American Idol Truth Tour's Final Stop is the Big Apple

American Idol Truth Tour's Final Stop is the Big Apple

WHAT: The American Idol Truth Tour will be stopping in midtown Manhattan at the New York headquarters of FremantleMedia. Former FremantleMedia workers and supporters are demanding that the American Idol producer does the right thing by offering industry-standard pay, working conditions, and benefits to its employees.

Co-sponsored by the Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW), the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE), and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT), the Truth Tour has been following this season's Idol auditions around the country, including recent stops in San Francisco, Phoenix, San Juan, and Jacksonville, to raise awareness of workers' rights issues. As American Idol searches for the next pop superstar, the Truth Tour has focused the spotlight on the harsh reality of substandard working conditions in "reality" TV.

FremantleMedia produces American Idol, the highest-rated show on TV, as well as other hit primetime programs such as America's Got Talent (NBC), Million Dollar Password (CBS), and Farmer Wants a Wife (CW). While FremantleMedia reaps huge profits, its writers and other behind-the-scenes workers often face poor and illegal working conditions. Recently, a group of FremantleMedia employees filed claims totaling more than $250,000 with the California Labor Commissioner, alleging multiple serious wage and hour violations, including unpaid overtime, failure to provide state-mandated meal or rest periods, and a denial of basic worker rights.

WHEN: Tuesday, August 19, 2008
12 Noon - 2 PM (EDT)

WHERE: FremantleMedia
28 East 28th Street
New York City

WHO: Truth Tour participants are scheduled to include: WGAW President Patric M. Verrone; WGAE President Michael Winship; Dan Kane, Sr., International Vice President, Teamsters; former American Idol production assistant Justin Buckles; former Fremantle game-show writer Ro DiSalvo (Temptation).

Media interview opportunities will be available on-site at rally.

For more information about the American Idol Truth Tour, please visit: www.truthaboutfremantle.com.

/PRNewswire-USNewswire - Aug. 18/

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: International Brotherhood of Teamsters

CONTACT: Sherry Goldman of WGAE, +1-718-224-4133, sherry@goldmanpr.net,
or Neal Sacharow of WGAW, +1-310-721-7314, nsacharow@wga.org; or Galen Munroe
of Teamsters, +1-202-439-7427, gmunroe@teamster.org

Web Site: http://www.teamster.org/
http://www.truthaboutfremantle.com/

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Profile: intent