'Breakthrough' in US writers' strike

Significant progress towards a new contract and an end to the Writers Guild of America strike is understood to have been made during informal talks between the WGA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.

Multiple reports from Los Angeles quote anonymous sources as indicating that a tentative agreement between the two parties could be signed as early as next week, which would bring the four month old strike to an end were it to be ratified by the WGA membership body.

Neither side will comment in the reports, citing an ongoing news blackout while negotiations continue.

It is understood that the new agreement is based largely on a pact reached between the AMPTP and the Directors Guild of America last month. That deal effectively doubled the rate at which royalties are received for "electronic sell-through", or paid-for online downloads, which has been an increasing area of concern for the WGA as the number of TV shows made available online is ramped up. Some reports indicate that the WGA has also been able to negotiate better residual rates for occasions where shows are made available on ad-supported sites that do not require users to pay for streaming or downloads.