Acting out
TV and Hollywood movie writers are into their 6th week of strikes, and actors could soon follow suit. 98% of SAG-AFTRA, the Screen Actors Guild, voted to strike at the end of June if they don’t reach an agreement with streamers, studios, networks, and production houses by the end of the month.
While directors managed to avoid taking action by securing a “truly historic deal” earlier this week, the actors guild, which represents over 160,000 performers, could exacerbate issues for the entertainment industry and content consumers by joining the picket line.
Back to reality
Hollywood actors have not gone on strike against major film and TV studios since 1980 and, while not all of their goals are aligned, they’re bound together with writers on issues like better compensation and assurances on the regulation of AI. With both creative types potentially out at once, an “existential fight” in the industry could be in the cards, with unscripted and reality shows filling up holes in the TV schedule.
That would be bad news for studios, but it wouldn’t exactly be ideal for the viewers watching at home either. According to a recent survey from Morning Consult, the genre is the worst for keeping viewers engaged across the board, with only 25% of US adults preferring to watch with “undivided attention”. Unscripted efforts like cooking and game shows also struggle to keep viewers enthralled, capturing just 32% and 33%, respectively, on the same metric.
