TV writers stepped up their protest of the plan to cut some writing awards from the primetime Emmy telecast, calling it a "symbolic attack" on the value of writing.
The Academy has said the move would be an effort to keep viewers from tuning out the show early .
WGA West has joined the Writers Guild of America East in registering their displeasure with what they view as a slight to the profesision. WGAW released a copy of a protest letter signed by over 150 writers and producers from a Who's Who of primetime broadcast and cable shows from A (Army Wives) to Z (Zeke & Luther).
The letter was short and to the point: "We, the undersigned showrunners and executive producers of television's current line-up of programs, oppose the Academy of Television Arts and Science's decision to remove writing awards from the live telecast. "This decision conveys a fundamental understatement of the importance of writers in the creation of television programming and a symbolic attack on the primacy of writing in our industry. We implore ATAS to restore these awards to their rightful place in the live telecast of the 2009 Emmy Awards."
