The writers strike

I canceled my cable TV earlier this year. I was watching too much junk, Comcast made me want to jab a fork in my eye, and, most importantly, I realized that there were really only four shows I really liked . . . and I could get them all online. All legally, all on the network websites, all free. The commercials are shorter, I can watch them anywhere there's an internet connection (waiting in an airport, e.g.), and, best of all, I can choose when. And stuff I don't watch when it comes out, I get on DVD later.

It's hard to imagine this not being the model for future television consumption for many, many people. I was therefore surprised to learn that television writers aren't compensated *at all* for some of this (internet) and egregiously undercompensated for the rest (DVDs).

This is an excellent rundown of the strike details. I hope the union wins (and not just because I don't know if I can handle life without The Office).