Actra members seem set to start a strike against television and film producers today. Principal bone of contention: new media. All kinds of digital spin-offs are providing new revenues to producers, and the actors need their share.

Hard to avoid seeing how effectively the “cyberspace is free” ideology has been perverted here. Anti-copyright activists proclaim themselves relentlessly against Disney and Microsoft and all the corporate forces locking up the culture. But it is corporate producers that have most effectively harnessed that free culture argument: “Hey, it’s digital, it’s new media, it’s gotta be free. Run with us here, don’t be all old-media and expected to get paid.”

I don’t know if actors have to walk picket lines and have the fire in the barrel and all. No fun in January — even if the weather is mild. Good luck, creators. Hey, at least actors can take collective action. Too bad periodical writers don’t yet have similar recourse!