Writers Strike Set To End

international | arts and media | news report Tuesday February 05, 2008 10:39 by Michelle Crawley

Pressure dismounts as the Writers Strike comes to a close after a thirteen week battle of intense press coverage, sleepless nights and negotiations. The Writers Guild of America have been on strike since November 5th of 2007, when 12,000 writers took to the streets to picket against the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), a trade organization representing the interests of 397 American Film and Television Production companies, such as; MGM, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Walt Disney and Paramount.

Writers Strike Set To End

Pressure dismounts as the Writers Strike comes to a close after a thirteen week battle of intense press coverage, sleepless nights and negotiations. The Writers Guild of America have been on strike since November 5th of 2007, when 12,000 writers took to the streets to picket against the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), a trade organization representing the interests of 397 American Film and Television Production companies, such as; MGM, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Walt Disney and Paramount. The writers and directors have faced the brunt of a long cold winter on the streets, picketing for better pay deals and rallying from support from their fellow colleagues in showbiz. With the Oscars looming and the TV pilot season in the upcoming weeks, the industry could not afford to let this strike shutter more and more productions and cancel more and more award ceremonies. Afterall, the industry has lost a whopping one billion dollars to the strike thus far.

“The pressure on everyone has been building. The creative community on an emotional level can't afford to lose the Oscars, and the companies can't afford to lose them on a financial level." Said, John Aboud, a WGA strike captain.

However the latest rumours highlight the end is near for the fatigued writers. The negotiators are expected to brings the unions board of directors a rough contract this week. However WGA president; Patric Verrone insists that they are

“Still in talks and do not yet have a contract... Picketing will resume on Monday”.

Although the DGA has made a good attempt at getting the two sides to bargain. The studios, according to a report in the Los Angeles Times, are offering the writers a slightly sweeter deal than they did the directors, paying more for shows that are streamed free on ad-supported web sites. However Directors did not fare quite so well, and have been offered a flat $1,200 fee for the entire first year of streaming, which is a disappointing figure and under-whelmed the protestors.

If the close is really near, we will see our favourite shows resume onscreen. Desperate Housewives will complete the remaining thirteen shows, Greys Anatomy will have to move fast to fit in its dozen remaining shows. Lost and CSI will resume on Television, much to the relief of its popular audiences. American audiences will be able to give a sigh of relief to have their much loved shows back with a new found appreciation for what some took for granted. However writers will need to flex their typing fingers and put ink back in their pens, as they will have to work fast to get the scripts out in time.

By Michelle Crawley.