[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 117 (Wednesday, July 16, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1486-E1487]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE WRITERS GUILD OF AMERICA, WEST IN ACTION AGAINST 
                      FREMANTLEMEDIA NORTH AMERICA

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JACKIE SPEIER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 16, 2008

  Ms. SPEIER. Madam Speaker, the most successful and profitable 
television show in this country is ``American Idol'', produced by 
FremantleMedia North America. ``American Idol'' and other 
FremantleMedia productions entertain many millions worldwide with the 
promise of providing an opportunity for young talented people to 
display their abilities and be rewarded for their hard work.
  That is why it is such a shame that FremantleMedia refuses to offer 
the same basic opportunity to its writers and other employees. The 
California Labor Commissioner has recorded claims from ``American 
Idol'' and other FremantleMedia employees totaling more than $300,000 
in unpaid wages and unsafe working conditions. The State Labor 
Commissioner has conducted serious investigations into FremantleMedia 
productions and has even been forced to cite the company for failure to 
pay overtime to their employees.
   Madam Speaker, I have watched ``American Idol'' with my teenage 
daughter on many occasions. I am well aware of its impact on society 
and the enormous profits it generates for Fox Television and its 
producers and advertisers. In 2007, the show allegedly generated over 
$200 million in profits for the Fox network, while FremantleMedia's 
worldwide profits exceeded $1.8 billion.
   Why then, are they unable to pay a fair and equitable wage to its 
employees who provide the written content or other services that make 
these shows so successful? In an April 2008 filing with the California 
Department of Labor Standards, ``American Idol'' employees reported 
working 15-20 hour days, 7 days a week and FremantleMedia avoided 
paying any overtime by declaring that a substantial majority of their 
employees are ``exempt.'' In addition to failing to abide by 
California's wage and hour statutes, Fremantle refuses to offer most of 
their employees access to health coverage. For such a popular and 
profitable show, I find this behavior reprehensible.
   American reality show fans should not be confused. The reality is, 
``reality'' shows are written. The plot lines, the banter between 
personalities, the contests that are at the heart of the shows; all are 
created by talented members of the creative community. These 
individuals should be paid fairly and like other American workers, 
allowed to join a guild to collectively bargain on their behalf.
   Madam Speaker, no one wants to shut ``American Idol'' down. All I am 
asking, all the American people are demanding, is that those talented 
Americans who create content for these vastly profitable enterprises be 
paid fairly with industry-standard benefits and in accordance with 
federal and state laws. We are asking that one of the country's most 
popular and profitable shows treats its employees with the respect and 
dignity they deserve. You can bet that the on-air personalities who 
read the words are paid dearly. It's time that Fremantle allow those 
who put the words in their mouths simply be allowed to be represented 
at the bargaining table.
    

[[Page E1487]]

                       SENATE COMMITTEE MEETINGS

  Title IV of Senate Resolution 4, agreed to by the Senate on February 
4, 1977, calls for establishment of a system for a computerized 
schedule of all meetings and hearings of Senate committees, 
subcommittees, joint committees, and committees of conference. This 
title requires all such committees to notify the Office of the Senate 
Daily Digest--designated by the Rules Committee--of the time, place, 
and purpose of the meetings, when scheduled, and any cancellations or 
changes in the meetings as they occur.
  As an additional procedure along with the computerization of this 
information, the Office of the Senate Daily Digest will prepare this 
information for printing in the Extensions of Remarks section of the 
Congressional Record on Monday and Wednesday of each week.
  Meetings scheduled for Thursday, July 17, 2008 may be found in the 
Daily Digest of today's Record.

                           MEETINGS SCHEDULED

                                JULY 22
     9:30 a.m.
       Armed Services
         To hold hearings to examine the nominations of Michael 
           Bruce Donley, of Virginia, to be Secretary, General 
           Norton A. Schwartz, for reappointment to the grade of 
           general and to be Chief of Staff, and General Duncan J. 
           McNabb, for reappointment to the grade of general and 
           to be Commander, United States Transportation Command, 
           all of the United States Air Force.
                                                            SR-325
       Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
         To hold hearings to examine ways for America to gain 
           energy security.
                                                            SD-106
     10 a.m.
       Environment and Public Works
         To hold hearings to examine global warming, focusing on 
           an update on the science and its implications.
                                                            SD-406
       Finance
         To hold hearings to examine Indian governments and the 
           tax code, focusing on maximizing tax incentives for 
           economic development.
                                                            SD-215
     2 p.m.
       Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
       Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, 
           and the District of Columbia Subcommittee
         To hold hearings to examine improving performance 
           relating to a review of pay-for-performance systems in 
           the Federal Government.
                                                            SD-342
     2:30 p.m.
       Intelligence
         To hold closed hearings to examine certain intelligence 
           matters.
                                                            SH-219

                                JULY 23
     9:30 a.m.
       Environment and Public Works
         To hold hearings to examine the midwest floods, focusing 
           on ways to determine what happened and how to improve 
           managing risk and responses in the future.
                                                            SD-406
       Veterans' Affairs
         To hold an oversight hearing to examine the Department of 
           Veterans Affairs, focusing on responding to the needs 
           of returning United States Guard and Reserve members.
                                                            SR-418
     9:45 a.m.
       Energy and Natural Resources
         To hold hearings to examine the status of existing 
           federal programs targeted at reducing gasoline demand, 
           focusing on additional proposals for near-term gasoline 
           demand reductions.
                                                            SD-366
     10 a.m.
       Foreign Relations
         To hold hearings to examine the nominations of James 
           Christopher Swan, of California, to be Ambassador to 
           the Republic of Djibouti, Alan W. Eastham, Jr., of 
           Arkansas, to be Ambassador to the Republic of the 
           Congo, and W. Stuart Symington, of Missouri, to be 
           Ambassador to the Republic of Rwanda, all of the 
           Department of State.
                                                            SD-419
       Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
         To hold hearings to examine information sharing, focusing 
           on connecting the dots at the Federal, State, and Local 
           levels.
                                                            SD-342
       Judiciary
         To hold hearings to examine courting big business, 
           focusing on the Supreme Court's recent decisions on 
           corporate misconduct and laws regulating corporations.
                                                            SD-226
     10:30 a.m.
       Aging
         To hold hearings to examine person-centered care, 
           focusing on reforming services and bringing elderly 
           citizens back to the heart of society.
                                                            SD-562
     2 p.m.
       Judiciary
         To hold hearings to examine the nominations of J. Patrick 
           Rowan, of Maryland, and Jeffrey Leigh Sedgwick, of 
           Massachusetts, both to be an Assistant Attorney 
           General, Department of Justice, and William B. Carr, 
           Jr., of Pennsylvania, to be a Member of the United 
           States Sentencing Commission.
                                                            SD-226
     2:30 p.m.
       Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
       Children and Families Subcommittee
         To continue hearings to examine childhood obesity, 
           focusing on declining health of America's next 
           generation (Part II).
                                                            SD-430
       Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
         To hold hearings to examine the nominations of Carol A. 
           Dalton, Anthony C. Epstein, and Heidi M. Pasichow, all 
           of the District of Columbia, all to be an Associate 
           Judge of the Superior Court of the District of 
           Columbia.
                                                            SD-342

                                JULY 24
     10 a.m.
       Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
         To hold hearings to examine the nomination of James A. 
           Williams, of Virginia, to be Administrator of General 
           Services Administration.
                                                            SD-342
       Judiciary
         To hold hearings to examine crimes associated with 
           polygamy, focusing on the need for a coordinated state 
           and federal response.
                                                            SD-226
     2:30 p.m.
       Intelligence
         To hold closed hearings to examine certain intelligence 
           matters.
                                                            SH-219

                                JULY 30
     10 a.m.
       Judiciary
         To hold hearings to examine the White House and the 
           Environmental protection Agency (EPA), focusing on 
           impeding congressional oversight.
                                                            SD-226