Move On, Get Going, Stop Bullshit!

Brought to mine attention by [Bad username or site: @ livejournal.com] who caught it on Move On Dot Org:

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"The Daily Show," "The Colbert Report," and other TV shows have been airing re-runs for weeks because of the writers' strike—and we want our favorite shows back on the air.

The major networks will make over $120 million in advertising revenue this year by showing TV programs on the web. But studio executives have offered the writers a one-time payment of just $250—that's right, $250—for unlimited use of their content online. This unbelievable greed is keeping Jon Stewart and his team off the air.

Can you sign this petition to the studio executives, and help bring "The Daily Show" back? Then tell your friends who are Daily Show Fans! Go here to add your name.


The petition says: "I want 'The Daily Show'—and all my favorite shows—back on the air. Be fair to the writers, and end this strike."

We love Jon Stewart and his team of writers for their important political voices. "The Daily Show" is funny, smart, and tells the truth—and we want it back.

Right now, the average working television writer makes about as much as a nurse or firefighter—but deals with years of unemployment between gigs. And unlike novelists and composers, television writers don't own the rights to their own work. These writers have no choice but to stand up for what's fair—and they deserve a fair share in the online use of their work.

Andy Stern, president of the Service Employees International Union, said about the strike:

The world's changing; there's a different way that [entertainment] companies are going to make money—through DVDs, through the Internet. The question is, are the workers going to share in the new ways that companies are going to be successful? If they're not, they're going to be left in the old part of the industry. This really is the first significant 21st century strike. It's raising the issues, as work changes, about how prosperity is going to be shared.

The studio moguls know how much money the Internet is worth. Rupert Murdoch says it holds "golden opportunities." But they don't want to share that wealth. Last week, the top studio executives issued an ultimatum to the writers—and then stormed out of negotiations. As of right now, talks are stalled.

The studios need to hear from dissatisfied customers in order to end this strike. Can you sign the petition, and forward it to your friends? Then tell your friends who are Daily Show Fans! Go here to add your name.

Thanks for all you do.

–Noah, Tanya, Laura, Daniel, and the MoveOn.org Political Action Team
Thursday, December 13th, 2007

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Let's get together to stop this bullshit. I recommend in the "comments" section of the petition you put part of the letter to Viacom drafted by smilesawakeyou and wishflower4 that I tweaked:

As a frequent viewer and consumer of the media you produce and in light of the current WGA strike, I feel it necessary to ask that you and your associates continue to negotiate with the WGA in order to reach an agreement that would be better suited towards accurately crediting the writers for the work they produce. In a world in which 'New Media' is rapidly becoming a staple in American culture, it is not only fair business practice, but expected that writers are fairly compensated for their work. It should be common sense to negotiate with the WGA and come to terms seen as fair by both sides.

Until the strike is resolved and the writers' requests are met, I as a consumer WILL NOT consume. I am participating and will continue to participate in the growing boycott of both Viacom and it's affiliates, including and especially it's web sites. The hours of joy these shows have given me urge me to urge you to give their writers the respect they deserve.
I hope you take the time to consider my (and our) concerns.

You can also get more insight about The Daily Show and The Colbert Report's worth to democracy here. Now get moving, k?