Should this have been a surprise?Netflix, along with other streamers, have announced that following the writer’s strikes, they will beraising their prices. For many, this is something that was expected. Services raise their prices all the time. But there’s something else at play. The industry thrives on partnerships. Studios and streaming services. Actors and writers. Directors and effects studios. Each relationship holds a tenuous spot in the overall entertainment world.
However, there is a group that feels it has been wronged, and they are about to unleash their hurt on you. Of course, this will be targeting your wallet.
What Writers Wanted and What They Got
The Writer’s strikelasted six months and put many people in a very tough spot financially. The industry felt the pain of the strike even as the union attempted to make a deal with the studio heads. People picketed even as CEOs decried their strike as being “greedy” and their demands “unrealistic.” However, writers were making an attempt to make money from the things they had created. CNBC pointed out that when it comes to streaming:
This is a great deal for writers and comes with many other updates that should never have been in question in the first place. The studios all folded under these demands, something that they could have done on day one but chose to prolong.
Don’t Blame Us, Blame the Greedy Writers
So, the writers are getting more money, a deal that will cost studios a combined $223 million per year for the next three years. For those who understand how movies and residuals work, this is a drop in the bucket for the studio system. But now, studios and streamers are beginning to plead poverty.
Inside The Magic pointed out that when all the money is accounted for, streamers like Netflix will “see a 0.02% increase in out-of-pocket spending”. However, they also state that these same streamers are blaming theWGA and SAG-AFTRAfor this “massive” loss of profits. Netflix has stated that because of new residual policies and the new payment regulations and deals, viewers will need to pay more in order to receive “the same quality content they have come to expect.”
The WGA Strike Deal Explained
Here’s everything the WGA won in the deal that finished their strike.
But the writers want what is rightfully theirs. And they have asked for no more than their fair share based on a changing industry and inflationary costs. But the question is whether the average consumer will understand this. Thanks to the length of the strike, we were all given a glimpse into how writers and actors were being treated by the streaming system.
Major actors from hit shows that we have all watched and been fans of for years haveseen zero residuals. Creators have been given one check and been told to go away. But with streaming and with consumers able to call up whatever they want, whenever they want, it was time for a change. Too bad it took so long for the streamers to realize it.
But in the end, does this make it the fault of the WGA? After all, they are demanding more money, which trickles down to viewers having to pay more. The answer to this sarcastic question is of course not. The balance of power has not shifted; studios still stand tall, and the writers will head back to what they do best. Industries change, and the bigwigs need to know that this is one of the main reasons these unions exist. But that doesn’t give viewers the right to be angry at the very people who produce.
Prices Are Up Because They Can Be
Think of this:You just killed cable. What are you going to do next? Well, the odds are you realize you control the deck and that the card game is rigged, so why not sit down and deal whatever cards you want? That’s what Netflix is doing. Despite their rage at the WGA and SAG-AFTRA’s asking for more money, they have raised their rates every year since 2017. Every year. That is every 365 days if they could make it that long. And now, they will soon be implementing the tiered system that other streamers such as Disney+ and Prime Video have started, which, at its lowest level, includes commercials.
Related:Is Prime Video Really Adding Commercials?
This means that with all the price hikes, streamers are now also bringing in additional revenue from ads that are playing in the exact same way as they would on cable TV. So you, the viewer, are spending more time watching ads, being given less variation in content, and being told that you need to pay more because the writers are greedy. It seems a bit much.
So, what can you do about these price hikes? Well, you can cancel your streaming subscriptions or buck up and pay. With cable dying a medium-paced death, there are currentlyvery few options open to you. Sure, there are plenty of streaming services out there, but they are so segmented that content is not shared, and each one has vowed to raise prices. At the moment, you’re stuck. You’re stuck with services that know they currently run entertainment and who want you to be angry at the people who actually create it.
