Public TV
writers have unanimously ratified a new four-year contract that covers
made-for-Internet content as well as traditional fare, the first time
the Writers Guild of America East (WGAE) has gotten
jurisdiction for that programming in a contact for noncommercial
writers.
The contract has no raise in the first, year, but does boost pay 2% in the second year and 2.75% for each the remaining two.
The contract
covers writers for major PBS programming producing stations WGBH
Boston, WNET New York and KCET Los Angeles, as well as a number of
smaller producers. The contract was negotiated between
WGAE and that consortium.
WGAE represents about 4,000 writers in TV, cable, digital media, and film.
It has been agressively going after online jurisdiction to insure that growing sector is covered under union contracts.
Just last month, it began representing commercial station Web-only writers for the first time.
Since Web writing is not covered in current contracts, it has to essentially organize shop-by-shop.
