SyFriday: You Can Support The Writers, Too

I'm just like you. I want new television shows. I want to be entertained. And I want networks to start exploring alternative media like DVDs and the Internet. Obviously, a work stoppage is a real pain in the ass. I'd rather there not be a strike, so if there is going to be one, it better be for some pretty damn good reasons.

But guess what, there are good reasons for this strike. While it might hurt my already rocky relationship with studios, I have to say, I am with the writers on this one.

The networks and studios can go on and on about how they don't know how well online media will pay, but that's just crap. The writers aren't asking for flat fees for all their work, they are asking for residuals, for percentages, which could easily be based on models that fluctuate depending on the future success -- or even failure -- of alternative media.

The real motivator through all of this is greed, and not the greed of the writers. The writers deserve to be compensated for the work they do, and they should not be asked -- like the "Battlestar Galactica" writers were asked to do with Webisodes last year -- to not only write without credit, but write for free.

So what can fans do, then, to show their support for writers. There are always the letters to the editor and letters to studios, but one group of fans feel it's time for a more organized effort.

Fans4Writers.com is a new grassroots effort being launched by fans meant to support the writers of our favorite television shows and movies. They are not affiliated with the WGA "except in spirit," as they say. And their motto is, "Don't write until it's right."

"As fans, obviously we want to see our shows back on the air as soon as possible," said Brenda Lawhorn, one of the organizers of Fans4Writers in a release. "But at the same time, we recognize that it's the writers who make these shows so compelling, and they need to get fair compensation for the work they do."

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