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'It would decimate writers' careers': Why TV writers in the US are on strike

Strikers say they are trying to help maintain writing as a viable career.

SEVERAL OF THE US’ most popular TV shows have gone dark this week as more than 11,000 television writers across America began their first strike in over 15 years.

The Writers Guild of America has cited a 23% decline in pay for writer-producers over the last decade when adjusting for inflation, as well as concerns including changes in the industry that force writers to shift more quickly between jobs.

On the other side of the dispute is the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which includes major movies studios such as Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures, Universal Pictures, Walt Disney Studios and Warner Bros., the principal American broadcast television networks, and streaming services like Netflix and Amazon.

Among the WGA’s core concerns are a lack of residual earnings for writers who work on shows that run on streaming platforms. The union proposed a deal where writers that are on more popular streaming shows would be compensated accordingly, which was rejected entirely by the AMPTP.

In many cases, streaming services such as Netflix do not make viewership data on their shows available to the public, or to the writers on the show.

As a result of the impasse, many late-night talk shows, such as those hosted by Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon have gone off-air immediately.

Production has also halted on some of media’s most popular series, such as Stranger Things, Yellowjackets, Saturday Night Live and American Horror Story.

Other major shows – such as Andor, House of the Dragon, and The Rings of Power – are continuing production for now, something that could possibly bear out in the quality of the programming, should rewrites be necessary. 

Josh Gondelmann, who was a writer for Last Week Tonight with John Oliver for four years, said that “there’s no reason writers should earn less money just because a giant mega-company decided it’s more profitable for them to distribute their work through different channels than they used to. But that’s how it is, and that’s how the studios want it to stay”.

Speaking to The Journal this week, Gondelmann said: “It would decimate writers’ careers, for sure. The studios are working hard to undermine protections that the WGA has spent nearly a century fighting for. I also think audiences will notice the drop-off in quality pretty quickly.”

“The way that some of these CEOs talk about the work we do is pretty appalling. They just want to churn out an endless stream of ‘content’ as cheaply as possible.”

Many high-profile figures, such as Bob Odenkirk, George RR Martin, Drew Barrymore, Cynthia Nixon, Jimmy Fallon, and President Joe Biden have expressed their support for the strike action.

“We’re really fighting to keep television and film writing a sustainable career. What we’ve asked for amounts to roughly 2% of these companies’ operating profits; it’s less than what eight entertainment CEOs made combined in 2022.

“Median writer/producer pay has gone down 4% in the last decade, and taking inflation into account it’s closer to 23%. All we’re asking for is a fair share of the profits we help generate, so that writing stays a viable career and doesn’t become a gig economy job”.

Gondelmann says that it’s not just television writers who should be concerned about trends in how workers are treated.

“It’s happening across industries, right? Employers aren’t using technology as tools to make work easier and better. They’re using it to replace human labor and drive down bottom line costs,” he said.

“This isn’t a new story, and it’s not unique to writers. It’s about corporate greed at the expense of the human beings who work for them.”

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    Mute Andy Bart
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    May 12th 2023, 10:48 PM

    Another story about a strike in an entirely different country but no mention of the industrial action about to be taken by the retained firefighters of Ireland due to Government inaction. But, I’m sure if my house catches fire I’ll have lots of time to be concerned about Hollywood careers possibly being decimated while I wait for the already decimated fire services to attend.

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    Mute Denis Slattery
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    May 12th 2023, 11:51 PM

    The comments on the protests at Sandwith Street are closed .
    But great that I can share my opinion on American television and film writers going on strike .
    Please hold while I formulate an opinion.

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    Mute William Tallon
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    May 12th 2023, 11:57 PM

    Paradoxically, this seems to be one of those stories that writes itself and the ending may be surprising! Who knows, with the advent of AI entire series might write themselves and be hugely popular and successful. “And the award for best original screenplay goes to HAL 9000…” “Thank you, Dave”

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    Mute Ciaran Foster
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    May 13th 2023, 10:37 AM

    @William Tallon: the use of AI is one of the major issues the WGA have raised.
    The studios refuse to give any assurances about its use.
    The studios are gougers who want to make the rich richer.
    I’m all for the writers here. They create the content we all enjoy and should be appropriately compensated for that.
    This looks like it will be a protracted battle so expect a drop-off in quality in the coming months on TV and in next year’s movies.

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    Mute Rob
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    May 12th 2023, 10:28 PM

    Nothing on the Journal about the scandal at IPAV?? https://www.ontheditch.com/ipav-council-members-resign/

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    Mute Gavin Conran
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    May 12th 2023, 10:34 PM

    @Rob: Are you asking? You can just check you know…

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    Mute Paul Furey
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    May 12th 2023, 10:46 PM

    @Gavin Conran: they never do. But he found it elsewhere so he should be happy.

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    Mute Paulco
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    May 13th 2023, 2:14 AM

    The Journal is obsessed with American news.

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    Mute 9QRixo8H
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    May 12th 2023, 10:43 PM

    Workers of capitalist America going on strike with their socialist union (or guild as they call it) for “a fair share of the profits we help generate”. How socialist of capitalists.

    An age old tug-of-war between David & Goliath, between workers and their capitalist owner.

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