WGA and SAG go to Washington -- Dems to hold hearings on Big Media?

So the WGA's Patric Verrone visited Our Nation's Capital today, joined by his SAG counterpart Alan Rosenberg, for meetings with members of California's Democratic congressional delegation. News reports say Verrone and Rosenberg also had talks slated with lawmakers overseeing the TV industry as well as three FCC members. Though Verrone isn't asking for hearings into writers strike-related issues, rumors keep reaching me about possible Senate or House hearings into the business practices of the Big Media conglomerates in whose few hands are most of the major Hollywood studios and networks. Certainly Verrone has expressed opposition to any further consolidation in the media industry, an issue that is heating up in Washington. But The Hill reported today that both Verrone and Rosenberg are complaining around Congress that Big Media is helping muzzle striking writers seeking news coverage of their side of the story.

Along with Barbara Boxer, Howard Berman and Henry Waxman, the pair sat down with House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman John Dingell and House Telecommunications and Internet Subcommittee Chairman Ed Markey as well as the chief of staff for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. At the FCC, they huddled with the commission’s two Democrats, Michael Copps and Jonathan Adelstein, and Republican Robert McDowell. Since last year, the entertainment guilds have been unsuccessfully lobbying the FCC to institute a rule requiring independent producers to account for a quarter of all network broadcasting during prime time. In addition, the unions are lobbying the FCC to clamp down on studios’ growing use of “product integration,” where ads are woven subtly into movie and TV scripts. The guilds say the practice deprives talent of income from ads and fools viewers who don't know they're being pitched to.

Verrone and Rosenberg reportedly didn't meet with any Republicans on the Hill.

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http://www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com/mr-wga-goes-to-washington-with-sag/

it's way overdue.

n/t