Not ad-related, but amusing for creative people, nonetheless. From the CBC:
Hollywood writers have sued Fox Broadcasting and a reality show production company, charging them with violating California’s labour laws covering wages, overtime and meal breaks.
The production company is Rocket Science Laboratories, maker of Joe Millionaire, My Big Fat Obnoxious Fiance, and other well-known reality programs.
The suit was filed on behalf of 10 writers and editors. It claims that Fox and Rocket Science, the producer of seven reality shows on Fox, required employees to falsify time cards, failed to pay overtime and routinely required plaintiffs to work 12 hours a day or more.
Sounds like a rough life. If these writers aren’t careful, Fox might move its production to Bangladesh. I hear reality-show writers there only get 75 cents an hour and are forced to drink Sanka as opposed to good coffee.
Why are Hollywood people still unionized in this day and age? I always did wonder what would happen if advertising people had a union.
And how much writing did “Joe Millionare” need, anyway?
For Writers, Reality Shows Are Just Sweatshops
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Since reality shows aren’t reality, they need a lot of writing. And any art that is married with commerce needs a union. Corporations will try to screw you whether you’re a coal miner or a writer.