WGA STRIKE OFFICIALLY ENDS
The Writers Guild of America membership voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to end the 100 day old strike, sending writers back to work on Wednesday as expected. Of the 3,775 votes turned in on both coasts in person or via fax, 92.5% voted in favor of ending the work stoppage.>>>
WGA’s David Young Discusses Pressure to End Strike
Writers Guild of America executive director David Young acknowledged that he was feeling pressure from members to get a deal on the heels of the Directors Guild of America’s deal with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, but also maintained that he never felt in danger of losing the backing of the membership.>>>
WGA SETS TUESDAY VOTE ON END TO STRIKE
More than three months since shutting down TV and film production, the writers’ strike is expected to officially end Tuesday evening. The Writers Guild of America boards voted Sunday to submit the proposed end to the strike to the WGA membership, which will likely approve it in a vote set for Tuesday.>>>
BACK TO WORK BY MIDWEEK?
After Writers Guild of America membership meetings on both coasts Saturday, the end of the three-month-old writers’ strike no longer appears to be a question of if, but when. Assuming the positive momentum continues, writers could be back to work as soon as the middle of this week.>>>
WRITERS, PRODUCERS REACH TENTATIVE DEAL
The Writers Guild of America reached a tentative agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. The tentative arrangement is now expected to be brought before the membership at meetings in both New York and Los Angeles Saturday and, if well-received, could lead to the television industry revving its engines back up this week. Studio and network executives were quietly preparing for that outcome this past week.>>>
WGA Calls Saturday Membership Meetings on Both Coasts
The Writers Guild of America set membership meetings for this Saturday in Los Angeles and New York to brief members on the latest developments in negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers and perhaps give the industry an idea of how close the three-month-old writers' strike is to being settled.>>>
WGA Tells Members Deal Not Done Despite Rumors
As rumors swirled over the weekend that an end to the three-month-old writers' strike was near, the Writers Guild of America sent a letter to its members Sunday saying that a deal was not yet done and that picketing will continue for the time being.>>>
Family Guy Plays Carnegie Hall
How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Buying a ticket in support of striking Writers Guild of America East members is one way.>>>
Writers Will Work on Grammy Awards Broadcast
The Writers Guild of America West, which already said it would not picket the Grammy Awards, added Monday that it signed an interim deal allowing writers to work on the show.>>>
DGA Board Recommends Ratifying AMPTP Pact
The Directors Guild of America's board of directors voted unanimously Sunday to recommend ratification of its new three-year contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.>>>
RKO Pictures Reaches Deal with WGA East
RKO Pictures, the parent of which produced such iconic pictures as King Kong and Citizen Kane, signed a side deal with the Writers Guild of America East.>>>
ABC Becomes Latest Network to Cut Pilot Scripts
ABC became the latest network to trim its batch of pilot scripts in an effort to save costs during the prolonged writers' strike.>>>
WGA Signs Interim Deal with Lionsgate
The Writers Guild of America signed an interim agreement with independent film and television studio Lionsgate.>>>
NBC Keeping Current Pilot Script Slate
NBC Universal executives confirmed Wednesday that the network currently does not have plans to jettison a batch of pilot scripts as CBS, Fox and The CW have done to dozens of projects in the wake of the writers’ strike.>>>
Capitol Hill Hosts Comedy Debate
With the help of a half-dozen or so out-of-work writers, the Writers Guild of America staged a comedy debate on Capitol Hill Wednesday on the serious subject of the ongoing strike against the Association of Motion Picture and Television Producers. With the aid of a half-dozen members of Congress, the guild framed the issue as consolidated media companies that didn't want to split their $95 billion in profits with the writers who helped to create all of that high-value content.>>>
WGA, AMPTP to Hold Informal Talks Starting Wednesday
The Writers Guild of America and Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers will hold informal talks beginning Wednesday, and when they do, the WGA said it will pull its demands for Guild representation of reality and animation writers. The sides put out a joint statement Tuesday saying that the informal talks will be held to determine “if there is a basis for both parties to return to formal negotiations.” The sides also agreed to a news blackout on the informal talks.>>>
Fox, The CW Trim Development Slates
Fox and The CW are scaling back on their batches of pilot scripts as the networks continue to institute budgetary cutbacks in the wake of the writers' strike.>>>
WGA Will Not Picket Grammys
The Writers Guild of America West decided not to picket the Grammy Awards. The WGA board voted unanimously against picketing the awards ceremony, set to air live Feb. 10 on CBS. However, no interim deal to allow guild writers to work on the event has been announced. The decision frees performers to appear on the broadcast without having to cross a picket line.>>>
SAG: Don’t ‘Anoint’ DGA-AMPTP Deal
The Screen Actors Guild said Monday that there should not be a rush to "anoint" the deal between the Directors Guild of America and studios as the de facto solution for the rest of the industry.>>>
Leaders Call for Patience in Wake of DGA Deal
With talk that the deal between the Directors Guild of America and studios would have writers back at the table as soon as this week, the Writers Guild of America sent a letter to members late Friday asking them to keep the faith and pointing out that it had signed four more side deals.>>>
WGA Starts Fund to Help Idled Crews
The Writers Guild of America started a fund to help non-WGA members affected by the writers' strike against the Association of Motion Picture and Television Producers.>>>
WGA East Scales Back Reception
The Writers Guild of America East decided to honor its 2008 WGA Award winners with what it called an "informal reception" Feb. 9 from 7 p.m.-9 p.m. at the Hudson Theater in New York.>>>
Comedy Central Writers Head to Washington
While Comedy Central’s The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and The Colbert Report have returned to the air without writers to carry on their political commentary on Washington, D.C., the show's writers will venture to Washington next week for a comic commentary on the serious subject of the writer's strike.>>>
DGA, AMPTP Reach Deal
The DGA deal is done, and now the waiting begins to see what it means for the WGA: As expected, the Directors Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Pictures and Television Producers came to an agreement, which happened Thursday after six days of talks. Now the entertainment industry will see if the DGA deal gets the Writers Guild of America and the AMPTP back to the table. The WGA has been on strike since Nov. 5, and the sides have not met since early December.>>>
Limon Forms Co., Inks WGA Deal
Doug Limon, theatrical producer and director (Bourne Identity) and former TV producer (The O.C.), created a new-media-production company, Jackson Bites, and already signed a deal with the Writers Guild of America, which is currently on strike against most producers.>>>
Spyglass Entertainment Inks Independent Deal
The Writers Guild of America announced another independent agreement (its fifth), this one with theatrical producer Spyglass Entertainment (Bruce Almighty, Seabiscuit).>>>
No Waiver for Academy Awards
In the wake of the cancellation of the traditional Golden Globe Awards ceremony, Writers Guild of America West president Patric Verrone reiterated Tuesday that he does not anticipate granting the Academy Awards a waiver unless the striking writers and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers reach a deal.>>>
WGA Signs Interim Agreement with NAACP
The Writers Guild of America and the NAACP signed an interim agreement that will allow the 39th Annual NAACP Image Awards to be broadcast on Fox as scheduled Feb. 14.>>>
Studios Begin Trimming as Writers' Strike Stretches On
As expected due to the ongoing writers’ strike, several major studios have shed many overall deals for writers and producers.>>>
MRC Reaches Side Deal with WGA
The Writers Guild of America said Monday that it signed another interim side deal, this one with independent TV and film producer MRC (Media Rights Capital).>>>
Daily Show Writers Performing Live Benefit
With the writers’ strike still looming large and their employer back to work on new shows without them, writers for Comedy Central’s The Daily Show with Jon Stewart are planning a live benefit, with the proceeds going to the Writers Guild Industry Support Fund.>>>
CBS Adds Three Unscripted Series
CBS added three new alternative series as the writers’ strike drags on.>>>
David E. Kelley Waits Out ‘Ugly’ Strike
David E. Kelley is one of the most prolific screenwriters of our time. The Emmy Award-winning producer has penned such hits as L.A. Law, Ally McBeal, The Practice and Chicago Hope. The shows, known for their clever use of comedy and pathos, have won him a big following. But he’s also an outspoken critic of Hollywood’s work stoppage.>>>
As Writers Idle, American Idol May Boom
Juggernaut American Idol returns Tuesday on Fox and is expected to see a ratings boom as the writers’ strike could give Simon Cowell and company an advantage.>>>
Golden Globe Awards Up for Grabs
The Golden Globe Awards newscast scheduled for Sunday, Jan. 13, is now up for grabs.>>>
DGA, AMPTP Agree to Begin Negotiations
The Directors Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers agreed Friday to begin formal contract negotations.>>>
Pew Poll Suggests Many Viewers Unaffected by Strike
If a recent poll is any gauge, the writers' strike has yet to disrupt the viewing patterns of a majority of viewers.>>>
WGA West Cancels Awards Ceremony
Days after the Golden Globe Awards were canceled amid the ongoing writers' strike, the Writers Guild of America West announced Thursday that it will not go forward with its own WGA Awards show. The guild will instead announce the winners Feb. 9, when the show was originally scheduled.>>>
CBS News, WGA Reach Tentative Deal
CBS News reached a tentative agreement with Writers Guild of America news writers, the guild announced Wednesday. The agreement, subject to ratification by the approximately 500 WGA East and West members covered by the contract, extends until April 2010 and includes a 3.5% pay increase upon ratification and again in 2009.>>>
FX Schedules Strike-Shortened Dirt
FX set March 2 at 10 p.m. to premiere the second season of original drama Dirt -- or the one-half of it that it shot. The network banked seven of the season’s 13 episodes before the writers’ strike began and halted production.>>>
NBC Pulls Plug on Golden Globe Awards
NBC pulled the plug on its traditional Golden Globe Awards telecast scheduled for this Sunday, swapping it out for an hour-long live newscast to air at 6 p.m. (PST) in which the winners in 25 film and TV categories will be announced.>>>
WGA Signs Side Deal with United Artists
The Writers Guild of America said it signed a side deal with United Artists that allows writers to work for the studio.>>>
Showtime's Dexter Heading to CBS Feb. 17
Dexter, one of Showtime’s most popular shows, will make its debut on CBS Feb. 17.>>>
Leno, Kimmel Book Each Other
The late-night hosts at NBC and ABC are apparently having enough booking challenges during the strike that they are turning to each other: Jay Leno and Jimmy Kimmel will appear on each other’s shows -- The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Jimmy Kimmel Live -- Thursday.>>>
NBC Cites Federal Labor Law in Leno Monologue Defense
NBC fired back at the Writers Guild of America late Friday, saying that any enforcement of strike rules against Tonight Show host Jay Leno would violate federal labor laws.>>>
SAG Says Actors Will Skip Golden Globes
Uncertainty continues to surround the Golden Globe Awards as Screen Actors Guild President Alan Rosenberg announced Friday that SAG nominees won’t show up at the January 13 show. The Writers Guild of America has refused to grant the show a waiver, and says it is planning on picketing the event.>>>
WGA, Leno at Odds Despite Quiet Monday Meeting
NBC Universal and the Writers Guild of America were at odds Thursday over Jay Leno’s right to write and deliver jokes for his own monologue, even after the sides had quietly met on Monday. According to an NBC insider, Leno and some of his writers met with WGA West president Patric Verrone Monday at WGA headquarters, where the Guild was informed that Leno would be writing and performing his own monologue.>>>
Late-Night Ratings Are In
The late-night shows scored their best ratings of the season Wednesday night.>>>
Huckabee Appearing on CBS’ Late Late Show, Too
While in Los Angeles for his Wednesday-night interview on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Republican presidential candidate and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee also taped an interview with Craig Ferguson that will be aired on CBS’ The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson Thursday night.>>>
Late-Night Hosts Return with Show of Support for Striking Writers
In their first broadcasts since the writers' strike halted production of their shows two months ago, the hosts of the broadcast network late-night shows displayed their support for the WGA cause.>>>
WGA Says Golden Globes Picket Still On
The Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which administers the Golden Globe Awards, and the Writers Guild of America were apparently unable to reach a deal to allow striking writers to contribute to the Jan. 13 Dick Clark Productions awards show without crossing the picket lines.>>>
Writers Ask Huckabee Not to Cross Picket Line
The Writers Guild of America said it appreciates presidential candidate and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee's support but suggested that it would appreciate it more if his actions spoke as loud as his words.>>>
Returning Late-Night Shows Name Guests
With late-night shows from CBS and NBC set to return Wednesday, the networks are starting to fill out their guest lists. Actor/comedian Robin Williams will be the first guest on CBS’ Late Show with David Letterman. And NBC’s Tonight Show with Jay Leno will welcome former Arkansas Gov. and Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee.>>>
Letterman's Worldwide Pants Reaches Deal to Bring Writers Back
David Letterman’s production company Worldwide Pants announced today that it has reached an independent agreement with the Writers Guild of America to allow The Late Show With David Letterman and The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson to return to production with their writing staffs. As the writers’ strike stretches into a third month, the WGA is holding up the deal as evidence that it is willing to negotiate in good faith and that its proposals are reasonable.>>>
Daily Show and Colbert Report to Return January 7
Comedy Central’s The Daily Show With Jon Stewart and The Colbert Report are the latest of the late-night shows to announce their return to production amid the ongoing writers' strike. Both shows will be back on the air, without writers, on January 7, a week after the January 2 resumption of NBC’s late night shows hosted by Jay Leno and Conan O’Brien and ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live.>>>
CBS: People’s Choice Awards to Air Taped, Not Live
“The show will go on” at the People’s Choice Awards Jan. 8, CBS said in a statement Wednesday after rumors flew that the show was being canceled in light of the ongoing writers’ strike. “The People’s Choice tradition on CBS will continue, and we plan to introduce some new ideas in the process,” the network said.>>>
Worldwide Pants to Meet with Guild Friday
David Letterman’s Worldwide Pants production company said it has a meeting Friday with the Writers Guild of America as it pursues a side deal that would allow its two late-night CBS shows -- The Late Show with David Letterman and The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson -- to return to the air Jan. 2 with writers.>>>
Letterman, Ferguson Target Jan. 2 Return ... with Writers
David Letterman’s production company, Worldwide Pants, targeted Jan. 2 for the return of its two late-night shows, The Late Show with David Letterman and The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson. But while late-night hosts Jay Leno, Conan O’Brien and Jimmy Kimmel plan to resurface the same night, sans writers, Letterman’s shows plan to return with their writing staffs intact.>>>
ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live Will Also Return Jan. 2
ABC’s late-night franchise, Jimmy Kimmel Live, will join NBC’s The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Late Night with Conan O’Brien in returning to the air without writers Wednesday, Jan. 2.>>>
NBC to Air USA’s Monk, Psych
NBC’s strike-schedule planning continued Tuesday with the announcement that it will air USA Network shows Monk and Psych Sunday nights beginning in March.>>>
Guild Turns Down Waivers for Oscars, Golden Globes
Continuing to play hardball, the Writers Guild of America turned down waiver requests for both the Academy Awards and the Golden Globe Awards.>>>
NBC Late-Night Shows to Return Jan. 2
As expected, NBC announced Monday morning that The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Late Night with Conan O'Brien will return to the air without writers Wednesday, Jan. 2. The shows have been in repeats since the Writers Guild of America strike began Nov. 5.>>>
Letterman May Follow Carson and Cut Side Deal
If you have enjoyed LateShowWritersOnStrike.com, the blog by the striking writers of The Late Show with David Letterman, you might soon be out of luck. That’s because Letterman’s independent production company, Worldwide Pants, is pursuing a separate deal with the Writers Guild of America to get his show back on the air in early 2008. And the NBC hosts, sans writers, may not be far behind -- an announcement that could come as early as Monday morning, according to sources.>>>
WGA Wants to Deal with Individual Companies
Lost can be found on Thursday nights at 9 beginning January 31 on ABC, which finally announced its midseason schedule Friday as the writers' strike nears the six-week mark.>>>
Lost Moves to Thursdays for ABC's Midseason Lineup
The Writers Guild of America Saturday informed its members that it will try to negotiate with the individual companies that make up the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. The AMPTP quickly shot back at the WGA, saying that it was “grasping at straws.">>>
DGA, AMPTP to Open Talks
The Hollywood labor wars heated up Thursday with the Directors Guild of America saying that it is ready to open talks with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers in early 2008, while the Writers Guild of America filed charges against the AMPTP with the National Labor Relations Board for refusing to bargain in good faith.>>>
Nightline Tops Leno, Letterman Again
ABC's Nightline again outrated NBC's The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and CBS' Late Show with David Letterman in total viewers and news' target demographic of 25- to 54-year-olds.>>>
Writers Guild Awards Show Will Go On
The awards show will go on for the Writers Guild of America, which announced the nominations for its annual WGA Awards on Wednesday. But just how the show will go on for the Golden Globes, which announces its nominations on Thursday, remains to be seen.>>>
TCA Cancels January Press Tour
The writers' strike forced the cancellation of the Television Critics Association’s January press tour. The TCA brass had hoped to wait until the end of this week to make the call but instead sent word Monday.>>>
Strike Talks Break Down Yet Again
The ongoing talks to settle the writers' strike have broken down and, unsurprisingly, the two sides are blaming each other. The AMPTP blasted a "WGA negotiating strategy that seems designed to delay or derail talks," while the WGA maintained that it is "ready and willing to negotiate.">>>
WGA, AMPTP Trade Barbs
With the increasing feeling in the television industry that current strike talks may break off at any moment, the Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers traded acrimonious statements Friday.>>>
NBC Announces Remaining Midseason Schedule
NBC announced the remaining pieces of its strike-altered midseason schedule Thursday -- a lineup that includes scripted drama Medium returning Mondays at 10 p.m.>>>
Sides Continue Bargaining But Still Far Apart
Talks are set to continue Thursday between the Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, but the sides seem to be moving no closer to a deal with any brevity, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the talks. Those looking for some silver lining, however, can at least take solace in the fact that the sides have met for two consecutive days and followed each meeting with relatively cordial statements.>>>
PTC Balks at CBS’ Showtime Plan
The Parents Television Council is not happy with CBS' plans to put some Showtime shows on the network during the Writers Guild of America strike.>>>
Sides Talk Tuesday, But Numbers Don't Add Up
The Writers Guild of America and Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers returned to the bargaining table Tuesday, but even that did little to quell the sense of pessimism in the television industry during week five of the strike.>>>
ABC Suspends Jimmy Kimmel Live Staffers
After four weeks of repeats due to the Writers Guild of America strike, ABC finally suspended the staff of its late-night franchise, Jimmy Kimmel Live, a network source confirmed Tuesday. And much like his better-paid late-night counterparts -- Conan O’Brien, David Letterman (through his production company) and Jay Leno -- Kimmel is stepping up and assuming the salaries of many of his staffers, according to sources with knowledge of the situation.>>>
CBS to Use Showtime Content on Network
CBS president and CEO Leslie Moonves said Tuesday afternoon that he was hopeful about a resolution of the Writers Guild of America strike as the two sides sit back down at the table, but “not terribly optimistic.” He also said the network was prepared to offer a full schedule in the months ahead.>>>
I Want Media Names Strikers ‘Person of the Year’
Striking TV writers were named “Person [to use the term loosely] of the Year” in I Want Media's annual online poll.>>>
CBS, NBC Unveil Midseason Plans
Big Brother and Law & Order: Criminal Intent are both returning to broadcast television this winter as the networks continue to lay out their evolving first-quarter plans in the shadow of the ongoing Writers Guild of America strike.>>>
Colbert Report Plans Live Performance
Following in the footsteps of Saturday Night Live and 30 Rock, Stephen Colbert and the writers on The Colbert Report will perform a live version of their show at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater in New York Monday.>>>
Jay Leno to Pay Nonwriting Staffers
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno host decided to follow in the footsteps of David Letterman and Conan O’Brien and pay his nonwriting staffers out of his own pocket as the writers' strike drags on into a fifth week. NBC laid off its late-night show staffs as of Friday. O’Brien decided last week to pay his staffers himself. Now, Leno decided to follow suit. Last Call with Carson Daly, however, went back into production Wednesday night.>>>
Talks Go On for Week Five
The script for the fifth week of the writers’ strike has both sides returning to the table Dec. 4, but the way the fourth week ended, many feared that it will see a week six and beyond.>>>
WGA Cool on AMPTP Proposal
The WGA issued a statement in response to a proposal on digital content from the AMPTP, which broke the news blackout Thursday evening on the fourth day of resumed talks. In a joint statement, WGA West president Patric Verrone and WGA East president Michael Winship lamented that the news blackout "has left a vacuum of information that has been filled with rumors" before dismissing the AMPTP proposal as "a massive rollback.">>>
AMPTP Proposes 'New Economic Partnership' with Writers on New Media
The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers broke the media blackout Thursday night, saying that it offered a new proposal on the issue of digital content and that the sides will return to the bargaining table Dec. 4 after the Writers Guild of America asked for some time to review the proposal.>>>
NBC to Ring In New Year with Reality
With the Writers Guild of America strike ongoing, NBC will insert four reality series into its lineup the first week of January.>>>
Conan to Pay Staffers Himself, Tonight Show Layoffs Friday
Conan O’Brien became the latest late-night talk-show host to pick up the tab to keep his staffers in their jobs during the Writers Guild of America strike, while as of now, nonwriting staff from The Tonight Show with Jay Leno will be laid off Friday.>>>
ABC, News Writers Reach Contract Agreement
News writers and ABC have reached a tentative agreement on a new contract after almost three years, according to the Writers Guild of America East. The contract covers newswriters, editors, desk assistants, production assistants, graphic artists and researchers, who had been working without a contract since January 2005.>>>
NABET/CWA, ABC Resume Talks
The Writers Guild of America wasn't the only union that returned to the bargaining table this week. According to a bulletin from NABET/CWA, negotiations resumed in New York Wednesday on its lengthy and contentious negotiations over a new contract for 1,100 engineers, news writers, publicists, desk assistants, plant-maintenance workers and traffic coordinators.>>>
DNC Cancels Debate Due to Strike Uncertainty
The Democratic National Committee has pulled the plug on its Dec. 10 debate in Los Angeles after top presidential candidates signaled that they would not cross a picket line in the event of a news-writers strike.>>>
WGA 'Appalled' at NBC's Carson Daly
The Writers Guild of America Tuesday chastised Carson Daly for his plans to return to work on his NBC late-night show. NBC's Last Call with Carson Daly is the first late-night entry to go back into production since the WGA strike shut down Hollywood more than three weeks ago.>>>
Nightline Beats Letterman Repeats
Repeats took a toll on Late Show with David Letterman last week. ABC’s Nightline beat Letterman in total viewers and news’ target demographic of 25- to 54-year-olds for the week of Nov. 12.>>>
Guarded Optimism
As the writers and studios/networks prepared to resume formal talks Monday, the mood in Hollywood was hopeful, but realistic.>>>
Clinton, Obama Won’t Participate in Debate if CBS News Writers Strike
Writers Guild of America members working for CBS News gained some prominent allies in their battle with the company. Democratic presidential hopefuls Sens. Hillary Clinton (N.Y.) and Barack Obama (Ill.) pledged not to participate in CBS’ upcoming Democratic debate if the news writers elect to strike.>>>
DGA Sports, News Members Reach Tentative Deal with Networks
The Directors Guild of America reached a tentative agreement with ABC, CBS and NBC for a new three-year contract, the organization announced Tuesday.>>>
CBS News WGA Members Vote to Authorize Strike
Writers Guild of America members at CBS News voted to authorize a strike against the company, the guild announced Monday. Approximately 300 of the 500 WGA-represented employees at CBS’ TV and radio operations in New York, Chicago, Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles voted in a special election Nov. 15 and 16 approving a strike authorization by 81%.>>>
STRIKE SHOCKER: SIDES TO RESUME TALKS NOV. 26
In the first sign of optimism since the writers' strike began Nov. 5, the Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers mutually agreed to resume formal talks Monday, Nov. 26. The WGA will, however, continue to picket next week.>>>
ANA Postpones Family Programming Forum
The Association of National Advertisers decided to postpone its Family Friendly Programming Forum as a result of the Writers Guild of America strike.>>>
The Way It Was for Cronkite’s Strike Sub
So far, the Writers Guild of America skirmish has had a discordant impact on television. But in 1967, when the industry was a three-network town, a strike by the America Federation of Television and Radio Artists, which represented on-air talent, dealt an immediate, all-too-visible blow. No Johnny Carson live (he was in reruns). No soap operas. And no Walter Cronkite. Enter Arnold Zenker.>>>
International Writers to Demonstrate
Irish playrights and scribes from Australia, Great Britain and other international venues will demonstrate in support of the striking TV and movie writers Nov. 28, according to the Writers Guild of America.>>>
Edwards to Join Striking Writers
Former Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.) will be the first presidential candidate to picket personally with Hollywood’s striking writers, the Writers Guild of America said Thursday evening. Edwards will join picketers at NBC Entertainment’s headquarters at 3000 W. Alameda Ave., Burbank, Calif., Friday.>>>
NBC Late-Nighters Won't Be Laid Off at End of Week
Late-night staffers at NBC will be paid for at least another two weeks, a network spokesperson confirmed Thursday. The news comes as David Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants, confirmed Wednesday’s story that the nonwriting staff for his and Craig Ferguson's late-night shows on CBS will get paid on a sliding scale at least through the end of the year.>>>
SNL, 30 Rock Plan Live Performances
The entire casts of NBC shows Saturday Night Live and 30 Rock are planning live performances at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater in New York, with the proceeds going to the production crews of both shows.>>>
WGA/SAG Could Withstand Pre-Emptive Directors Deal, Say Unions
Writers Guild of America West president Patric Verrone said Wednesday that the WGA and the Screen Actors Guild aren’t planning on budging, even if the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers cuts a pre-emptive deal with the Directors Guild of America.>>>
Letterman to Pay Staffers Through End of Year
David Letterman told his staff he will pay them through at least the end of the calendar year, according to multiple sources.>>>
Soap Writers Say They Won't Cross Picket Line
The Writers Guild of America West sent out a memo late Tuesday directly contradicting a report that multiple writers on CBS soap The Young and the Restless had informed the guild that they intended to cross the picket lines and go back to work on the Los Angeles-based series.>>>
Ellen DeGeneres Cancels New York Tapings
Writers Guild of America East president Michael Winship said Tuesday that his organization is “delighted” that Ellen DeGeneres canceled show tapings in New York Nov. 19 and 20.>>>
AMPTP Accuses WGA of Blacklisting Tactics
The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers Tuesday fired back at the Writers Guild of America for sending out information on how to report strike-breaking activities by guild members.>>>
Leno Stays Mum as Writers, Actors Rally
The Tonight Show host Jay Leno declined to comment Tuesday on NBC’s consideration of bringing the show back with guest hosts in lieu of laying off staff at the end of this week.>>>
Gov. Schwarzenegger Steps into Writers' Strike Fray
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on Tuesday called studio representatives to see if he could help them resolve the writers’ strike that threatens to cripple Los Angeles’ economy, his spokesman told Reuters.>>>
Copyright Professors Group Backs WGA
The Writers Guild of America got some highbrow support for its strike against producers.>>>
WGAE Launches Strike Blog
Striking TV writers on the East Coast Monday set up a blog to aggregate news and view on the strike. >>>
NBC to Lay Off Leno Staff at End of Week; Guest Hosts Could Save Jobs
NBC informed the nonwriting staff of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno last Friday that it will be laid off at the end of the week in the wake of the show shutting down for the writers’ strike. And with Leno still refusing to cross the picket line, the show is looking at coming back on the air Nov. 19 with guest hosts so that it can save the jobs of the nonwriters. >>>
AFTRA Backs Ellen
The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists stuck up for member DeGeneres after the Writers Guild of America East chastised the daytime talk-show host and WGA member for working during the strike. >>>
Why the Strike Will Be a Long One
Don’t expect the strike to end anytime soon. That is the word from the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, the Writers Guild of America and just about every industry observer after week one of the work stoppage. >>>
CBS News Writers Mull Strike; ABC Showdown Looms
While thousands of drama and comedy writers hit the picket lines in New York and Los Angeles this past week, 500 employees at CBS News represented by the Writers Guild of America East were preparing to take a strike vote of their own. >>>
Stations Fear Glut of Reruns
Faced with a slate of reruns and reality if the writers’ strike persists, stations are making plans to produce original content to freshen up the mix. >>>
ABC News’ Nightline May Gain from WGA Strike
The writers’ strike has condemned late-night television to the rerun graveyard at a particularly inopportune time. But late-night comedy’s considerable losses may be Nightline’s gain. >>>
Ticket-Holders Suffer Late-Night Letdown
As the strike brought production on late-night shows to a halt last week, it was the ticket-holders who got the rawest deal. >>>
Sarah Connor Chronicles Scribe Missing His Own Party
While Fox puts a massive promotional push behind his midseason series, The Sarah Connor Chronicles, executive producer Josh Friedman has to watch from the sidelines. >>>
WGA West Rallies the Troops at Fox Plaza
The Writers Guild of America West drew an estimated 3,500 people to a rally at Fox Plaza in Century City Friday morning on the fifth day of the writers’ strike.>>>
Writers Guild of America East Disses Ellen
The Writers Guild of America East Friday severely upbraided daytime talk-show host Ellen DeGeneres for not honoring the ongoing writers’ strike.>>>
Adult Swim Spot Riffs on Writers' Strike
As the Writers Guild of America strike dragged on, Turner Broadcasting System’s Cartoon Network sought to poke fun at the situation while assuring viewers its programming won’t be affected. >>>
CBS Late-Night Shows Remain in Repeats
It looks like the strike isn't going to be over next week, or at least CBS isn't banking on it. >>>
WGA Sets Major Rally Friday Morning at Fox Plaza
The Writers Guild of America West is trying to end the first week of picketing with a mass show of support Friday outside of Fox Plaza in Century City. The guild scheduled a big rally at 10 a.m. (PST), telling all of its members to only report there, and that no other picketing will take place around Los Angeles on Friday. >>>
WGA East Picket Line a Star-Studded Affair
The Writers Guild of America East’s updates on the ongoing strike against producers are sounding more and more like releases outlining the expected celebrity sightings at a red-carpet event. >>>
Fox Benches 24 Rather than Running Partial Season
Fox is benching 24 as part of its strike-induced scheduling realignment. The seventh-season premiere, which was scheduled for January, has been pushed back indefinitely. The network has several episodes of the heavily serialized drama in the can but has chosen not to air a partial schedule that would end abruptly, especially after a modestly performing sixth season. >>>
ABC to Air Partial Season of Lost
ABC said that as of now, it is sticking with its plan to air the eight episodes it has of Lost -- this coming on the day that Fox announced that it will bench its own serialized midseason thriller, 24. >>>
Fox's Chernin: Strike Likely a Boon for Net
On the News Corp. earnings conference call Wednesday, president and chief operating officer Peter Chernin said, “A strike is probably a positive for the company." >>>
Hillary Clinton Backs Striking Writers
Sen. and presidential candidate Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) said writers deserve to be compensated for new-media play. >>>
Top Showrunners Rally at Disney
The Writers Guild of America drew a slew of its biggest-name showrunners to rally support Wednesday morning outside Disney Studios in Burbank, Calif. Hundreds of WGA members and a few actors such as Sally Field and Justine Bateman were on hand to protest on day three of the current work stoppage. >>>
WGA East Calls Wednesday Membership Meeting
There are still no official talks planned between the sides as of day two of the writers strike, but the Writers Guild of America East will at least be talking amongst itself Wednesday night. >>>
Ellen Back to Work after Standing with Striking Writers
Talk-show host Ellen DeGeneres was back at work on Tuesday after sitting out Monday in support of her writers. Instead of her standard monologue, DeGeneres addressed the audience during Tuesday’s taping with the following: >>>
Edwards Supports Striking Writers
Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards added his voice to that of opponent and Sen. Barack Obama's (D-Ill.) in support of striking TV writers, also invoking media consolidation. >>>
WGA East Members Picket Various New York Sites
A spokesperson for the Writers Guild of America East said members of the local Laborers union joined the picket line for a while around lunchtime outside the Silvercup Studios in New York Tuesday. >>>
Hawaii Rep. Abercrombie Sides with WGA
Another Democratic came out in favor of the Writers Guild of America in its strike against TV and movie producers over compensation for new media. >>>
WGA to Picket Monday After Sunday-Night Talks Break Off
Writers Guild of America members will hit the picket lines Monday as talks with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers broke off Sunday night without a deal. >>>
How Much Will WGA Strike Hurt?
As the Writers Guild of America prepared to go on strike at 12:01 a.m. Monday, two critical issues emerged: How long can the networks hold out? And how much of the damage be irreparable? >>>
CBS Late-Night Shows Go to Repeats
To no one’s surprise, CBS announced Monday that its late-night duo of The Late Show with David Letterman and The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson will be in repeats this week. >>>
More Soup Is On at E!
E! Entertainment Television programmers aren’t rooting for a writers’ strike, but if it’s happening, the network wouldn’t mind picking up some nighttime viewers who won’t know what to do without their nightly fix of topical, snarky humor. >>>
Obama Sides with Writers
Illinois Senator and Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama took the writers' side in the strike that kicked off Monday, evoking media concentration in the process. >>>
LEFT COAST BIAS: Can a Strike Save TV?
Many people who work in the television industry right now might wonder why the industry hasn't taken a cue from WarGames, the 1983 Cold War drama where Matthew Broderick and Ally Sheedy almost blow up the world. >>>
The Sticking Points
The Writers Guild of America has 26 issues it wants addressed. Here are the big ones: >>>
WGA Calls for Strike; Details Expected as Soon as Friday
It looks like the long-awaited writers' strike could materialize as soon as Monday as the Writers Guild of America is set to walk, but the organization has not decided on an exact schedule as of yet. >>>
DVDs Back on Front Burner as Sides Still Battling
The television industry is now officially on strike watch as the Thursday 12:01 a.m. deadline looks to have come and gone without a deal, and the sides were still firing public barbs at each other over the DVD-formula argument as of Wednesday night. >>>
NBC Puts Heroes Spinoff on Hold
The strike fallout may have started already as NBC put its Heroes spinoff on hold. >>>
Deadline at Hand, But Many Think WGA May Hold Off
Negotiators for the Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers returned to the bargaining table Tuesday and apparently got no closer to striking a deal. >>>
