Variety is reporting that despite rumors to the contrary, the WGA has "blasted" the studios' latest proposals, which the studios themselves describe as "groundbreaking."

Currently, the negotiations are on "pause" while the WGA presents the offer to its members, but things definitely aren't looking good for a quick return to work.

From the article:

The WGA also released details of the moguls' new proposal, delivered after three days of glacially paced talks that yielded little more than a restatement of previous positions. The three key areas:

* For streaming television episodes, the companies proposed a residual structure of a single fixed payment, based on 1.2% of producers' receipts after a six-week promo window, amounting about $250 for a year's reuse of an hour-long program.

* For made-for-Internet material, they offered minimums starting at $800 for five minutes up to $1,300 for 15 minutes and granted jurisdiction on derivative material.

* No change in the Internet download formula, currently paid at the DVD rate.

If the sides do not make progress next week, it's most likely that the AMPTP would opt for launching negotiations with the Directors Guild of America. The DGA's contract expires June 30, and the directors have indicated they're ready to start talks even if the WGA hasn't made a deal -- a move that could undermine the WGA's leverage.

Speculation has also emerged that the WGA could call off the strike and tell writers to return to work, leaving open the possibility that the strike could resume at any time. Meanwhile, the guild's continued to mount an active campaign of picketing and rallies to keep the public pressure on the companies to make a deal.


I'm no economics expert, but $250 for a show to be streamed for a YEAR seems pretty lame to me-- I can understand why they'd be annoyed by this latest offer.  If that last part is true about the writers returning to work, it certainly seems to weaken their position even further in my mind.  We already know that actors/SAG members have supported the writers in this strike, so will the DIRECTOR'S "queer the deal," as it were? Will the actors walk in June as well? The mind boggles.

It's clear the studios are making money.  It's clear they can afford this.  As an average TV viewer, the longer the strike lasts, the more I'll look for something ELSE to do with my time.  Prolonging the strike seems to be to the advantage of no one. 

Just a few other little stories today:

1) Netflix and NBC have struck a deal to allow Netflix subscribers to have online access to HEROES episodes the day after they air.  Subscribers can also access previous seasons of THE OFFICE, 30 ROCK, or FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS either online or with traditional DVDs.

2) Pete Mongillio of the Austin American-Statesman offers up several "emergency viewing" suggestions for those of us missing THE OFFICE.

3) Kate Flannery appeared on LOVELINE last night (11/28).  Hit the LINK to listen to the show.

The LA Times did a cover story today on where to celebrate Christmas in the Los Angeles area, and they asked Jenna Fischer for some ideas.

From the article:

YOU can imagine the poor schlubs from "The Office" throwing their annual office party.

"If Pam was planning it," says Jenna Fischer, imagining her role as the receptionist on the popular television series, "she'd probably book it at Poor Richard's. Poor Richard's is a real place in Scranton, and it also has a bowling alley attached. So it would actually be ideal because everyone from the office could eat and then bowl together."

It might get a lot of laughs, and surely it would turn out badly, as things invariably do on the beloved sitcom.

But it's much more festive to imagine Fischer, the ascendant actress, feting and feeding her family and friends from the Midwest in the warm confines of Vitello's Italian Restaurant in Studio City, as she has in years past. It's likely to remind her of the family eateries in her adopted hometown of St. Louis -- and "great, because you can be loud in their private area upstairs," she says.

Indeed, the holiday season is upon us, and with it the desire to make merry outside the home . . . in a manner that doesn't involve days of preparation or hours of cleanup. But how to do so without subjecting the general populace to your obnoxious co-worker Michael's bad Santa jokes? You can reserve a private room at any number of Los Angeles bars or restaurants and party like a star, or at least a Midwesterner-made-good.



Read the rest of the article HERE.