John: The broadcast TV networks
are heading into the fall season
with writers and actors still
out on strike.
That means no new episodes of
scripted dramas and comedies.
Instead, the prime time
schedules are leaning heavily on
reality and competition shows.
So you'd think the people who
work on reality shows would be
celebrating.
But as Ali rogin reports in
Hollywood, appearances are not
always reality.
>> To give us more insight on
how the strike is affecting
reality and unscripted TV is
Ryan, digital staff editor at
the Hollywood reporter.
Thank you for joining us.
Is the reality TV industry
celebrating the current state of
Hollywood?
>> This has been a surprisingly
tough moment to reality TV and
for outsiders, initially, you
would assume this would be kind
of a groom moment for
unscripted.
When you look at the fall
schedules coming up, for
broadcast TV, a number of
networks, CBS, ABC, fox, are
leaning heavily on unscripted
with no new scripted episodes to
air.
It seems to be something one
would assume there is a lot of
work and a lot more projects
getting green lit and that does
not seem to be the case for some
reason.
I have talked to a number of
producers who say this is the
toughest moment they have seen
for unscripted TV in terms of
people are not working.
They are in long stretches since
maybe December that a lot of
people have been without work.
And jobs that are available, as
with unscripted TV, long hours,
working weekends, no health
benefits.
It is surprising for many to
learn that unscripted is not
necessarily thriving right now.
>> The last big writer's strike
happened between 2007 and 2008.
What were the circumstances
then?
>> Reality TV certainly had
success prior to the strike, but
certainly once the strike took
place in 2007, there were shows
that came about to support the
lack of a scripted options.
So now I think that there are
the wga east is has unionized
some unscripted workers.
But for the most part the
majority of shows are not union.
They're not under union
contracts in unscripted.
Certain ones are sort of they
call the shiny floor shows tend
to be union shows like
masterchef and the voice, kind
of those bigger competition
shows, but most aren't.
You know, when you look at the
the schedule for this fall there
are 38 hours of unscripted
programming across the five
broadcast networks which is an
81% uptick from last year.
How many shows were being
included on fall schedules at
this time last year?
So definitely reality is being
brought in to help save all
these networks.
And yet the jobs aren't there
right now.
>> Fascinating.
You mentioned the shiny floor
shows, how is the strength
affecting the celebrity guests,
and judges, that take part in
competition shows and other
types of reality television who
are otherwise participating in
the strike?
>> Sure, so I think reality
hosts are often well-known a
listers and people with acting
careers and judges, and
potentially contestants like
dancing with the stars.
They are covered separately, so
it is not part of the deal being
ironed out, but just the idea of
producing content for a company
with some involved in the
unscripted industry thought that
it is possible that hosts and
judges would, for optics
reasons, perhaps, not want to
create new episodes of shows,
but so far, it appears that
right now, most shows are still
moving forward, even with actors
involved.
>> Producers of reality shows
are not considered writers or
part of the union, but they play
a large role in shaping
storylines.
They do a similar job that
writers do.
Why are they not covered by the
union?
>> Yeah, I think that, you know,
you talk to people in the
industry, and there is confusion
as far to why that would not be
considered writing.
Unscripted has been seen as a
cheaper, quicker alternative.
I think that has helped to
thrive.
I talked to people who think
some scripted programming liens
and on more unexperienced
producers and people behind the
scenes who are able to get work.
But they are willing to take or
work longer hours, not getting
residuals, not having health
benefits.
Once studios find a way to
create the content in a cheaper
way, are you going to be able to
change that?
Certain shows have managed
walkouts.
On survivor, I talked to an
editor who has worked on two
shows, who was part of walkouts
for both shows.
And they were able to make those
shows union.
Certainly, that is a possibility
but it becomes tricky.
You sort of need the show to be
seen as indispensable to your
platform.
Certainly, not all shows have
that luxury.
And then if you have not worked
in a while, it becomes a little
scary for work security to then
be willing to be part of a
walkout because people will take
your job so it gets tricky.
>> Ryan with the Hollywood
reporter, thank you for joining
us.
>> Thank you so much.
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