SAG Letter to ATAS Chair John Shaffner

SAG Interim National Executive Director David White sent the following letter to Academy of Arts and Sciences Chair John Shaffner:

August 6, 2009


John Shaffner
Chairman & Chief Executive Officer

Academy of Television
Arts & Sciences

5220 Lankershim Boulevard
North Hollywood, CA  91601

Dear John:

I appreciate our discussion this morning and your willingness to explain the Academy’s reasoning behind the recently proposed changes to this year’s Awards telecast. As I stated, the Screen Actors Guild remains concerned about the recommended modifications which, if enacted, could reduce the level of recognition that our members, and other talent, have come to expect and appreciate through your program.
 


We understand the pressures facing the Academy in today’s economic climate and I was certainly pleased to hear about the steps that you intend to take to attempt to minimize the impact on performers’ participation and recognition throughout the program.  Still, we request that the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences’ Board of Governors review further the proposed changes and, with input from the talent Guilds, arrive at a mutually agreeable solution to this situation.
 


The Academy’s dedication to recognizing the creative men and women at the heart of television is a laudable mission that has served our members, and the industry, well for many years.  We trust that you will continue to fulfill this mission, while finding ways to bestow appropriate credit and recognition on our members and the industry’s other creative talent.
 


Sincerely,


David P. White

Interim National Executive Director
 


cc: Alan Rosenberg, National President
Jay Roth, National Executive Director, DGA
David Young, National Executive Director, WGA


Click here to download SAG Letter to ATAS Chair John Shaffner