In identical statements from both the WGA and the Alliance of Motion Picture Producers, it was announced that the two sides will sit back down at the negotiation table and re-open talks, beginning Monday, November 26. This marks the first sign of progress since the strike began at the beginning of the month. The Writers' Guild is striking over a lack of payment that writers receive for “new media.” Perhaps the most major issue is the lack of residuals and royalties writers receive for on line streaming videos. For instance, ABC streams full episodes of
Lost on their website and show advertisements during and before those episodes. Writers receive nothing from those ads, and producers have argued that the streamed episodes are purely promotional. The fact that the two sides are planning to bargain once again does not mean that a resolution is imminent, though it's certainly encouraging.
The effects of the writers' strike have been immediately felt. All of late night television has halted production, with Letterman, Stewart, Leno, Colbert and Conan all going dark.
The Office and
Saturday Night Live shut down production, thanks to cast members refusing to cross the picket line.
Angels and Demons, the exorbitantly budgeted prequel to
The Da Vinci Code, stopped production thanks to Ron Howard's support of the writers – Howard has even been seen picketing with WGA members.
Lost show runner Carlton Cuse said "The studios have underestimated the resolve of the guild.” This may be the case. There is a prevailing thought among some in Hollywood that the studios expected much more of a backlash against the writers once the strike began. However, public favor has been clearly with the writers. The WGA has done a great job of getting their message across in a simple manner, allowing TV viewers to sympathize more easily with their plight. Hopefully for everyone involved, the strike gets taken care of soon after this latest round of negotiations begins.
-Oscar Dahl, BuddyTV Senior Writer
(Image Courtesy of LA Times)