News
June 4, 2018
June 1st News Report from your Los Angeles Representative
Happy Friday everyone,
People all over North America are likely to have already read countless accounts of how ABC canceled the Roseanne reboot earlier this week, but here in LA it feels very much like a local story. As reported in the Los Angeles Times below, the cancellation is expected to throw 300-400 crew members out of work.
http://www.latimes.com/business/hollywood/la-fi-ct-roseanne-crew-20180531-story.html
The Times also ran a thoughtful piece on what made Roseanne such a huge gamble for the network in the first place. The article below points out that the stunning success of the rebooted sitcom - which reached nearly 22 million viewers with its debut - reminded the industry of traditional networks' ability to deliver mass audiences and drive the country's cultural conversation.
http://www.latimes.com/business/hollywood/la-fi-ct-abc-roseanne-fallout-20180530-story.html
Five more years of California’s annual $330 million in film and television incentives took a big step forward yesterday. As Deadline reports below, a rare unanimous vote in the state Senate in Sacramento passed legislation designed to extend the lucrative program until 2025.
https://deadline.com/2018/05/california-film-tv-tax-credit-extension-passes-senate-1202401472/
Bargaining has begun between SAG-AFTRA and the major television networks and producers over a renewal of the union’s Netcode television agreement. As detailed in the Hollywood Reporter below, the agreement which encompasses syndicated programs, daytime serials (soap operas), promotional announcements, variety, quiz, game, reality, talk, news, sports and other unscripted content, will likely be updated to shift some residuals formulas from fixed amounts to a percentage of the license fee a producer obtains.
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/sag-aftra-netcode-contract-negotiations-begin-1116320
July 10th was announced this week as the date Fox and Disney have each set for their shareholders to vote on Disney’s proposed $52.4B acquisition of Fox assets. As Deadline reports below, Fox acknowledged in its announcement, Comcast’s plan to make a rich counter-offer for the Fox assets that Disney has proposed to acquire.
https://deadline.com/2018/05/fox-disney-shareholder-meeting-date-vote-merger-sale-1202399866/
It may seem like awards season just ended but campaigning for this September's Emmy awards is in full swing and there are so many shows to consider that no one - including Emmy voters - can keep up. As detailed in Variety this week, the number of original scripted series has risen 125% since 2012 and some fear that "in this new golden age of TV, with its hundreds of choices, the Emmy voting body has become so overwhelmed with programming that they are unwittingly keeping under-the-radar shows, performances and craft artists from getting any gold".
https://variety.com/2018/tv/awards/emmys-campaign-advice-peak-tv-1202822783/
Finally this week, it's always a pleasure to close out with good news out of Ontario. Playback reports below that the City of Toronto and the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) have partnered on a pilot initiative, xoTO Schools, that will give enhanced access to 11 filming locations across the city.
http://playbackonline.ca/2018/05/30/john-tory-unveils-xoto-schools-initiative/
Warmest regards,
Kelly
Kelly Graham-Scherer
Los Angeles Representative
Toronto/ Ontario Film Office