Hot Off The Press: The Latest TV News and Information

TV/Business Notes
Apollo, Standard General make $8B bid for Tegna TV stations: sources
By Josh Kosman, New York Post - Sep. 20, 2021

EXCLUSIVE: Apollo Global Management teamed with Standard General on Monday to make a binding bid that topped $8 billion for local TV station owner Tegna, sources close to the matter said.

Tegna — spun off from newspaper giant Gannett in 2015 as a separate, publicly traded company — operates 64 television and two radio stations across 54 US markets.

Apollo has bid for Tegna in recent years and has been rebuffed. The Apollo-Standard General team bid about $22 a share this time, sources familiar said.

Tegna set Monday as a bidding deadline for its formal auction to sell itself through investment bank JPMorgan. The sale is on track, sources said.

Byron Allen, owner of the Weather Channel, has also been studying Tegna’s books and could be bidding Monday, a source close to the matter said.

Merger intelligence service DealReporter on Sept. 15 broke the news an auction was happening, sending Tegna’s shares up that day from $17.52 to $18.74.

On Monday, Tegna’s shares closed at $19.52, and at a better-than-$8 billion price the stock would trade beyond $20 a share.

Meanwhile, Tegna in recent months has been hit with suits alleging sex discrimination and racial bias.

Suits included one filed by Reginald Roundtree, a 67-year-old former Tampa news anchor at Tegna’s Tampa Bay, Fla., station who claimed documents were found on a station manager’s desk that included a “hit list” of employees who were over the age of 40 and appear to have been targeted for termination.

Soo Kim’s Standard General, which reported owning 4.8 percent worth of Tegna shares, pointed to these allegations in an unsuccessful proxy fight last spring to overhaul management at the company.

Now, Kim is getting close to buying Tegna with Apollo, giving him a second chance to replace Tegna management, according to sources familiar.

Apollo owns television stations it bought in December 2019 from Cox Media Group and can likely boost Tegna earnings by combining the companies.

Source: Apollo, Standard General make $8B bid for Tegna TV stations: sources (nypost.com)

TV/Business Notes (Analysis)
To strike or not to strike? What’s next for Hollywood’s crew workers union
By Ryan Faughnder and Anousha Sakoui, Los Angeles Times - Sep. 21, 2021

So much coverage has focused on the way Hollywood’s streaming revolution has changed how the biggest names — the Scarlett Johanssons and Emma Stones of the world — are treated and paid by the big studios.

Until recently, not so much attention has been lavished on the so-called below-the-line labor, such as camera workers, set builders and hairstylists who, far from the glamour of the Emmys, work behind-the-scenes on movies and TV shows.

Tensions between the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, or IATSE, and the major studios reached a new level Monday as union leaders said they would ask their members to give them the authority to call a strike. A strike authorization vote would be an initial step toward what could be an extremely unusual work stoppage for film and TV crews.

IATSE said producers had refused to respond to its latest contract proposals. The two sides had been expected to return to the bargaining table this week. “This failure to continue negotiating can only be interpreted one way,” the IATSE negotiating committee said in a statement. “They simply will not address the core issues we have repeatedly advocated for from the beginning.”

As discussions dragged on past the four-month mark, it became clear last week that talks with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, or AMPTP, had reached a critical juncture since a deadline extension whizzed by earlier this month without resolution on their basic agreement.

The union’s international president, Matthew Loeb, issued a warning to employers over their handling of contract negotiations. An FAQ was circulated to certain locals’ members last week to prepare them for the uncertainties of the coming weeks.

This new escalation is the Hollywood labor force’s latest attempt to flex its power as the industry evolves. Technical unions believe they have more muscle now than they have had in past negotiations. Studios and streaming services, which suffered from production shutdowns and restrictions during the pandemic, are desperate for more content, and sets can’t operate without crew.

“It’s a very interesting time right now, given the fact that we’ve had the pandemic and there’s a lot of pressure for new production to take place,” said Todd Holmes, assistant professor of entertainment media management at Cal State Northridge. “Posturing is certainly a big part of it, but they are in a better position to do something like that than they have been in the past.”

A strike authorization vote won’t necessarily lead to a walkout, but it does mean the union could call for a strike if it comes to that. Producers could also threaten to delay new productions or lock out union crew.

Loeb’s union represents 150,000 crew members in the U.S and Canada, about 60,000 of whom are covered by the motion picture and TV contracts being renegotiated. The 13 Hollywood locals’ demands reflect ongoing frustrations among the labor force at large, including long hours with little rest, discounted rates from streaming show residuals and the need for sustainable benefits packages.

Labor unions typically negotiate contracts every three years, which is hardly fast enough to keep up with the speed at which the business is shifting. Wide Shot readers may be familiar with the “Wallace & Gromit” GIF of the claymation pooch furiously laying train tracks in front of him while riding atop a speeding locomotive. That’s fairly analogous to the way labor is trying to keep pace with the changes happening in the entertainment industry.

“Except, now that’s a bullet train,” quipped one Hollywood labor source not involved in the IATSE dispute.

Here’s where things stand.

What do workers want?
Workers are demanding more time for rest, a bigger cut from the growth in streaming, an increase to wages and improved funding for their health and pension plans.

Crew members have become increasingly vocal about conditions on set, with social media accounts documenting anonymous horror stories. Work days can stretch past 14 hours, and there are countless tales of productions blowing through meal breaks despite penalties for studios. Shoots eat into weekends with so-called “Fraturdays” (overnight shoots that begin Friday and end on Saturday). Shooting days have been further lengthened by COVID-19 protocols that limit how many people can be on set at once.

The acceleration of the industry’s move to streaming is a key flashpoint. The union contends that pay rates and residuals for shows that are streamed are unfairly discounted and that crews don’t get credited pension hours on some shows.

IATSE is also asking the AMPTP for additional funding to its health and pension plans through increased employer contributions as well as new forms of funding to offset the declining residuals from traditional distribution networks. Residuals, the fees generated from reruns, help fund the union’s health and pension plans, rather than going directly to workers.

Crews complain that productions for streaming services pay less than productions for traditional media, an imbalance due to earlier contracts that deemed streaming as “new media,” which was discounted based on the idea that it’s an emerging technology. But labor argues that the “new media” designation is antiquated, with streaming now dominating mainstream entertainment, as evidenced by Sunday night’s Emmys.

What do the studios and producers say?
The producers are represented in negotiations by the AMPTP, which is composed of representatives from all the major studios including Walt Disney Co., Warner Bros., Netflix, Apple and Amazon. The studios, naturally, say the labor group’s demands are excessive. They also contend that entertainment companies have been hammered by production delays and the increased costs of filming caused by restrictions meant to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

In a Monday statement, the AMPTP said it had “listened and addressed” many of the union’s demands, including increasing minimum pay rates for some types of new media productions and covering a nearly $400 million pension and health plan deficit.

“When we began negotiations with the IATSE months ago, we discussed the economic realities and the challenges facing the entertainment industry as we work to recover from the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic,” the AMPTP said. “In choosing to leave the bargaining table to seek a strike authorization vote, the IATSE leadership walked away from a generous comprehensive package.”

People on the studio side of the aisle have suggested that much of Hollywood’s workforce is well-compensated and enjoys generous benefits, including healthcare coverage. However, crew argue that pay stats cited by producers don’t represent the experience of many people in the industry, where compensation varies wildly and some crafts pay close to California’s minimum wage.

Producers are also looking for concessions from the union, people familiar with the talks said. For example, producers want to eliminate the financial penalties they incur if crews miss meal breaks (offering to compensate them instead with an extra hour of pay, which is less than the penalty).

Producers are also proposing increasing the number of hours to qualify for health benefits. The argument is that changes to the plan would help preserve it and that lifting the hours would ensure that crew work is the main source of income for those making claims. Currently workers can qualify with 400 hours of work.

So will there be a strike or not?
It’s unclear how serious the threat of a strike is. Some prognosticators think it’s possible but unlikely. The last time crews staged a major walkout was during World War II, when the Conference of Studio Unions, IATSE’s bitter rival, went on strike in March 1945 and some IATSE members stopped work in support.

Striking would be painful financially, especially coming so soon after a period early in the pandemic when there was little work. Some privately recall how shows were shut down during the 1980 actors strike and strikes by writers in 1988 and 2007-2008.

Still, there’s a growing sense among rank and file workers that the time has come for locals to band together and demand better treatment after years of frustrations that the pandemic exacerbated. That has probably emboldened union leadership to hold the line.

What happens next?
Each local will vote independently on whether to authorize a strike. All 13 West Coast studio locals will hold a secret-ballot vote simultaneously, electronically via email. At least 75% of those voting need to be in favor to pass the authorization. The union has warned its members that a “no” vote could impact future negotiations.

The ripple effects from previous work stoppages, such as the 2007-2008 Writers Guild of America strike, were felt for years.

Whatever happens in the current dispute, the main points of contention aren’t going anywhere soon. Writers, directors and actors, whose contracts come up for renegotiation in 2023, will surely be closely watching what happens. Pay for streaming is expected to take center stage in those discussions as well.

“I do think it sort of foreshadows what will happen in the future,” Holmes said. “When you look at the other labor unions in the industry, they’re coming up against some of the same issues.”

Source: To strike or not to strike? What's next for Hollywood's crew workers union - Los Angeles Times (latimes.com)

Do you remember 21st night of September ?

Willie Garson, From Sex and the City and White Collar, Dead at 57

Actor Willie Garson, known for playing Stanford on Sex and the City and Mozzie on White Collar, has died at the age of 57.

Garson’s son Nathen confirmed the news on Instagram: “I love you so much papa. Rest in peace and I’m so glad you got to share all your adventures with me and were able to accomplish so much. I’m so proud of you.” (Garson would often speak of his son in interviews.)

TMZ reports that Garson had been battling cancer, but did not confirm that as his cause of death.
A graduate of Yale’s drama school, Garson had TV credits that spanned four decades, but he was best known for two memorable roles: Carrie’s gay best friend Stanford Blatch on HBO’s Sex and the City — a role he reprised in both Sex and the City movies — and con man Mozzie on the USA crime caper White Collar, opposite Matt Bomer. Garson was slated to reprise his role as Stanford on the upcoming Sex and the City revival And Just Like That…, premiering this fall on HBO Max. (TVLine has reached out to HBO Max about the plans for Garson’s character.)

An HBO/HBO Max spokesperson said in a statement: “Willie Garson was in life, as on screen, a devoted friend and a bright light for everyone in his universe. He created one of the most beloved characters from the HBO pantheon and was a member of our family for nearly twenty-five years. We are deeply saddened to learn of his passing and extend our sincere condolences to his family and loved ones.”

“No matter what project he was on, Willie was always a fan favorite,” an NBCUniversal spokesperson added in a statement. “Nowhere was that more true than on White Collar, where he took the character of Mozzie, an outcast conspiracy theorist, and made him lovable to the core. He will be missed.”

Garson’s acting career started in the 1980s with appearances on Family Ties, Cheers and Mr. Belvedere and continued through the ’90s with roles on Boy Meets World, The X-Files and NYPD Blue. He was a main cast member on the short-lived HBO series John From Cincinnati and later recurred as Gerard Hirsch on CBS’ Hawaii Five-0, reprising the role in a 2019 episode of Magnum P.I. His most recent TV credits were episodes of Big Mouth and Supergirl that aired last year.

TV/Production Notes (Research)
Latinos Continue to Be Underrepresented in Media Jobs, Federal Study Finds
By Ross A. Lincoln, TheWrap.com - Sep. 21, 2021

A new federal study tracking employment trends through 2019 finds that Latinos are still severely underrepresented in U.S. media jobs, accounting for just 12% of total employees; the total was 18% in the total U.S. workforce. This comes a week after an USC study found that only 7% of 2019’s top grossing films had a Latino lead.

The study, published by the U.S. Government Accountability Office, defined media to include film, television, publishing, and news. Employment varied widely between sectors of media; 8% of publishing subsector workers were Latino in 2019, while the film and video industry totaled 16%.

However, the actual representation within every sector also varied by occupation. On average, the GAO found that 11% of jobs across 13 different media occupations were held by Latino workers. But broken down more specifically, the numbers tell a different story. According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which provided data through 2018, service jobs — such as cleaning, food service, valets or security — by far had the largest percentage of Latino workers at 22%.

By contrast, only 8% of professional employees were Latino, and the lowest percentage senior management and executive positions, was a pathetic 4%.

“The media industry, and Hollywood in particular, is still the main image-defining and narrative-creating institution of American society. This missing narrative, this systemic exclusion, it’s not only dangerous for Latinos, but it’s also dangerous for everybody,” Texas Representative Joaquín Castro said in a speech at the National Press Club after the study was released.

“The media industry, and Hollywood in particular, is still the main image-defining and narrative-creating institution of American society. This missing narrative, this systemic exclusion, it’s not only dangerous for Latinos, but it’s also dangerous for everybody,” He continued.

Read the full study here.

Source: Latinos Continue to Be Underrepresented in Media Jobs, Federal Study Finds (thewrap.com)