August 25, 2008

What is "fair"?

By: Sonny Bunch

Says Harry Knowles, RE: the shortened second season of ‘Heroes’:

An abbreviated season due to the writer’s strike and an obnoxious industry that abhors dealing fairly with any talent area…

This is, of course, a silly complaint. I would ask Harry to define “fair.” Is it fair that a network/production company puts up tens of millions of dollars for a series before a single episode is aired on the hopes that it will be one of the few to make it to syndication–the point at which it truly becomes profitable? Is it fair that, when that series fails–as most tend to–the studio/production company is unable to recoup any fees from the “talent” that led to its failure? I get that people look at the amount of money the entertainment industry pulls in and says “geez, I can’t believe they refuse to give artists just a little of that dough.” But what the masses fail to understand is that the risk is entirely with the studios. They’re the ones putting up the money; they’re the ones who should get the reward.