But TV show actors are filthy rich anyway...

What’s your favorite TV show? Do you enjoy the show so much that you wish the seasons never came to an end? Do you love the show so much you hoped the producers would keep coming up with new episodes forever? Do you enjoy it so much you’d keep your computer running for a couple of days to download the entire season of it?

If you said yes to the last question, guess what, you’re not really helping the show. Yes, that’s obvious. But did you know that you’re actually contributing to the reduction of what the show’s actors and actresses earn from the show?

We all know that these major stars get paid astounding amounts for each episode they appear in. Who would ever forget that whopping one million dollars per episode EACH cast member of that TV show Friends got for the last two seasons of the show’s run? However, up to this moment, the show’s cast still enjoys the entry of money into their bank accounts from the show thru syndication.

What exactly is syndication? Syndication, in broadcasting, is the sale of the right to broadcast television shows and radio programs to multiple individual stations, without having to go through a broadcast network. It is common in countries where television is scheduled by networks with local affiliates, particularly in the United States. However, TV shows can be syndicated internationally, with the international broadcast networks selling the rights to broadcast to a local station in another country, and such station then becomes the affiliate. (Wikipedia) Whenever the major international broadcast network is able to sell the rights to air the program, the actors still get a certain percentage from the profit. After all, their extraordinary performance of amusing characters is a factor which boosts the show’s popularity. Can you imagine Friends with another cast?

How the stars’ income decreases is simple. When the affiliates in the other nations feel that the ratings are dwindling because of decreased viewership, the logical thing to do is either buy broadcast rights at a smaller price, or not to buy the rights at all. And yes, in addition to the competition that comes with bootleg DVDs, broadcasting networks now have to compete with the internet, given that entire seasons of TV shows can now be downloaded at absolutely no cost! (Well, maybe the internet dues and electricity bill, but otherwise…)

Yes it’s unfair.

But if the actors get paid one million dollars for an episode already, then what’s fair?

Hmm…well...