WGA and The Grammys

Even as the WGA is set to resume negotiations with major studios, it should grant an interim waiver to the Grammys.

WGA Talks to Resume

Following the Directors Guild of America settlement with the studios, Hollywood writers are now poised to get back to the negotiating table, maybe as early as next Tuesday. Indeed, the writers weren’t the ones who left the table in the first place.

Let’s hope both sides will show a little more flexibility, without the writers having to sacrifice too much ground on new media payments. After all, while the DGA settlement may help pave the way for a writers deal, writers shouldn’t be bound by directors, who have traditionally had a more favorable arrangement anyway.

Grammys Waiver?

Meanwhile, the Writers Guild of America is considering whether to grant a waiver for the upcoming Grammys show. But the WGA shouldn’t equivocate much. While I don’t have much sympathy for major music labels, the music industry drastically needs a shot in the arm right now.

Moreover, as Recording Academy chief Neil Portnow pointed out to the Los Angeles Times, the Academy is “not the enemy.” They’ve been on the forefront of copyright battles to protect content against piracy for a long time.

The WGA should respect their musical counterparts, and the tough times they’re facing. Since the advent of the digital age, music industry woes make writers’ troubles seem like a walk in the park right. The WGA needs to choose its battles. And while tanking the Golden Globes was the right call, taking the same tack with the Grammys doesn’t fit the bill.