here and there to others' tracks spell writing its debut with J. Zug as well stole the demo at the 2002 Gathering of the Juggalos. Cracked Tiles, their full-length debut, eventually appeared in January 2003. The band supported it with an aggressive round of touring, including dates with the like-minded NYC rap-metal unit of measurement Dope.
Iguana Tango
Artist: Iguana Tango
Genre(s):
Pop
Discography:
Collection Pop (CD 2)
Year: 2003
Tracks: 12
Collection Pop (CD 1)
Year: 2003
Tracks: 18
 
Jessica Simpson - Simpson Slams Bad Luck Charm Status
JESSICA SIMPSON has hit out at fans of American football team the Dallas Cowboys, for dubbing her a bad luck charm.
Devotees of the Texas team turned on Simpson after her quarterback boyfriend Tony Romo under performed during games when she was watching in the stands.
She was even mocked by U.S. president George W. Bush last month (Apr08), when Super Bowl champions the New York Giants visited him in Washington D.C.
Bush told the team, who beat the Cowboys in a game Simpson supposedly jinxed, "We're gonna send Jessica Simpson to the Democratic National Convention."
But Simpson insists she had nothing to do with the team's bad performances, telling Glamour magazine, "I don't know - other than me wearing my man's jersey and cheering him on. And him not playing the way he would've hoped and all of a sudden I'm to blame.
"That was ludicrous. I don't understand why they think that I would be a distraction to Tony. Do they really think he can see way far up in that box? No. He's the most focused person I've ever dated."
See Also
Martyr A.D.
Artist: Martyr A.D.
Genre(s):
Rock: Hard-Rock
Discography:
On Earth As It Is In Hell
Year: 2004
Tracks: 12
Lost - Lost Star Fox Plans Oregon Escape