Today, Etopia
News received a press release from the Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW). Here it is:
Acclaimed TV
Showrunner Travels to DC for Future of Video Marketplace Hearing
Shawn Ryan to Testify
on the Hill Wednesday
Washington,
DC – Shawn Ryan, TV
showrunner and creator of The Shield and The Chicago Code, is
scheduled to appear before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, &
Transportation Wednesday, July 16, at 2:30 p.m. (EST). Mr. Ryan will
provide testimony on behalf of the Writers Guild of America, West about the
adverse impact of media mergers and weak Net Neutrality regulations on the creative
community, consumers, and competition. The committee is chaired by Senator Jay
Rockefeller (D-WV), and the hearing will examine the future of the video
marketplace and how it is affected by the rise of online streaming and pending
consolidation.
“The
reality of American media is that it is controlled by a handful of companies
formed through two decades of consolidation,” states Mr. Ryan. “These companies
own the television networks, the production studios and almost all of the
scripted content that is available on television and in movie theaters. The
cable companies that distribute this content are even more concentrated.”
Media
companies, as a result, wield an enormous amount of power in all aspects of the
business. Writers, who provide much of the R&D for the entertainment
industry, often bear all the risk of developing new creative works while the
media companies, through their control of distribution, reap the rewards. If a
television series creator and a network experience creative differences, it is
the writer who is replaced, not the network. Consumers fare no better in this
equation as monopoly power restricts creative expression, limits content
choices and drives up prices.
Mr.
Ryan believes the future of the video marketplace will be determined by the
choices we make today as a society. The amount of broadcast network programming
created independently has dwindled to a mere 10% of the fall line-up – an
alarming decline from 76% in 1989. Citing the repeal of the Financial Interest
and Syndication Rules and the vertical and horizontal integration of media
companies as the main reasons for this disturbing trend, he believes
legislators need to take strong steps to restore vitality to the entertainment industry.
“The
open Internet has the potential to create a video marketplace that is more
competitive, diverse and independent. But it is clear that action is needed to
fulfill this promise,” Mr. Ryan will tell the committee. “The Internet is an
information highway, and just as Congress does not allow a handful of private
companies to erect tollbooths on our nation’s actual highways, it cannot allow
a few ISPs to set arbitrary rates and decide which businesses, video providers
or political organizations can have prioritized delivery and which are
relegated to a slow lane. Internet providers would be allowed to strangle
innovation in the cradle. Can we really expect the next Netflix, Amazon or
Crackle to emerge under these circumstances? Strong Net Neutrality rules that
ban paid prioritization and other discriminatory practices must be enacted.”
On
the proposed consolidation, Mr. Ryan states, “We also need effective antitrust
enforcement. Our country, from the time of the founding fathers, has been defined
by a struggle to limit concentrations of power that harm both democracy and
basic economic fairness. We once again have an opportunity to serve the
interests of the many rather than the few by stopping these mergers and by
keeping the Internet free and open.”
For
Shawn Ryan’s written testimony, click here.
The
Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) is a labor union representing writers of
motion pictures, television, radio and Internet
programming, including news and documentaries. Founded in 1933, the
Guild negotiates and administers contracts that protect the creative and
economic rights of its members. It is involved in a wide range of programs
that advance the interests of writers, and is active in public policy and
legislative matters on the local, national and international levels. For more
information on the WGAW, please visit: www.wga.org.
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