Fox Happy To Be Relieved Of The Money-Losing Burden Of Producing Scripted TV
· Giving the thousands of writers who will descend upon the Fox lot for tomorrow's mass picket a little extra motivation, News Corp. president Peter Chernin claims that his network will save more money from unpaid deals, story, and pilot costs than it stands to lose during a strike. It remains to be seen whether or not Chernin will follow through on a threat to further taunt the WGA by playing a loop of American Idol's theme music at deafening volumes during tomorrow's gathering. [Variety]
·"In the digital domain, content still rules," said Sumner Redstone in a speech touting Viacom's bold commitment to exploring an internet space that he expects "won't yield enough revenue to pay writers for at least the next five or six decades of my life." [THR]
· Billy Bob Thornton hopes some of newly minted Hollywood superstar Shia LaBeouf's sizzle rubs off on him, signing on to learn some new tricks from the young master while working on the DreamWorks thriller Eagle Eye. [Variety]
· Not even the strike can slow Jerry Bruckheimer's superproducing abilities. [Variety]