Topic : Season Pass-Writers Strike help?

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            Replies : 15 - Pages : 2 [ 1 2 | Next ] - Last Post : Jan 8, 2008 3:11 PM by: zdewitt
ishtarzana

Posts: 1
Registered: Dec 28, 2007
Season Pass-Writers Strike help?
Posted: Dec 28, 2007 2:42 AM
 

So silly me bought a season pass in the middle of the writers strike, cuz I was so overjoyed to be able to see a show I kept missing due to work.
Now only 8 episodes are available and due to the writers strike I don't see the other 8 being available in the near future.
Is Apple gonna refund monies or did I just pay $4/episode and learn a stupid lesson?

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Jon Kung

Posts: 7
Registered: Jun 23, 2006
Re: Season Pass-Writers Strike help?
Posted: Dec 28, 2007 5:21 PM   in response to: ishtarzana
 

I am actually quite surprised that this issue has not been discussed more. I am in the same situation having bought numerous season passes to TV shows that have been halted due to the WGA strike. Has there been a statement released by Apple in regards to this? Will we get our money's worth or are were just out of luck?

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susan trubey

Posts: 35
From: portugal
Registered: Oct 3, 2007
Re: Season Pass-Writers Strike help?
Posted: Dec 31, 2007 5:45 PM   in response to: ishtarzana
 

I have been googling this question for a few weeks and been surprised that there has not been any grassroot demand for refunds.

I posted something on an itunes tv show page just to see if I could stir up some interest, but everybody seems complacent.

Oh, well. But I really think it is time for an official statement.

susana.

macbook   Mac OS X (10.4.10)    
idiotdogbrain

Posts: 64
Registered: Mar 28, 2006
Re: Season Pass-Writers Strike help?
Posted: Jan 1, 2008 4:54 PM   in response to: susan trubey
 

I got an email from Apple at the beginning of the strike saying basically "We know you bought a multi-pass for The Colbert Report, but there's strike on. When The Colbert Report starts up again, you'll get more episodes." Since The Colbert Report starts up again next week, I'm doing good.

Now if Apple would just give me back my money for the season pass I bought for an NBC-owned show that I only got half the episodes of. :(

MacBook   Mac OS X (10.4.11)    
Arman M

Posts: 34
From: Abu Dhabi, U.A.E.
Registered: Nov 26, 2007
Re: Season Pass-Writers Strike help?
Posted: Jan 2, 2008 2:34 AM   in response to: ishtarzana
 

I too hold several season passes. Would be nice to get a refund if the remaining eposiode will not be shown due to the strike!

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OS2Guy


Posts: 526
From: Pacific Coast
Registered: Apr 27, 2006
Re: Season Pass-Writers Strike help?
Posted: Jan 7, 2008 9:31 AM   in response to: ishtarzana
 

os2guyWhen you purchased the season tickets your agreement clearly stated that if episodes or shows were not available for some reason beyond Apple's control that Apple was under no obligation to provide a partial or full refund. A fee has already been paid to the producers by Apple and you are now asking Apple to bite the bullet and pay you for the results of the Writer's strike. The real culprit here are the writers who went out on strike. Perhaps you should contact the Writer's Union.

Tim...

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afeick

Posts: 2
Registered: Jun 21, 2006
Re: Season Pass-Writers Strike help?
Posted: Jan 7, 2008 11:46 AM   in response to: OS2Guy
 

OS2Guy wrote:
... A fee has already been paid to the producers by Apple and you are now asking Apple to bite the bullet and pay you for the results of the Writer's strike. The real culprit here are the writers who went out on strike. Perhaps you should contact the Writer's Union.

Or you could contact the producers. They're as much a party to this fiasco as the writers.

I don't think anyone would expect Apple to bite the bullet here, but I would hope they had the balls and intelligence to go to bat for their customers and get the money back from the producers.

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abbiegonzalez

Posts: 21
From: Florida
Registered: Aug 13, 2007
Re: Season Pass-Writers Strike help?
Posted: Jan 7, 2008 4:52 PM   in response to: afeick
 

Perhaps they tried. No company sits on their hands when something like this happens, but there are things that happen between companies we will find out only in apple confidential 3.0.

Mac Mini   Mac OS X (10.5.1)   Not yet modded.  
Elenfair

Posts: 1
Registered: Jan 7, 2008
Re: Season Pass-Writers Strike help?
Posted: Jan 7, 2008 7:16 PM   in response to: OS2Guy
 

OS2Guy wrote:
The real culprit here are the writers who went out on strike. Perhaps you should contact the Writer's Union.

Well... considering that writers currently make a whopping Zero (0) cents on every download the networks sell on iTunes, I doubt you'll get much sympathy from a call to the WGA.

You might want to lodge your complaint with the AMPTP instead. They have decided to walk away from negotiations in early December and have refused to return since. The writers are asking for residuals for internet sales. Right now, when Networks sell episodes (or films) online, writers do not get ANYTHING from that sale.

Movie and Television Writers' contracts were built not unlike novelists (who make royalties). Royalties make up about 15% of the sale of a book. For WGA writers, you're looking more at 2.4% of a rerun sale, if that. Those are called "residuals".

On DVD sales, WGA writers make approximate four (4) cents on every sale. That's across a team, in the case of television writers. The current proposal the WGA made (which was turned down by AMPTP) was for eight (8) cents.

As for the WGA's demand for internet profits, the writers only want their share of profits. SOMETHING for their work, rather than nothing at all. The Networks and Producers are trying to claim that the Internet is an "unproven market" and that internet sales are a "marketing expense" for them.

So -- all I'm saying is -- before you go blaming the writers over this? You might want to get informed.

Elly
Mac user since the old Mac Plus
WGAe Strike Captain

  Mac OS X (10.4.10)    
wombatwoops

Posts: 1
Registered: Jan 8, 2008
Re: Season Pass-Writers Strike help?
Posted: Jan 7, 2008 10:30 PM   in response to: OS2Guy
 

It seems to me that iTunes Store should be asking for my money back from the producers, since they can't supply the episodes. They aren't entitled to my money if they can't deliver the goods for which I paid. They should curb their "above the line" costs and give their writers a fair deal . If Apple doesn't budge on this issue I'm afraid my brief foray into purchasing TV shows on iTunes is over. I guess it's back to books and podcasts.

     
camoracer


Posts: 4,200
Registered: Mar 3, 2006
Re: Season Pass-Writers Strike help?
Posted: Jan 8, 2008 2:03 AM   in response to: wombatwoops
 

Unless a show is canceled and no more episodes come out, when seasons resume then downloads will be available again.

Based on that, season passes for non-canceled shows are still good, there is just nothing available to download right now.

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idiotdogbrain

Posts: 64
Registered: Mar 28, 2006
Re: Season Pass-Writers Strike help?
Posted: Jan 8, 2008 7:40 AM   in response to: camoracer
 

Okay...The Colbert Report started up again last night. However, looking on iTunes this morning, I see that Colbert and the Daily Show aren't even listed on Comedy Central's page. What's up with that?

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J.I. Vicuña

Posts: 5
Registered: Sep 21, 2007
Re: Season Pass-Writers Strike help?
Posted: Jan 8, 2008 9:30 AM   in response to: idiotdogbrain
 

I noticed that thing too. There's a big banner under TV Shows/Comedy for a New episode of Colbert, but when you get into the page, it says "No more episodes available due to the writer's strike". Same thing with The Daily Show (Without the banner, that is).
And my season passes for both shows are getting an auto-renewal tomorrow... sigh.

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indyjones7199

Posts: 1
From: Ohio
Registered: Jan 8, 2008
Re: Season Pass-Writers Strike help?
Posted: Jan 8, 2008 2:04 PM   in response to: ishtarzana
 

AGREED!!!! I shelled out $39.99 for HALF a season of NCIS!!!!!

iTunes could simply credit my account & I would be happy. If it is carrying over to next year, does that mean I will get the first half of next season???

Either way, that was the first AND LAST time I ever get a season pass. You save a little bit of money.....but considering how much I just lost on NCIS...IT IS NOT WORTH IT!!!

   
stmidnite

Posts: 104
Registered: Sep 22, 2007
Re: Season Pass-Writers Strike help?
Posted: Jan 8, 2008 2:52 PM   in response to: indyjones7199
 

I will contact iTunes Store Customer Support for a season pass reimbursement when the networks or studios announce that any of the TV Show season has prematurely ended.

Right now, can't really do much. Thanks to the writers' strike.

  Mac OS X (10.5.1)