Media & Entertainment Law

TV Series Pickups Favor AFTRA 5 to 1

By Jonathan Handel, Esq.

Several months ago, we learned that pilot season this year was 94% AFTRA (or 87% by some calculations), a complete 180 from its usual 90% SAG. That didn?t look good for SAG, but a few Membership First hardliners urged us to wait and see how the all-important series pickups turned out.

Not so well, we now know?at least, not so well from a SAG perspective. The AP is reporting that 25 out of 30 shows picked up by broadcast networks this spring were AFTRA and just five were SAG. That?s about 83% AFTRA to 17% SAG?not much better for SAG than the pilot numbers. In contrast, last year?s figures, according to the AP, were 3 AFTRA and 19 SAG, i.e., 14% AFTRA and 86% SAG. In other words, a complete 180.

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Full post as published by Digital Media Law on June 09, 2009 (boomark / email).