Hollywood writers on strike: A detailed overview of the issue
The Hollywood industry is about to experience a major shake-up as television and movie writers announced a strike late Monday night. The Writers Guild of America (WGA) revealed that its 11,500 unionized screenwriters launched an industry-wide strike after negotiations between studios and the writers failed to reach a new, improved contract. Here's a detailed overview of the writer's strike and what is at stake.
What exactly happened?
The strike was announced on Monday when the WGA's contract with the Association of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) expired. The WGA in a memo noted that many members who earned handsomely are finding it difficult to make a good living due to the industry's shift to streaming content. "Companies have used the transition to cut writer pay, worsening working conditions," noted WGA.
Why the strike is happening in 2023?
A writer's strike was looming in Hollywood for quite some time now, with The Los Angeles Times reporting on a potential strike back in February. Per reports, the writers are fighting for pay raises while studios argue that a new remuneration structure would ignore economic realities. Notably, the last strike of this magnitude happened in 2007, which lasted 14 weeks and impacted the industry.
What are the issues raised by the writers?
Every three years, WGA—a representation of 11,500 writers of TV and film—negotiates a new contract with the major Hollywood studios; this restructuring didn't materialize this time. Besides arguing that the streaming takeover has negatively impacted their pay, writers also demanded pay equity, better pre-production writers' rooms, increased contributions to the pension plan and health fund, and more measures to combat discrimination and harassment.
What do networks and studios want?
It's understandable that the networks and studios want to continue to make profits. One prominent argument from producers is that since streaming content is still an emerging business, they don't exactly know what profit margins look like. A recent statement from AMPTP read, "The goal is to keep production active so that all of us can continue working and continue to deliver to consumers."
Will your favorite TV shows and films be impacted?
Yes, the strike will have a direct impact on the shows that require immediate work, for example, shows like Saturday Night Live and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon can face shortened seasons. The broadcast TV shows that are slated to return in winter, like Abbott Elementary, will most likely get delayed, as the writers typically start writing in summer. Movies won't be impacted.
When will the strike end?
To recall, in 1988, a WGA strike exploded and lasted 153 days. The 2007 strike went on for around 100 days. The strike forced many late-night program hosts to write their own scripts. Reportedly, Jay Leno wrote his own monologues, a move that enraged union leadership. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the last strike took a $2.1B toll on the Los Angeles economy.
