You’ve probably heard about the writer’s strike by now. It’s a big dust-up where writers in Hollywood feel they should be compensated for online revenues, while major networks are saying that we should wait until there’s a market. The following clip is a humorous take on just that:

However, something that the writers and YouTube/Google don’t realize is that there is a tremendous opportunity here. As the line between traditional media and online media gets further blurred, something that becomes apparent (to the credit of the writers) is that content creation is key.

That’s what makes this period very interesting: what if all of the writers jumped to online media? I doubt they would do it, because other writers would jump into their traditional media roles, and there may not be enough cash in the online world right now to keep all of these writers.

But, imagine that YouTube/Google had deep pockets, and could snatch all of that writing talent. Screw dealing with NBC for display rights, imagine getting all of that creative talent to write original content that can only be found on YouTube. Essentially, Google would have created an instant online media network, with the best creators money could buy.

If nothing else, the writers should investigate this option to put more pressure on the networks. Just a thought.

I’d hate for them to make the jump, considering how the writers develop all the shows I watch on TV, but can you imagine online media content actually surpassing its traditional media counterparts?