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AFTRA FLASH
Your Voice - in Music, Entertainment and News & Information
- Your Union
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August 2004
In this issue
Please
click on the following links to take you to the news...
AFTRA NEWS
HEALTH CARE ALERT
SOUND RECORDING COMMENTS
LOCAL NEWS
SCAM ALERT
OVERTIME RULES
WE REMEMBER
BENEFITS AND DISCOUNTS
FLASH-BACK
AFTRA President John Connolly addressed FCC Commissioners
Kathleen Abernathy, Michael Copps and Jonathan Adelstein July 21 at
the FCC Localism Hearing in Monterey, CA. Connolly emphasized the
problems created by increased media consolidation, such as voice tracking,
central casting and the loss of artistic localism.
Connolly also highlighted the results of a media workers
survey as further evidence of the negative
impact consolidation is having on the free flow of information. Commissioned
by AFTRA, CWA-TNG, NABET and WGA East, the scientific
survey of professionals in the news industry was released in Washington
D.C. the day before the hearing. Among other findings, those surveyed
noted:
To read the full survey results, President Connolly’s
testimony and see photos from the hearing, go to www.aftra.com.
Two more FCC Localism hearings are set to take place in Maine and
Washington, DC.
Congratulations to veteran radio broadcaster and AFTRA’s First
Vice President, Bob Edwards who will be inducted
into the Radio Hall of Fame this November. Edwards was selected for
this great honor by radio executives, broadcast historians and members
of The Radio Hall of Fame.
Journalists have a right and a duty to report the facts and they must
be allowed the freedom to do so. That is why the AFTRA National Board
unanimously adopted a resolution affirming “The Freedom To Report
and The Freedom To Know.” With the elections just around the
corner, it is more important than ever for broadcasters to be able
to provide critical information
necessary for casting your vote.
Any restriction on the rights of reporters to gather and disseminate
information only serves to weaken the democratic process. Read the
resolution in it entirety at www.aftra.com.
If you have not registered to vote in the upcoming elections, now
is the time to do so! AFTRA, in partnership with Rock The
Vote, is offering online voter registration in every state.
Go to the AFTRA website (www.aftra.com) and click on the Rock The
Vote banner at the bottom left-hand corner of the page. Take ten minutes
out of your day today to make one of the most important decisions
this November. Get Educated and Get Active.
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In response to the concerns expressed by AFTRA members, AFTRA has
arranged for a supplementary dental insurance/vision benefits plan
for AFTRA members and their dependents that are enrolled in the AFTRA
Health Plan. The new supplemental plan will begin October 1.
Individuals participating in the AFTRA Health Plan
already have Type I services (exams, x-rays and cleanings). This new
supplemental program benefit provides coverage for you and your eligible
dependents for Type II and Type III dental services: fillings, crowns,
root canals, etc. (Orthodontia is not included). In addition, this
package also includes a Vision Program through the VSP Network of
providers. This benefit is not provided by, or administered
by, the AFTRA Health and Retirement Funds. It has been arranged
through the Union, and will be administered by Group Benefits Associates
(GBA) and Guardian. All questions about this program should be directed
to GBA or Guardian, and not the AFTRA H&R Funds.
AFTRA members who are eligible for and enrolled in
the AFTRA Health Plan will be mailed a formal announcement with plan
details and costs, as well as enrollment information, in early September.
Additional information will be available on the AFTRA website by late
August. Depending upon the response to this initial offering,
AFTRA will explore developing an expanded plan in 2005 for those AFTRA
members that do not have AFTRA Health Plan coverage.
Premiums for the October 1st quarter will be sent from the AFTRA H&R
Office during August. If you have not received your premium invoice
by August 31st, contact the AFTRA H&R Office at 800-562-4690!
Premiums for the October 1st quarter must be sent to the AFTRA H&R
Office no later than September 15th so please be
sure to check your mail from the AFTRA H&R Funds.
As part of the National Coalition on Health Care (NCHC), AFTRA recently
called on our leaders in Washington to overhaul the health care system.
In a time when five people lose health coverage every minute, it is
imperative that a solution to this ever-growing crisis is found. The
NCHC, representing over 150 million Americans, released the report
“Building a Better Health Care System: Specifications for Reform.”
The report recommends, among other things, bringing cost increases
for health care in line with increases in other parts of the economy
within five years. This important
and informative report can be found at www.nchc.org.
A coalition of recording artists known as Take It To The
Bridge is protesting the failure of the Knitting Factory and Instinct
Records to properly pay recording artists royalties, to allow them to
promote and distribute their old recordings, and to otherwise treat
them fairly. Take It To The Bridge is holding a demonstration
in New York (in front of Knitting Factory, 74 Leonard Street, between
Broadway and Church) on Saturday, August 14. Visit their website at
www.takeittothebridge.com
to sign a petition or get more information about this campaign.
AFTRA and a coalition of organizations representing recording artists
filed joint reply comments in the FCC proceeding examining the upcoming
transition from analog to digital audio broadcasting (DAB). AFTRA,
along with the American Federation of Musicians (AFM), the Future
of Music Coalition (FMC), The Recording Academy, and the Recording
Artists' Coalition (RAC) expressed broad support and excitement for
the opportunities that digital audio broadcasting presents to citizens
and musicians. However, the artist groups also urged the FCC to recognize
the potential that DAB has to disrupt or diminish existing revenue
streams on which artists depend because of DAB's reported capacity
to let radio listeners rewind, buffer and record radio broadcasts
and songs (check out
http://www.thebug.com/ for an example of one available in the
UK). This has led many in the music industry to be concerned that
DAB would diminish CD sales and even displace the emerging Internet
technologies that offer legal downloads or streams to music fans.
As a result, we called on the FCC to include a technological and regulatory
framework that will ensure that recording artists, songwriters and
copyright owners are fairly compensated in the future.
In particular, we expressed the need for broadcasters
to pay a public performance royalty for the sound recording and not
just for the musical composition -- - a sound recording performance
royalty that is currently paid by webcasters, satellite radio and
cable subscriber services but not by
terrestrial broadcasters. To explain this difference: if you
heard the Patsy Cline recording Crazy on regular radio, she
is not paid a royalty, but songwriter Willie Nelson is; however, if
you heard Crazy on XM Radio (a satellite service), both Patsy
Cline and Willie Nelson receive a royalty. AFTRA feels that the transition
to DAB provides an opportune time to harmonize these rights and ensure
that performances on digital radio are compensated via a performance
royalty. To read the joint reply comments in their entirety, go to
http://www.aftra.com/member/recording.htm.
AFTRA, AFM, FMC and RAC submitted Testimony for the Congressional
Oversight Hearing on "Internet Streaming of Radio Broadcasts:
Balancing the Interests of Sound Recording Copyright Owners with those
of Broadcasters.” In our Testimony, we reminded the Committee
about the value of recording artists' work and our undeniable role
as stakeholders in these policy debates, and we urged them to include
us in future discussions. We then explained how recording artists
depend on various and multiple revenue streams in order to make a
living --- CD sales, merchandise, touring, songwriting royalties,
and so on. As we move into a digital age, it's becoming more obvious
that physical CD sales are being replaced by "listens".
We expressed our enthusiasm for these various technologies and services
that allow recording artists to distribute and promote their music
in new ways. But we also urged the Committee to understand how these
technologies are changing the income streams that musicians have traditionally
relied upon and reiterated the Copyright Office's call for a comprehensive
performance right in sound recordings, one that would not only be
paid by webcasters and satellite radio (who already pay it), but also
by terrestrial broadcasters (who have avoided paying this for decades).
To read the testimony, go to http://www.futureofmusic.org/images/housejudiciary04.pdf.
The Casting Access Program is again up and running
in Los Angeles. The program provides AFTRA LA members in the four EEO
protected groups the opportunity to read one-on-one for participating
LA based soap opera casting directors. In the last three months over
a half dozen performers have been hired for "under fives,"
principal and recurring roles. Currently Christy Dooley of The Bold
and the Beautiful and Mark Teschner
of General Hospital are reading performers, with Marnie Saitta
of the Young and the Restless due to start readings shortly.
For more information on the program, including submission procedures
and deadlines for each round of the Casting Access Program, please visit
the LA Local home page at www.aftra.org/locals/losangeles.htm.
NBC, collaborating with AFTRA to promote diversity, is hosting an
open call for minority stand-up comics in New York on August 16. The
first 100 comics to arrive will get the chance to perform a 2-minute
set for a NBC Talent Executive. Semi-finalists will be called back
the next day with a chance to travel to Los Angeles and perform for
Hollywood talent executives, casting directors, agents and managers
in the fall. The event will take place at The Laugh Factory (669 8th
Avenue), Monday, August 16th at 10 a.m. For more information, contact
Ray Bradford at 212.863.4251 or rbradfor@aftra.com.
Congratulations to Melissa Goodman, Executive Director of the Atlanta
local, for her appointment to the Film, Video and Music Advisory Commission
by Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue. Goodman, Atlanta’s Executive
Director since 1992, will serve as a Film Industry Representative
for the Commission.
“Fashion Rock,” a nationwide fashion and talent competition
was singled out by the New York State Consumer Protection Board (CPB)
because of its misleading sales practices. Previous winners have not
received the modeling and recording work advertised by this contest.
Trans Continental Talent, the company behind Fashion Rock, is accused
of using high-pressure and misleading sales tactics to lure thousands
of young people into purchasing a place in the competitions. According
to CPB Chairperson and Executive Director Teresa A. Santiago, “after
six Fashion Rock competitions, contest winners say that there hasn’t
been a single record released – or even one fashion layout produced
– from any of these so-called prize contracts.” For more
information, visit the NY State Consumer Protection Board website
at
www.consumer.state.ny.us/PressReleases/2004/April192004.htm.
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The U.S. Senate and House have recessed until after Labor Day, but
the new overtime rules are still
scheduled to go into effect August 23. However, the fight
for overtime pay is not over. There are two pieces of legislation
before Congress that would protect workers’ rights to overtime
pay. The new rules scheduled to go into effect August 23 could be repealed
if Congress votes for this legislation. If you think it’s only
fair for workers to receive overtime pay for overtime work, let your
Congressperson or Senator know at http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/fax4otpay/.
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Longtime AFTRA leader and veteran actor Frank
Maxwell passed away August 4 at the age of 87. Throughout
his professional life, Mr. Maxwell was an active and committed member
of AFTRA, serving as National President for five consecutive terms,
from 1984-89. He also served as President of the Los Angeles Local
for five years, and from 1985 until his death he was a Trustee of
the AFTRA H&R Funds and a member of the National Board. Maxwell
began his career as a dancer at the 1939 World’s Fair and went
on to appear in numerous movies (Lonelyhearts, By Love Possessed,
Rage to Live, The Intruder, Madame X), television shows (co-starring
as Dan Rooney on General Hospital) and Broadway plays (At
War With the Army, Death of a Salesman, Stalag 17). In World
War II, he was a B-29 bombardier-navigator with the U.S. Air Force
and held the rank of First Lieutenant. Maxwell fought against blacklisting
actors during the McCarthy era in the 1950's and fought for civil
rights in the 1960’s. Contributions in Mr. Maxwell's memory
may be made to the Frank Nelson Sick and Benefit Fund, c/o the AFTRA
Los Angeles office.
Jackson Beck, celebrated actor/announcer
best known as the voice that introduced Superman with the immortal
words “It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s Superman,”
passed away July 28 at the age of 92. Beck joined AFRA a week after
the union was formed in 1937 and went on to become First Vice-President
of AFTRA and President of the New York Local. In 1980, Beck was awarded
the George Heller Memorial Gold Card, AFTRA’s highest honor
presented to those who have made a significant contribution to the
union and its members. In 1992, the New York Local bestowed him with
their highest honor, the Ken Harvey Award in recognition of his outstanding
service to the membership. During his long career, Beck introduced
Tom Corbett, Space Cadet, and played The Cisco Kid, Perry White in
Superman, Philo Vance and scores of other roles on such legendary
radio shows as Suspense, Tom Mix, and The Green
Hornet. He was also the voice of Bluto in Popeye cartoons.
Beat the end-of-the-summer blues by attending a Special Benefit Performance
of Mamma Mia! in New York on August 24.
For those in San Francisco, on August 15 the company
of Movin’ Out will be giving a Special Benefit Performance
at the Golden Gate Theatre. Tickets for both shows are on sale at
212.221.7300 x133.
From August 10-25, the Actors’ Fund, in partnership
with YAHOO!, will hold “Auction of 1000 Stars 2004,” an
online auction to benefit The Actors’ Fund. The auction will
feature hundreds of amazing celebrity experiences and priceless memorabilia.
Some of the items up for sale include: autographed Muhammad Ali boxing
gloves, a VIP tour of The Today Show hosted by Katie Couric;
a VIP day on the set of MTV’s Total Request Live; the
legendary Carol Channing personalizes your home answering machine;
Lynn Redgrave will give you a private Shakespeare lesson; walk-on
parts on many hit Broadway musicals and TV shows; and much more. Go
to www.auctionof1000stars.org
to place your bid.
Union Plus is offering numerous discounts this summer, making it easier
and cheaper for you to get away. Use your Union Plus membership to
get discounts at Sea World, Six Flags, Universal Studios or Major
League Baseball games (www.unionplus.org/entertainment).
How about a trip to the Bahamas? Union Plus is offering discounts
at the Crowne Plaza Golf Resort and Casino at the Royal Oasis on Grand
Bahama Island (www.unionplus.org/bahamas).
If you plan on staying closer to home, get a discount when you rent
a car through Avis or Budget (www.unionplus.org/benefits/auto/discounts.cfm).
back to index
On a recent re-run of The Lawrence
Welk Show, Gail Farrell (featured performer
from 1969-1982)
thanked AFTRA for the scholarships awarded to her twin daughters by
the AFTRA/Heller Memorial Foundation. Over
20 years later, AFTRA's scholarship programs are still going strong
and the union remains committed to giving back to another generation
of members. If you or a dependent is planning on attending a
university, professional school or other accredited institution of
higher education, you might be eligible for an AFTRA scholarship.
For more information and application forms, go to
www.aftra.com/benefits/scholarship.htm.
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