Respect Nikki Finke

And yet once again, this is just my opinion. I'm very, very aware that many people don't share it. But in the spirit of Aboud's post below, I think that it's a good thing for me to weigh in with something that, even though it won't be popular, is worth talking about.

Dissent and discussion is the cornerstone of any healthy democratic organization. Arguing with each other is not a sign of weakness. And arguing with each other doesn't mean we're willing to give up our bottom line. So I'm dissenting here.

I've noticed a tendency people have lately to get angry with Deadline Hollywood when something is posted that they feel harms our "unity." But the truth is, Nikki is very, very accurate, almost all the time. When she's not, it's usually because someone has fed her bad information and she hasn't been able to get the other side yet.

I'm personally sure the story of the screenwriters is not a hoax, because I have independent confirmation that it's true. I also think that those screenwriters are very uncomfortable thinking that other writers are going to ostracize them for questioning the leadership. That fear has led them, unfortunately, to choose speaking to each other instead of talking with the leadership or other writers.

There's been a lot of discussion that Nikki has been "had" or "hoaxed," but the reality is that these screenwriters are so concerned about their identities being found out that they're denying having any involvement in the group, or even that it group exists. I hope that they'll chose to talk with leadership and other members about their concerns. But I don't know what will happen.

And it raises the larger issue for me: when we get bad news, or news that makes us uncomfortable (as this did many people) shooting the messenger is just not the answer.

We have to be able to discuss and disagree internally. That's healthy. And we have to remember that Nikki Finke has been the one place that we've consistently seen honest reporting about the corporations and their appalling behavior.

When she starts suggesting that we should get $250 for a year's worth of downloads, then it might be worth getting pissed off. But a little perspective is useful here. She's not on our side or theirs, she's on the side of telling the truth. Sometimes that truth may embarrass us, but ultimately, communication is always a good thing. It lets us overcome our differences and become stronger.