Idol Gives Back... Just Not To Its Workers
Our friends over at The American Idol Truth Tour have posted this video to inform viewers of Fremantle shows like American Idol and America's Got Talent about the poor working conditions that the writers on these shows face. They routinely work 7 day weeks at 16 hours a day. They aren't paid overtime. And they certainly don't get health benefits. But come on... how could a company like Fremantle, who rakes in gigantic amounts of money each year, afford such unimportant things like health care for its workers? We hope you take the time to watch this video and pass it on to friends and anyone you know in the media. Let's get the word out there that Idol's workers and other Fremantle employees demand fair compensation for the time they put in. And track the American Idol Truth Tour at truthaboutfremantle.com. If you're in the San Francisco area, you can also stop just outside the Idol auditions tomorrow to see the Truth Tour in action. VFTW is the voice of truth, so let's help spread this truth. Let's make this a big story!
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What an appalling company! Simon gets paid $100m a year and they can't pay overtime? Disgusting.
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What the fuck are they writing? It's 10 karaoke performances, then Paula judging performances which haven't happened yet.
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STP, these are common television standards. Writers write Seacrest's lines, put together stories for the backstory packages, etc. Anything that isn't spur of the moment probably has a writer helping out.
Fremantle is such pieces of shit. It pisses me off how much Seacrest, and the three stooges get paid for doing pratically nothing while the writers are getting paid shit, working their asses off, and not given medical insurance. Not surprising its from the same company that owns American Idol
__________________________" they've all failed, which is why they're turning up for American Idol." Simon on all the failed plants this season(Carly,Kristy, and so on)
Also, the Writer's Guild is helping out with this. Not everyone involved is a writer. They just jumped in to get name recognition and help people who otherwise didn't have much power on their own.
At the very least, they should get health benefits.
__________________________There's a fine line between not listening and not caring. I walk that line everyday. - Private Leonard L. Church
Considing some of the lame lines I see on these shows, I get the feeling a lot of them can be be replaced easily. None of them fall under the same contracts that the other writers that went on strike do. Which is why conditions are so poor. Shows like these are cheap to produce. One reason is because these guys aren't in the Guild that just got off their strike.
Don't get me wrong. If these guys can shame the monsters at (not so)Fremantle, more power to them.
No "entertainment" companies are required to pay overtime. This is among the many exemptions that any business inside the entertainment field have, and that isn't just applicable to California. Even the usher at your local movie theater isn't entitled to overtime.
If you want concessions then you have to have a negotiating body that gets those concessions for you in a contract for work.
Now ... 16 hours a day ... 7 days a week .. to write Idol??
You have to fail at life for that to be true. Which, is probably why the real guild, with negotiated rights, wouldn't have you in the first place.
But seriously .. writing for Idol? I'm surprised they haven't just rounded up some migrant workers to do it for minimum food an housing. Hell ... I bet it wouldn't take them 7 days...
My understanding is that AI was just one 'reality' show these people were working on. Obviously some shows require more writing than others. But the work is hard, harder than it looks, and pays poorly.
Go Alfre. I lover her.
Thank you DancingCookie. Most people are not understanding the guy here from Idol is not a writer. The writers were on another show and are a part of this.