Variety is doing a survey of its readers. Here’s most of it (there were a couple of questions that I didn’t correctly copy-and-paste…but the
browser wouldn’t let me go back to get’em. If I recall correctly, one asked if I belonged to a
Guild and, if so, which one and the other asked me if I was Hispanic):
Thank you for agreeing to take our survey. As you
most likely are aware, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) is currently on
strike. We’re interested in your perceptions of the strike. Please be honest –
your answers are confidential.
Have you been following the WGA strike coverage?
Yes
No
How have you been following strike coverage? Please select all
that apply.
I read The Hollywood Reporter (print or online)
I read the comments sections on
Variety.com
I read the LA Times (print or
online)
I read the comments sections on
latimes.com
I listen to NPR
I listen to news on commercial
radio
I read Variety (print or online)
I read the NY Times (print or
online)
I read the comments section on
Deadline Hollywood Daily
I read Deadline Hollywood Daily
I’ve been actively participating
in comment and message boards online
Other
We’d like to know how familiar you are with the issues
involved in the strike. Below is a list of issues that may or may not be
factors in the strike. Please select the three issues you think are the most
important.
Classification of television episodes streamed online as
promotional content
Residuals on DVDs
Residuals on cable repeats of
television programs
Membership for animation writers
Limits on work hours
Residuals on streaming video
Pay for promotional online
content like character blogs and short online videos
Pension issues
Residuals on first airings of
television programs
Membership for reality TV
writers
Residuals on video downloaded
online
Health care and insurance
Don’t know
We’d like to know how familiar you are with
the issues involved in the strike. Below is a list of issues that may or may
not be factors in the strike. Please select the three issues you think are the
most important.
Classification
of television episodes streamed online as promotional content
Residuals on
DVDs
Residuals on
cable repeats of television programs
Membership for
animation writers
Limits on work
hours
Residuals on
streaming video
Pay for
promotional online content like character blogs and short online videos
Pension issues
Residuals on
first airings of television programs
Membership for
reality TV writers
Residuals on
video downloaded online
Health care and
insurance
Don’t know
Do you personally believe the strike was necessary?
Yes
No
I don’t have
enough information to answer
Do you believe the strike was necessary to
do at this time?
Yes
No
Which side do you believe is representing their side more forcefully?
The writers are
representing their side significantly more forcefully
The writers are
representing their side somewhat more forcefully
Both sides are
about equal
The companies are
representing their side somewhat more forcefully
The companies are
representing their side significantly more forcefully
Which side do you believe is representing
their side more clearly?
The writers are
representing their side significantly more clearly
The writers are
representing their side somewhat more clearly
Both sides are
about equal
The companies are
representing their side somewhat more clearly
The companies are
representing their side significantly more clearly
Which side do you feel is being more honest
and forthright?
The writers are
significantly more honest and forthright
The writers are
somewhat more honest and forthright
Both sides are equally
honest and forthright
The companies are
somewhat more honest and forthright
The companies are
significantly more honest and forthright
Neither side is
honest or forthright
How much longer do you think the strike will
last?
Less than another
month
1-2 months
2-3 months
3-6 months
6 months to a year
More than a year
What do you think the long-term impacts of the strike will
be if it lasts past December? Select all that apply.
Television and
movie production will move to Canada
Viewers will
watch more content online
Scripted series
will find new life online
Movie script
quality will decline as fewer scripts are available
Movie production
will increase
Scripted series
will never regain the same foothold in broadcast TV
Viewers will
watch less television in general
More writers
will be out of work because there will be less opportunities for scripted
television
Pressure from
SAG and DGA will halt most movie production
Writers will
find more creativity and freedom to produce shows online
Most daytime
soaps will be cancelled permanently
Viewers will
watch more reality shows
Viewers will
watch more game shows
More writers
will take financial core status and return to work
Other (Specify:)
Do you believe that the writers are justified in taking
financial core status?
Yes, if they are
in dire financial circumstances
Yes, if they
aren’t in favor of the strike
No, writers should
not cross the line under any circumstances
I don’t know
Do you believe hyphenates should continue performing their
non-writing duties during the strike?
Yes, their crews rely on them
Yes, as long as they aren’t
performing writing duties, they’re free to work in other capacities
No, they should support their
fellow writers
No, there’s too much risk they’ll
be pressured to perform writing duties as well
I don’t know
Do you believe that individuals should report
strike-breaking activities?
Yes
No
I don’t know
If the DGA reaches a settlement before the WGA, do you
believe the writers should accept the same deal?
Yes, absolutely
It depends on the settlement
No, the WGA should stand firm
I don’t know
Do you feel the strike was tactically a mistake?
Yes
No
I don’t know
Have your perceptions of the WGA changed since the strike
began?
Yes, I see them in
a more positive light
Yes, I seem them
in a more negative light
No, my opinion
hasn’t changed
I don’t know
Have your perceptions of the AMPTP changed since the strike
began?
Yes, I see them in a more positive light
Yes, I seem them in a more
negative light
No, my opinion hasn’t changed
I don’t know
Do you believe the strike will be resolved in favor of the
companies or the writers?
The strike will be
resolved primarily in the companies’ favor
The strike will be
resolve mostly in the companies’ favor
There will be a
mostly fair agreement
The strike will be
resolved mostly in the writers’ favor
The strike will be
resolved primarily in the writers’ favor
Have you personally lost your job due to the
strike?
Yes
No
Have you personally had to fire or lay someone off as a
result of the strike?
Yes
No
Who, if anyone, do you think is to blame for
crew and below-the-line workers losing their jobs as a result of the strike?
It’s primarily the
WGA’s fault
It’s the fault of
both, but the WGA is more at fault
The WGA and AMPTP
are both equally at fault
It’s the fault of
both, but the AMPTP is more at fault
It’s primarily
AMPTP’s fault
No one is to blame
None of these
What do you think the financial impact of the
strike will be on you personally?
Will cause
significant financial loss
Will cause some
financial loss
Will not change
your financial situation
Will cause some
financial gain
Will cause
significant financial gain
What do you think the career impact of the strike will be on you personally?
Will cause significant career setbacks
Will cause some career setbacks
Will not change your career
situation
Will cause some career gain
Will cause significant career gain
How do you think the strike will impact the rest of the
country or people not involved in the entertainment industry?
The strike will have a significant impact on the country
The strike will have some impact
on the country
The strike will have no impact on
the country
How many hours per week, if any, do you spend doing the following? If you don’t
watch or watch less than an hour, enter "0."
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Hours per week:
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Watching movies in a theater
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Watching movies online on a laptop computer
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Watching movies on DVD
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Watching TV shows you’ve recorded on a DVR
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Watching TV shows online on a desktop computer
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Watching short-form video online (clips under 15 minutes) on a
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Watching movies online on a desktop computer
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Watching TV shows online on a laptop computer
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Watching video on a personal digital player (iPod, Video iPod,
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Watching movies on Pay-Per-View (PPV) or Video On Demand (VOD)
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Watching TV shows as they air (not shows you have recorded)
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Which of the following best describes your
field within the entertainment industry?
Production (crew)
Creative (writer,
actor, musician, director)
Financial
(producer, accounting)
Media (advertising,
marketing)
None of the above
Which of the following best describes your
ethnic or racial background or heritage?
White, Caucasian,
European, European-American
Black,
African-American, Caribbean, African, Caribbean-American
Hispanic, Latino,
Latin American
Asian-American,
Asian, Pacific Islander
Arab, Middle
Eastern
American Indian,
Native American
Other
For statistical purposes only, we would like
to know your total family income for 2006. Which of the following categories
best represents your total family income?
Under $75,000
$75,000-$99,999
$100,000-$199,999
$200,000-$299,999
$300,000-$399,999
$400,000-$499,999
$500,000-$599,999
$600,000-$699,999
$700,000-$799,999
$800,000-$899,999
$900,000-$999,999
Over $1 million
Prefer not to
answer
So, looking at these
questions, do you think they are straight-forward and objective or do
you think they reveal an agenda of some kind? That isn’t a leading
question…I genuinely want to know how you read the questions and what
significance you think should be given to the survey’s results.
I don’t see any obvious “push polling” that would tend to color one side of the issue in a negative light while purporting to be neutral.
I think it’s important to know how much the internet and DVDs are impacting the lives of working writers, and there should be comparison with non-writer demographics in order to blow more holes in the producers loose arguments against paying certain types of royalties.
There are significant issues missing in this survey. It makes no attempt to evaluate the importance of writers to the entertainment industry, and it makes no attempt to look at history: what writers gained or lost in the past. It makes no attempt to evaluate how writers compare financially with other talented people in the entertainment business, such as directors and actors. This is a rather hostile survey, mostly because of what is left out.
Hmmm, they ask three times if you thought the strike was a mistake.
And the question “Who, if anyone, do you think is to blame for crew and below-the-line workers losing their jobs as a result of the strike?” seems unnecessary. That’s a side-effect of production shutting down. Note that they don’t ask “who is more responsible for the strike happening?”, so this seems like a push question.
Note also that there’s no question on the lines of — and excuse me if this is inaccurate — “writers earn an average of 8 cents per DVD sale. Do you think this is appropriate?”
In the end, it doesn’t quite smell like a push poll, but it leans in that direction. Never ascribe to conspiracy what can be accomplished by incompetence.
Variety’s coverage has been so slanted in favor of the AMPTP, it’s embarrassing.
After this strike, I will no longer take anything printed in Variety or the HR seriously.