Posted: Wednesday 13th February 2008 at 2:43pm by Paul
After 14 weeks, the Writers Guild of America strike is now over. WGA members voted for a deal with the AMPTP and it’s reported the deal was approved by 92.5% of those members. Writers have been on strike in the US since early November 2007, following a dispute over the amount of money they get for online and DVD sales of their work. The new deal addresses those issues, and all writers return to work this week. The US TV industry has been cripplied by the strike, meaning such networks as Fox needing to bring in American Idol and other reality shows & unscripted programming to fill the gaps left behind by scripted comedy and drama that couldn’t be produced. The movie industry hasn’t been affected as much as TV, as films are made over a much longer timespan than TV series.
The BBC News website reports “the strike is said to have cost Los Angeles’ film and TV industry around $733m (£374m), with the wider economy losing around $1.3bn (£663m)” and that we can expect new programmes in “about two months”. The Tonight Show With Jay Leno, Late Night With Conan O’Brien, The Daily Show With Jon Stewart and The Colbert Report all have their writing teams back and new shows are already being made. The Late Show With David Letterman and the Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson have had their writing team since January, when David Letterman’s production company Worldwide Pants Inc agreed an interim deal.
The Oscars (which are being hosted by The Daily Show’s Jon Stewart this year) can now go ahead as planned, with writers for the ceremony needing to produce immense numbers of scripts in a short timespan before the show airs on the 24th February. Speaking to the BBC, the boss of CBS Les Moonves said “At the end of the day, everybody won”. Media website Digital Spy report “The result – with nearly 3,500 for and 283 against the agreement – was announced yesterday evening Pacific Time, during the early hours of today GMT”.
BBC News – “Hollywood writers to end strike”
Digital Spy – “US writers’ strike officially ends”
BBC News – “Writers prepare to return to work”
Posted: Monday 11th February 2008 at 9:05am by Paul
A brief update on the US writers strike from BBC News – “Leaders of striking US film and TV writers have voted in favour of a deal that will end their three-month strike” and the BBC add “union rank and file members are now set to ratify the decision in a vote on Tuesday, after which they are expected to return to work”. Read more on the BBC News website.
Update: Media website Digital Spy also have some news on the deal – “There will now be ballots to approve the agreement in Los Angeles and New York on Tuesday. Members will be notified of the result as late as midnight PST. If, as is strongly expected, it is positive they will be able to work the next day” but they also say “after Tuesday’s ballots there will be a postal vote by members which could take 10 to 12 days to complete”. Watch this space.
BBC News – “Writers’ leaders back strike deal”
Digital Spy – “Writers could return on Wednesday”
Posted: Sunday 10th February 2008 at 1:25pm by Paul
A slight change to the previous reports – the striking Writers Guild of America members won’t be returning to work on Monday, but will instead be voting on whether to accept the proposed “tentative deal”. The Underwire blog on the Wired Blog Network say the writers are “most likely heading back to their keyboards by Wednesday” and that “writers will vote on the contract within the next two days”. Writers Guild of America members heard the deal in a Los Angeles meeting yesterday. The Associated Press reports “about 3,500 writers packed the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles to hear from union leaders about the proposed deal that was finalized just hours before meetings were held on both coasts by the Writers Guild of America” and that “Hollywood writers on Saturday gave resounding support to a tentative agreement”.
Underwire (Wired Blog Network) – “WGA Strike Vote Pending by Monday”
The Associated Press – “AP Top News at 4:29 a.m. EST”
Posted: Saturday 9th February 2008 at 4:48pm by Paul
The US writers strike appears to be coming to an end. The Writers Guild of America says they have reached a “tentative deal” and Reuters report “members will meet in New York and Los Angeles later on Saturday to discuss specific terms, the ratification process and ending the strike, the union added”. Media news website Digital Spy add “America’s television production industry could be back in business as early as Monday” and that “WGA East members will gather at 2pm Eastern time today in New York to discuss the agreement; the WGA West meeting is scheduled for 7pm Pacific in Los Angeles”.
This deal will end the strike, meaning all shows will get their writing team back. The Tonight Show With Jay Leno, Late Night With Conan O’Brien, The Daily Show With Jon Stewart and The Colbert Report have all been making shows without their original writers when they returned to the air in January. David Letterman’s production company Worldwide Pants Inc reached an interim deal previously, meaning the Late Show With David Letterman and the Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson have both had its writing team back since the show returned in January. The deal that’s been reached will now mean the Oscars awards ceremony can now go ahead as planned. Update: You can read the WGA statement here – which also gives full details of the terms & conditions of this new deal.
Reuters – “Striking writers reach tentative deal with studios”
Digital Spy – “WGA: “We have a tentative deal”"
Telegraph – “Oscars saved as Hollywood writers’ strike ends”
The Movie Blog – “The WGA Strike is Over”
Posted: Tuesday 15th January 2008 at 11:13am by Paul
So, what with the Golden Globes ceremony being cancelled and most top TV shows on hiatus, it’s clear to see the writers strike is still having a huge impact on US TV. Jon Stewart’s been having a look at the less-than-glitzy Golden Globes press conference, which replaced the ceremony. Also embedded below, is a recap of last week’s first shows of 2008.
^ Videos are from TheDailyShow.com
Posted: Tuesday 8th January 2008 at 9:25am by Paul
The Daily Show With Jon Stewart and The Colbert Report came back to the air with the first new show in about two months last night. On last night’s first Daily Show back, Jon Stewart said “From now on, until the end of the strike, we’ll be doing A Daily Show with Jon Stewart. But not The Daily Show”. Both shows returned without their writers.
The Associated Press reports “Though both Comedy Cental late-night series have always largely been scripted, that would now violate strike rules of the Writers Guild of America. Even Stewart and Colbert, as guild members, are apparently barred from writing anything”. You can see last night’s new episode of The Daily Show With Jon Stewart on More 4 in the UK tonight at 8.30pm. The Colbert Report doesn’t currently air on UK TV.
^ Videos are from TheDailyShow.com
The Associated Press – “Viewers Await Return of Stewart, Colbert”
Posted: Monday 7th January 2008 at 1:00pm by Paul
Programming reminder – Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert will return with new episodes of their respective programmes tonight on Comedy Central in the US (The Daily Show With Jon Stewart’s US episode from tonight will air on More 4 in the UK on Tuesday at 8.30pm). As the writers strike continues, Stewart and Colbert (like the other chat show hosts – except Letterman) will be without their usual writing team. The Canadian Press reports “WGA members Stewart and Colbert are barred from writing anything”.
Both The Daily Show and The Colbert Report have been airing reruns since the strike began about eight weeks ago (the last new show aired at the beginning of November). A Comedy Central spokesman told The Canadian Press “Stephen and Jon are still figuring out what they’re going to do on Monday night’s show”. It will be interesting to see how both shows cope without the writers – most of The Daily Show and The Colbert Report rely heavily on scripted segments and news pieces. It is thought they will try to use more time with guest interviews instead, although The Canadian Press does say “performers who do not belong to the guild will be free to write material for themselves”.
The Canadian Press – “Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert resume Comedy Central talk shows Monday”
More 4 listings at Channel4.com
