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Seemingly promising discussions between the AMPTP and the WGA broke down last week, sending the possibility of an imminent resolution to the writers' strike straight into the gutter.  The AMPTP signaled the end of talks by issuing a statement in which the producers claimed they were “puzzled and disheartened” by the stoppage of discussions.  The WGA has responded.  In a letter written on Friday, the writers gave their story on why and how the talks broke down and, no big surprise, they heap the blame entirely on the AMPTP shoulders.  The writers claim that no progress was made on the main reasons the strike happened in the first place: compensation and residuals for new media, including streamed episodes on the internet and internet exclusive content are not near what the writers are asking for.

The statement goes on to say that AMPTP has given the writers ultimatums that they later didn't pay up to.  The writers, according to the statement, are no longer going to listen to any ultimatums from the producers. Also, perhaps most importantly, the writers had expected to keep negotiating last week when, unexpectedly, the producers simply got up and left the discussions.  Hours later, the AMPTP released their statement. 

The issues are both complex and very simple.  The minutiae of the demands from both sides can be a little nauseating, but the major tenets are clear – the writers want to be paid for their products on the internet because the studios sell ad space on that internet content, yet refuse to share that money with the writers. 

With talks having broke down again, there is no end in sight to the strike.  Hope is fading that any more original episodes of your favorite prime time shows will return before the summer.  We should all start getting resigned to the fact that Spring 2008 is going to be all reality, all the time. 


-Oscar Dahl, BuddyTV Senior Writer
Source: TVGuide
Image Courtesy of Hollywood Reporter