Tag Archives: ABC

Hollywood Labor Joint Statement on Jimmy Kimmel

The Hollywood unions — AFM, DGA, IATSE and SAG-AFTRA — issued the following joint statement after this week’s announcement that “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” was being suspended indefinitely by ABC:

“The indefinite removal of ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ under government pressure is not an isolated incident. It is part of a disturbing trend of increasing interference in creative expression. This kind of political pressure on broadcasters and artists chills free speech and threatens the livelihoods of thousands of working Americans.

“When a private citizen, business, or television network bows to government intimidation, it strikes at the heart of our First Amendment rights. Creative artists must be free to do their work without fear that their careers or their family’s livelihoods will be disrupted simply for their opinions.

“These cases pull the rug out from under the hardworking American workers behind the scenes who make these productions possible. At a time when America’s film and television industry is still struggling due to globalization and industry contraction, further unnecessary job losses only make a bad situation worse.

“Finally, media companies have a responsibility to defend their workers and the integrity of the stories they tell. All broadcasters must stand firm in defense of free expression and the First Amendment, not capitulate to a policy of political appeasement.”

This statement follows similar statements released individually by AFM International President Tino Gagliardi, Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA. Other unions and union groups that have released statements include the Producers Guild of America, Teamsters 399, AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler, and the California Federation of Labor Unions.

AFM Statement in Response to ABC Taking ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ Off the Air

American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada President Tino Gagliardi issued the following statement in response to ABC taking Jimmy Kimmel Live!, which employs musicians from Local 47 in Los Angeles, off the air:

“This is not complicated: Trump’s FCC identified speech it did not like and threatened ABC with extreme reprisals. This is state censorship. It’s now happening in the United States of America, not some far-off country. It’s happening right here and right now.

“This act by the Trump Administration represents a direct attack on free speech and artistic expression. These are fundamental rights that we must protect in a free society. The American Federation of Musicians strongly condemns the decision to take Jimmy Kimmel Live! off the air.

“We stand in solidarity with all those who will be without work because of government overreach.”

Musicians Hold Live Street Performance Calling on Disney’s Dana Walden to Provide Fair Pay

Contract fight continues as film/TV studios refuse to pay musicians streaming residuals

LOS ANGELES, CA (Oct. 11, 2019) — Today musicians who score for television and films performed live music outside the Variety 2019 Power of Women luncheon calling on honoree Dana Walden, chairman of Disney Television Studios and ABC Entertainment, to pay musicians fairly for their work on streaming movies and TV shows. Continue reading

ABC Drops ‘Dancing With the Stars’ Band

 

dwtsband
LOS ANGELES, CA (Feb. 6, 2014) — When “Dancing With the Stars” returns this March, the house band won’t be with it.

ABC and BBC Worldwide Productions announced this week that they will not have the 28 instrumentalists, singers, arrangers and copyists return for season 18.

The network did not announce a reason for the firings, but the American Federation of Musicians cites executive changes at ABC for the decision. The musicians union says the network put “pressure on ‘DWTS’ producer BBC Worldwide Productions to cut corners and pander to a younger viewing audience.” Continue reading