PressEthic

M --

Let's not forget what some of the other (non-ClearChannel) media are in NYC:

• The Post is owned by News Corp. (owner of Fox, BSkyB, FX, and others).
• The Times Co. also owns The Boston Globe, About.com, and a dozen other dailies.
• WNBC is owned by General Electric (it doesn't get a whole lot bigger than that in any industry).
• WCBS is owned by Viacom, which owns Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, MTV, VH1 and Infinity Radio -- they'd have huge reasons to try to take down Clear Channel
• WABC is owned by Disney -- I almost don't want to get started on them, but ESPN, hundreds of Radio Stations, theme parks, sports teams...you name it.

My point is, these media companies are big enough to fear nothing, what toes to step on? It's all a simple lack of spine.

Also, thanks for the info, because I never would have known about this. Not that I'd be traveling to NYC for the Christmas show, but still. Big news. This has almost as much tradition to it as Major League Baseball.

Your facts are sadly wrong, despite your musician boyfriend. First of all Radio City is owned by Cablevision, not ClearChannel.. Top ticket price at the box office is $120, except for a few premium seats which sell for more ( a move started by The Producers when it opened.) Cablevision was not refusing to pay overtime. They wanted to double-cast the orchestra, as they do the actors and Rockettes, in order to not have to pay more overtime than necessary. Seventy musicians would be employed, as opposed to 35, and all would be fairly compensated for their work. Regarding their rate of $133/show - the show is only 90 minutes long, as oppposed to the typical 2.5 hour Broadway musical, which is why the rate is lower. So they are getting overtime after 3 hours of work - not too bad a deal. And although $25,000 isn't a high annual salary, they are making it in 10 weeks, and most do work the rest of the year in other gigs. The reason they are locked out now is because the musicians refused to show up for their rehearsal/sound check last Sunday, a move that cost Radio City a lot of money, and left the musicians unprepared to step in immediately, even if the contract dispute was solved today. Their showing up outside in tuxes Thursday 11/3 "ready to play" was a PR stunt. The fact is that the president of 802 misled his members about the offers coming from management, and the latest sticking point is that the head of Cablevision wants an apology from the president of 802 for some of the nastier personal things he said to the press. He has so far refused. The sad thing is that most of us in theater here in NY were in complete support of 802 until last Sunday. Now, with the contract they've been offered and the sick-out stunt they pulled, most of the unions involved will most likely cross.

This is a media criticism blog - not a commentary on the state of affairs between the musicians union and Cablevision. Since I was criticizing the media, and lack of coverage, I didn't go out of my way to actually talk about the issues.

I got my $250 a ticket and the picket line statement from the article written in the Indianapolis Star. Perhaps you should read it for yourself before accusing me of being incorrect. The link is above.

Also, the term “picket line” is not a literal one. It is used when talking about a contract dispute between a union and the employer that has not been settled. Any person that goes to work against the wishes of the union is said to be “crossing the picket line.”

However, now that the issues have been raised I'd like to point out that the musicians didn't refuse to show up for rehersal - they only acted as they were directed to by their union (Local 802). That's what you do when you are a union member.

As any Broadway musician or musician who works full-time as a union member will tell you, to go against the wishes of your union in a matter such as this would be like cutting your own throat.

In response to the "any idiot can push play" comment, I'd like to point out that the amount of time it takes someone to become a certified sound engineer doesn't even compare to the amount of time it takes one to become a professional musician in New York City. Although I'm sure Anonymous is very good at his/her job, it would be a heck of a lot easier to master than, say, playing the trumpet at the level of a Broadway musical.

On the matter of mistaking Cablevision with ClearChannel media - you are correct, my bad.

You guys have totally missed the point of this whole thing. Ms. Brooks was not saying that "this" company or "that" union was right.... she was simply pointing out the total lack of coverage and how appalling it is to have something this major left out of the media. After all.... one of the parties involved is.... the "MEDIA"!

This is a MEDIA CRITICISM website..... hence the term "Press Ethics"... (please check your spelling guys... are they rockets or rockettes?).

As far as the actual issues go I have to say that I believe that David Lennon(local 802) has been unfair in some of his comments about the situation and I truly believe that he has misled the orchestra members with certain things he has said. That being said, I think that the orchestra has every right to ask to continue to be paid at the same rate (at least) that they have recieved till now and and I have to take issue with the fact the someone would think it is "ok" to take a pay cut for a professional musician... in any shape or form. Ed... get real... Would anyone want to take less money for doing the same job they have for years? Would you want to be told that you have your pay rate cut or that you are being denied the choice to take overtime because management has "reconfigured" the internal employment scheme? I doubt it. The truth is, we all think we deserve what we make. Probably even you.

As far as the "any idiot can push a button " qoute... well, that is a bit harsh but I do think that in truth that when you are talking about world class musicians ( which, let's face it, the Radio City musicians are...) you really can't compare that skill to one that can be learned in class in say 2 or even 4 years. Anonymous is probably incredibly good at what he/she does. Otherwise he wouldn't be there. He or She may even be considerably overqualified for their post from an ears and talent standpoint. However...... Most of these musicians have spent 15 or more years at least (some as many as 40...) perfecting thier craft... and that is after Darwin's law of natural selection has already taken it toll. As Sinatra said.. If you can make it here you can make it anywhere... For musicians that is a sad sad truth in NYC. All the guys and girls in the orchestra at Radio City want is a contract that is fair and honest. There has been so much crap put out by CableVision AND by the Union at this point that the actual orchestra members have become a sideline to this thing.

SO....

I have to say that Ms. Brooks was only pointing out the obvious truth... there is little or no coverage of this issue because CableVision is involved and the "media" doesn't want to step on it's own toes about it. As much as we would like to believe it isn't true, the "media" does act in it's own self interest often... and frankly, other than blogs like these, there are no outlets to criticize them for doing so. I applaud Ms. Brooks for bringing this issue to light. The simple fact that many of you have responded (however ignorantly) simply shows the true importance of this site and this blog and others like it. Don't blaim or denegrate someone for shedding light on the facts, no matter how that happens. Instead, be critical of the establishment that wishes to hide those facts because it is in it's own self interest. Sadly many of you have focused on the issues within the story... not the fact that the story wasn't being told. Be thankful that someone like Ms. Brooks or anyone cares enough to say something in spite of the obvious "media" blackout.

C.J.

M--

Way to stand up for your point. Especially to somebody who's entirely unwilling to put his name on his critical post.