Screenwriter Strike Could Grind Hollywood To A Halt This Week. Here’s Which Shows Could Be Hit.
Writers Guild of America Set to Strike
Get ready for a potential Hollywood shutdown as the Writers Guild of America prepares to strike on Monday evening. The union, which represents writers in the entertainment industry, is demanding increased minimum compensation, larger contributions to pension and health plans, and regulation of material produced with artificial intelligence or similar technology.
Nearly 98% of union members voted earlier this year to authorize a strike if the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers did not approve a new contract. The possible strike, the first in over 15 years, comes as the shift toward streaming contributes to diminished profits in television and cinema.
What’s at Stake?
If the strike enters into effect on Tuesday, production for shows such as “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” “Real Time With Bill Maher,” “Late Night With Seth Meyers,” “Saturday Night Live,” and “Last Week Tonight With John Oliver” would immediately cease. Delays could also inhibit the capacity of Disney, Paramount Global, and Comcast NBCUniversal to produce episodes for the fall network television season, while streaming platforms carrying broadcast shows would likewise be impacted by delays.
Why the Strike?
The union claims that firms have “used the transition to streaming to cut writer pay and separate writing from production, worsening working conditions for series writers at all levels.” The share of writers working at the minimum standards established by the most recent Writers Guild of America contract has increased substantially in recent years, producing a 23% median compensation decline when adjusted for inflation even as series budgets increase.
What’s Next?
The union and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers will negotiate “up until the deadline” on Monday night to establish a new contract. Members of the Writers Guild of America went on strike for three months between 2007 and 2008, causing production delays and shortened seasons for shows such as “The Colbert Report,” “30 Rock,” “Family Guy,” and “Saturday Night Live.”
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