Don't Be Fooled by AMPTP Fiction

Dear Screen Actors Guild Member,

Screen Actors Guild today released the following statement in response to the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producer's (AMPTPs) ad scheduled for tomorrow.

“There they go again.  The  AMPTP’s ad is great fiction, with convoluted bullet points and confused messages -- and, it’s completely wrong.

Here’s the truth:

*     Under the AMPTP’s current  offer, streaming of new television product on hulu.com and other new media platforms  pays day performers about  $46 for the first year’s use.  Not  per run of the episode, but for the whole year, and that’s  only after a 17-day FREE rerun window.

Peter  Chernin, Chairman and CEO of News Corp., told industry analysts that his  company’s ad-supported online programming site, the already $12 million  profitable HULU.com, was a  “replacement for reruns”.

*    Under the AMPTP’s current offer,  there is no union jurisdiction for original made for new media projects made  for budgets under $15,000 per minute. That’s the vast majority of all new  media. We have signed more than 800 productions to our SAG new media agreement.  If we can do it, why can’t the AMPTP?  We are certainly willing to show  them how it’s done.

*     Their  proposal for original programming running on abc.com, nbc.com, cbs.com, and  other network new media platforms is – zero. Yes, seriously,  zero.

*     Management is gutting the  contract through the demand that we remove force majeure which has been a  protection for actors since the first SAG agreement in 1937.

*     Management has also demanded broad and sweeping changes to the more than half-century old clip consent provision which guarantees actors the right to consent to the use of  their image and to be compensated for that use.

*      Minimum increases in traditional media doesn’t do  actors any good if there aren’t any minimums in new media.

How  can that be anything but 'the end of residuals?'

How can that be  anything but a situation in which it is 'impossible for actors to make a  living?'

How can that be anything but 'a massive roll  back?'

How can that be anything but 'life or death for SAG  members?'

Make no mistake about it, this is exactly what management is offering in original programming streamed on new media:

Minimum  Rate – Zero
Residual Structure – Zero
Overtime Protections –  Zero
Forced Call Consideration – Zero
Young Performer (Minors) Protections – Zero

Management is offering a lousy  deal with “Zero” in new media and is threatening the promotion of non-union  work in a residual-free environment without minimum  compensation.  That could be the beginning of the end for actors' careers and livelihoods.”

Support SAG’s national negotiating committee in working to secure a fair deal.

Join the hundreds of SAG members who have signed the Screen Actors Guild “Statement of Support” in just the last two days.  The statement reads:

“I support the Screen Actors  Guild National Board of Directors request for members to vote YES to empower  the National Board to decide whether to call a TV/Theatrical contract strike,  and if so, determine its timeframe.

We must arm our negotiating  committee with the collective unity and strength of the Screen Actors Guild  members.”
You can sign the “Statement of Support” by emailing your name  and member number to Contract2008 @sag.org. (This is an email address and not a live web link. If clicking the email address does not open your email program, simply open it manually and send your email to contract2008@sag.org.)

Stay in the know with informative new video at www.sag.org.

Join the Facebook group “Empower SAG Vote Yes” by clicking this link http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/profile... and sending us a friend request.

Thank you for your time and your dedication.