Q&A: The Writers' Strike

At last! Those striking scribes appear to have finally reached a deal that will bring Grey's, Desperate Housewives et al back to our screens. But what was all the fuss about? And how has the strike affected the TV industry? Read on for Tube Talk's strike special.

Who is involved?
The Writers Guild of America (WGA), which represents more than 12,000 writers in the US, has been at odds with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), a body that represents around 400 film and television production companies. AMPTP members include Paramount Pictures, Walt Disney, MGM, CBS, NBC Universal, Fox and Sony.

Why have the writers been striking?
The WGA is seeking an increase in the share of revenue generated by DVD sales of TV and film product, from 0.3% currently to 0.6%, as well as a share of revenue from new media uses of the product. Currently, writers receive little of the income generated by paid-for downloads (episodes can be commonly purchased for $2 a pop on iTunes), VOD services, internet streaming or mobile streaming. The WGA has proposed that writers receive 2.5% of gross from new media distribution of their product.

How long has this been going on for?
The strike began on November 5, 2007 and has now lasted for 14 weeks. The last such strike, held in 1988, ran for 21 weeks.

How have TV shows been affected?
Production on most scripted TV series shut down within weeks of the strike after all completed scripts had been used up. Since then, the actors and production crew of almost every major show have been off work. In addition, several large televised events have either been cancelled or forced to change format; last month the Golden Globes ceremony was cancelled and replaced with a press conference, while this month's Oscars are also under threat.

Some shows are still on the air though, right?
A few small independent production companies have reached interim deals with the WGA allowing shows to come back on the air; most notably, David Letterman's talkshow is up and running through a deal with his company Worldwide Pants. Other talkshow hosts, such as Ellen DeGeneres and Jay Leno, are on air but without their writers - angering the WGA. In primetime, broadcast networks have turned to reality TV to fill the holes in their schedules.

How has this affected the chances of new shows coming back for a second season?
Most series have aired significantly shorter seasons than is the norm - anywhere from eight to 13 episodes, as opposed to the standard 22. The strike has worked in favour of many new shows, some of which will be "relaunched" this Autumn to be given a fair chance. For some, however, the axe came before the strike - NBC's Bionic Woman being the highest profile casualty.

What about the upfronts presentations in May? Will there still be pilots?
Some networks have decided not to hold upfront ceremonies this year, others have decided to tone theirs down. Either way, this year the upfronts will be a significantly more subdued affair. Several pilots have been commissioned but there will be fewer of them, as networks instead take a punt and give more straight-to-series orders.

Has an agreement to end the strike been reached?
As reported over the weekend, the WGA has reached a "tentative deal" with the AMPTP. The proposals go some way to meeting the demands of the WGA but not entirely; rates of up to 2% will be paid to writers depending on whether the product is rented, purchased or streamed.

So what happens next?
A formal ballot of WGA members will take place on Tuesday to determine whether the proposals are accepted. If they are - as is most likely the case - writers will return to work on Wednesday. Some series may produce four or five more episodes to air in April and May, but others will return in the Autumn for slightly longer runs.

What are your thoughts on the WGA strike? Should shows come back for four or five episodes or just wait until the Autumn? Click the link below to add your comments to this entry.

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