500 signatures reached
To: Netflix, Amazon, Apple, Disney, Discovery-Warner, NBC Universal, Paramount, Sony
Put people over greed and give writers and actors a fair contract!
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Wealthy entertainment executives are devaluing writers and actors while Netflix, Amazon, Apple, Disney, Discovery-Warner, NBC Universal, Paramount and Sony make massive record profits. Enough is enough. It’s time to give actors and writers a fair deal!
The current entertainment industry business model is not sustainable as the practices of the streaming companies have destabilized the entertainment industry—that’s why 11,500 WGA writers and 65,000 actors are on strike demanding a new contract which must include fair pay and protections for writing and acting to be a sustainable profession.
The current entertainment industry business model is not sustainable as the practices of the streaming companies have destabilized the entertainment industry—that’s why 11,500 WGA writers and 65,000 actors are on strike demanding a new contract which must include fair pay and protections for writing and acting to be a sustainable profession.
Why is this important?
A common misconception is that writers and actors are all super rich, but it couldn’t be further from the truth, which is that 95% of the 160,000 actors with the Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA) make less than $25,000 per year, and they need to make $26,000 a year to even qualify for health insurance. And not to mention that the top studio executive made 384 times the average writer the past five years.
The reality is that the massive wealth inequality that we see between the ultra wealthy and everyday working people is reflected in the entertainment industry too. Streaming companies make BILLIONS of dollars in corporate profits each year, pay top executives hundreds of millions of dollars combined, while giving writers and actors the short end of the stick. This cannot continue, and this is why actors and writers are on strike.
And the impact of the companies' greed is not just causing harm to these workers, it is limiting the stories that come from the communities we need to hear from most. As the industry’s business model becomes unsustainable for emerging writers and actors there will potentially be fewer stories penned by historically marginalized communities. The lack of representation impacts us all—and it’s especially jarring given right-wing attacks on sharing diverse stories in classrooms and libraries.
It also just means the range of TV shows we get to see will be worse. It's pretty clear that writers and creators should be fairly compensated to ensure creative talent of all backgrounds can contribute to the quality content we all love. Writers and actors simply want a fair contract, and together, we can make that happen.
Sign the petition to tell ultrawealthy entertainment executives to put people over corporate greed and give writers and actors a fair contract NOW!
The reality is that the massive wealth inequality that we see between the ultra wealthy and everyday working people is reflected in the entertainment industry too. Streaming companies make BILLIONS of dollars in corporate profits each year, pay top executives hundreds of millions of dollars combined, while giving writers and actors the short end of the stick. This cannot continue, and this is why actors and writers are on strike.
And the impact of the companies' greed is not just causing harm to these workers, it is limiting the stories that come from the communities we need to hear from most. As the industry’s business model becomes unsustainable for emerging writers and actors there will potentially be fewer stories penned by historically marginalized communities. The lack of representation impacts us all—and it’s especially jarring given right-wing attacks on sharing diverse stories in classrooms and libraries.
It also just means the range of TV shows we get to see will be worse. It's pretty clear that writers and creators should be fairly compensated to ensure creative talent of all backgrounds can contribute to the quality content we all love. Writers and actors simply want a fair contract, and together, we can make that happen.
Sign the petition to tell ultrawealthy entertainment executives to put people over corporate greed and give writers and actors a fair contract NOW!