What's on tonight? Get AOL TV Listings on your iPhone

Writers and Studios Resume Talks

By Steve Gorman,
Reuters
Posted: 2007-11-26 16:59:12
Filed Under: Fall TV, Movie News, TV News
LOS ANGELES (Nov. 26) - Striking screenwriters resumed contract talks with the major studios Monday for the first time since trading pens for picket signs three weeks ago in the worst Hollywood labor dispute in two decades.

Imposing a media blackout on negotiations for the first time since talks began in July, the parties returned to the bargaining table at about 10 a.m. at an undisclosed, neutral location in Los Angeles, a studio spokesman confirmed.

Members of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) also renewed picketing outside about nine studios around town after a five-day break in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday.

The renewed talks offered the biggest glimmer of hope yet for resolving the dispute, which has centered on the question of how much money film and TV writers should earn when their work is distributed via the Internet.

The last major Hollywood strike, a 1988 walkout by the WGA, dragged on for 22 weeks and cost the entertainment industry at least $500 million. Economists have said that figure could double if today's strike lasts as long.

"Both sides realized that unless they sit down and start talking to each other, this situation is going to get a lot worse," said longtime media lawyer Howard Fabrick, a veteran of numerous Hollywood labor talks.

The parties reported making progress during their last 12-hour session on Nov. 4 and could probably clinch a deal with another week of serious bargaining, Fabrick said. But he cautioned that negotiators would need some time to regain that momentum.

"When you have that cooling-off period, both sides rethink things that they've said and positions they've taken," he said. "It's not starting over again from scratch, but it's not starting off from where you left off, either."

PREVIOUS PACT EXPIRED

The writers' previous three-year contract with the major film and TV studios expired Nov. 1, and the WGA launched its strike four days later even as the two sides were still negotiating.

When studio executives asked the writers to put their walkout on hold while negotiations continued, and union leaders refused, the producers left the bargaining table.

The strike immediately threw the TV industry into disarray, as several late-night talk shows, including those hosted by Jay Leno and David Letterman, were forced into reruns. Work has since halted on dozens of prime-time comedies and dramas, idling hundreds of non-writing staffers.

One industry expert estimated last week that 10,000 people directly employed on TV series could be jobless by month's end as projected losses in production spending on those shows reached $21 million a day.

The movie industry also is feeling the squeeze, with studios postponing production on at least four feature films because striking writers were not available to finish work on their scripts in time.

The WGA and the industry's bargaining arm, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, agreed to renew talks after coming under mounting pressure to seek a settlement, including back-channel discussions with California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and some of the town's leading talent agents.

A new survey of nearly 1,000 Daily Variety subscribers found public opinion heavily favoring the writers, with more than two-thirds of those polled saying the WGA presented its views more forcefully and clearly than the studios.

But 44 percent of the survey respondents believed the strike ultimately would be settled "in favor of the companies," while just 20 percent felt the writers would come out on top. Thirty-seven percent thought it would be settled in a way that is "mostly fair" to both sides.

Copyright 2008 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.
2007-11-26 16:59:12
Bookmark

Recent Comments

Post Your Own  
1 - 7 of 7
7 comments

Bkwormsjv 01:15:00 AM Nov 29 2007

Report This!

From what I know of the debate, it sounds like these writers merely want what authors in every other industry already have. For example, authors of books get a certain percentage every time a copy of their book sells, which most people think is fine because it was their material to begin with. Screenplay writers, however, have no monetary rights to their ideas once they have sold the script to a studio. To make it worse, these writers have very little job security- they may labor for months on something that nobody will buy, while the studio can always look for another writer.

It looks like studios have gotten away with denying them that money and recognition so far because 1) size and money mean a great deal of power at the negotiating table, and 2) the writers had not united to protest (and it sounds like the union wasn't very effective before this).

I'm with the writers on this one.

quinbo8 12:40:00 AM Nov 28 2007

Report This!

Oldchvytrx 12:25:16 PM Nov 27 2007

Report This!

I came to this board after watching a video of this two faced Psuedo Democrat Liberal SCAB Whoopie Goldberg trying to justify her Holier-Than-Thou SCAB attitude crossing of the picket lines by an alleged member of a trade union!
Whoopie you SCAB, Does SAG acknowledge the Writers Guild? YES they do so crossing their picket lines is a double NO-NO for someone who claims to be a member of both of these unions as you do.
Whoopie,Your attitude and ignorance as a union member SUCKS, just like your political rantings! TWO FACED SCAB!!!!!!!!

xxfascinumxx 11:41:22 AM Nov 27 2007

Report This!

Jesssier... actually if it weren't for the wrtiers we wouldn't have anything to watch on TV to keep those individuals in their positions. So therefore the writers are actually the backbone of the television industry.

boyscoutagain 09:52:33 AM Nov 27 2007

Report This!

the untimely demise of the unions in america is the fault of gutless turds like you michael30701......... remember the only ppl looking out for you if you are not unionized is yourself not the company so it is good to have your union....remember that when you eat your dinner with your family tonite.

jesssier 06:37:58 AM Nov 27 2007

Report This!

No one cares about the veiwers if it wasn't for us watching TV none of these people would have jobs. Maybe we should strike from watching TV when this is resolved then they will acknowledge the veiwers.

michael30701 01:42:00 AM Nov 27 2007

Report This!

FIRE THE WRITERS AND WARN THE ACTORS.

1 - 7 of 7
7 comments

Add your own Comments

Clear
Add

Photos: Out and About

Getty Images

Where's the Ring? These photos of Liv Tyler let the world know she's a single girl again.

What does Neil Young have in common with Harrison Ford, James Brown and Hugh Hefner? What does Neil Young have in common with Harrison Ford, James Brown and Hugh Hefner?
1 of 9

TV Squad

Photos: Pop Culture Flashback

WireImage.com

May 16, 2006: Brandon gives Lindsay a new nickname.

New AOL TV Features

FeedFeed

    Last Night's Best Moments

    AOL Television TV's Top 5!

    TV's Top 5! Video Clips Daily

    Barbara's shocking confession. Plus, some wild one-arm 'Dancing.'

    More Movies and TV News

    TMZ
    More TMZ.com
    PEOPLE.com
    More PEOPLE.com
    cnn news
    More Stories
    the new york times
    More Stories
    EW.com
    More From EW.com
    Los Angeles Times
    More From L.A. Times