AMBER WOLF | staff writer
WITH AP SOURCES

After three months of striking and negotiating, the Writers Guild of America on both coasts came to an agreement. The negotiating committee for the writers established a percentage payment on the distributor’s gross. However, there is still some uncertainty until there is a change in the economics of digital distribution. Writers were able to work with the production companies to reach a tentative three year deal.

The writers will receive a fixed residual payment of $1,200 a year for one-hour shows streamed online in the first two years of the new contract. The agreement also doubles the residual rate for movies and TV shows sold online and secures the union’s jurisdiction over content created specifically for the Internet above certain budgets.

The deals established met the writers’ concerns for getting paid for work circulated on the Internet, through cell phones and by other new media. The writers also fought for a percentage of DVD sales.

“The guild really botched DVDs in the ‘80s. They were not gonna make the same mistake with the Internet,” one children’s TV writer told Time Magazine.

The end of the strike means favorite primetime shows will be back on air before the season ends with at least four to seven episodes, though less popular shows may decide to start back in the fall or cancel altogether.

“It will be all hands on deck for the writing staff,” co-executive producer of CBS’ drama Criminal Minds Chris Mundy said.

He hopes to get a couple of scripts in the pipeline right away, with about seven episodes airing by the end of May.

Popular talk shows such as Jay Leno and Saturday Night Live will be relieved of trying to fill in guest spots. Big name actors have stayed away because of their ties with the Screen Actors Guild and their support of the strike.

“Close coordination between the two guilds especially paid off when actors on television shows, which had scripts to shoot, refused to cross the picket line in support of the writers—and in some cases even joined the writers on those lines,” APU associate professor in the department of theater, film, and television and Writers Guild Association member Thomas Parham said.

The recent strike cost the studios an estimated $3.2 billion. The strike not only stopped the production of television shows but major award shows such as the Golden Globes were cancelled and turned into press conferences. Now that the strike is over shows will rush to start production immediately. In addition, the 80th Academy Awards will air Feb. 24.

“The just-concluded strike nearly guarantees the Screen Actors Guild will not go on strike when their contract expires this June,” Parham said. “The actors can simply request ‘favored nations’ status, which is industry speak for ‘I’ll have what she’s having.’”