2008 Woodie Awards
Picking Up the Pen Again
Hollywood Goes Back to Work
Bill Rhein
Issue date: 2/19/08 Section: Entertainment
After 100 days, the Writers Guild of America settled on terms with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) and therefore ended the 2007-2008 Writers Guild of America Strike. Beginning on Nov. 5, 2007, the writers of television shows and motion pictures stopped working due to issues with DVD profits and credit for new media, which include Internet shows and 'on-demand' programs.
The Eastern and Western Writers' Guilds laid terms for a new contract on February 10 and voted it in place two days later. According to the website for the Writers Guild of America, East, (WGAE) votes in favor of the new contract totaled an overwhelming 92.5%.
The president of the WGAE, Michael Winship, said, "The commitment and solidarity of our members made it happen … our two unions stronger than ever." The members of the AMPTP, which include the Presidents and CEOs of entertainment studios, responded saying, "We hope now to focus our collective efforts on what this industry does best … working together to deliver great content to our worldwide audiences."
Though the unions are pleased with the results, this strike did not come without its cost. One of the most prominent was the canceling of the Golden Globe ceremony.
The shockwaves cost the city of Los Angeles $380 million, according to NPR, due to tourism loss as well as losses surrounding food and limo services and hotels. Also, studios may cut new shows that never got rolling, and the people who work undistinguished jobs behind the camera lost income.
Both guilds and the AMPTP are looking to make the best of the situation and bringing entertainment back to the viewers.
The Eastern and Western Writers' Guilds laid terms for a new contract on February 10 and voted it in place two days later. According to the website for the Writers Guild of America, East, (WGAE) votes in favor of the new contract totaled an overwhelming 92.5%.
The president of the WGAE, Michael Winship, said, "The commitment and solidarity of our members made it happen … our two unions stronger than ever." The members of the AMPTP, which include the Presidents and CEOs of entertainment studios, responded saying, "We hope now to focus our collective efforts on what this industry does best … working together to deliver great content to our worldwide audiences."
Though the unions are pleased with the results, this strike did not come without its cost. One of the most prominent was the canceling of the Golden Globe ceremony.
The shockwaves cost the city of Los Angeles $380 million, according to NPR, due to tourism loss as well as losses surrounding food and limo services and hotels. Also, studios may cut new shows that never got rolling, and the people who work undistinguished jobs behind the camera lost income.
Both guilds and the AMPTP are looking to make the best of the situation and bringing entertainment back to the viewers.
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