Archive for September 10, 2008

The Handel-Hedgpeth Interview

Jonathan Handel has fixed the link to the replay of his interview today with AFTRA NED Kim Roberts Hedgpeth. Use this link off the Handel website.

We’ll post our comments later.

Somebody Likes AIMA…er, AEMA…

Variety notes that a number of Hollywood ad agencies have formed their own union, and they’ve chosen a name certain to warm the hearts of all of us who’ve been through the C&A wars. Of course, they’re not calling at union, it’s a trade association, though the plan is to do the same sort of multi-employer things we do - health insurance, pensions, and work on legislation affecting the biz.

The name they chose? AEMA. As in the Association of Entertainment Marketing Agencies.

25 shops are said to have signed up already. No word yet on whether a movement will spring up seeking to save the standalone marketer. 

We wonder how long it will take for AEMA to turn its attention to issues like, say, talent contracts.

Debunkin’ That Duncan

Membership First’s choice for SAG General Counsel, Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, has always been a loyal soldier, marching on as ordered, at least until outside counsel delivers an opinion telling him the union is headed off a cliff. But this time it isn’t legal, it’s just dumb.

 DCI is quoted in Variety as saying, “”SAG covers 95% of primetime network (shows). That’s not going to change because people are comfortable working with the SAG contract.” Maybe that’s why things are so screwed up at 5757. Staff hasn’t figured out what the rest of the world already knows (or maybe they’ve figured it out, but have been told to ignore reality!)

As we told you back in July, SAG’s market share in some prime time weeks has dipped well below 50% of prime time. We even put up the show by show study that proves it. The only thing propping up SAG’s prime time numbers and keeping them near 50% is the incredible Law & Order franchise.

So what’s with the 95% figure? Why would SAG’s top staff members continue to use the statistic so phony that it’s met with universal eye rolls every time it’s trotted out by the Membership First faithful?

We don’t get it…unless you picture the Allens as modern day Neros, fiddling away.

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