Writers at CBS News are expected to vote for strike action this week.

Staff at the news division who are members of the Writers Guild of America, East will cast their vote in a strike authorisation ballot on Thursday with the result announced on Monday.

Should strike action go ahead, it will disrupt CBS News at a busy news time, with America's presidential campaign making domestic headlines and the ongoing constitutional crisis in Pakistan garnering international news attention.

It could also have a wider impact given that news programming would have been one genre turned to in the event of a protracted WGA strike forcing scripted shows off the air.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, CBS told WGA, East members yesterday: "The question now facing each bargaining unit member is whether the terms being offered are so onerous and unacceptable as to warrant participation in a strike and the loss of pay that participation in a strike entails. CBS does not want you to strike, and we hope that you will carefully evaluate the terms of our final offer against the uncertainty of a strike in determining what is best for you and your families."

CBS and the WGAE have not negotiated since January, making strike action likely.