The Writers Guild of America (WGA) is currently reviewing a counterproposal received from major Hollywood studios. If accepted, this proposal would allow union members to return to work after more than 100 days of the strike. The WGA plans to respond to the offer from the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) within the week, as the financial losses for the industry continue to increase. Experts estimate that California’s economy has suffered approximately $3 billion in losses as a result of the strike.
The offer from the AMPTP, representing eight major studios, was presented on Friday, according to the WGA. The WGA issued a statement, stating that negotiation progress can sometimes be hindered by excessive public scrutiny and analysis of each side’s moves. They intend to adopt a more discreet approach to negotiations until significant developments occur or unless management attempts to manipulate the narrative through media or industry intermediaries.
The counterproposal by the AMPTP addresses key issues that the writers’ union is striking for, such as the substitution of writers with artificial intelligence by studios, disclosure of streaming viewership data, and the preservation of writers’ rooms in television series. Elaine Low, a staff writer for The Ankler who covers the business of Hollywood, explains that Hollywood writers are primarily concerned with ensuring the sustainability of their profession. They seek staffing and employment duration regulations, as well as oversight over the use of artificial intelligence. It should be noted that a strike by the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) also revolves around concerns regarding the use of artificial intelligence by studios.
The AMPTP’s counterproposal reportedly includes concessions related to artificial intelligence usage, access to viewer data, and residual payments. The AMPTP has committed to preventing the replacement of humans by artificial intelligence in screenplay production and to sharing streaming viewership data with writers. Additionally, the union has offered WGA members a more than 20% increase in residual payments when their shows re-air on new networks, addressing the erosion of residual payments caused by the rise of streaming platforms.
One of the core issues for writers is the preservation of writers’ rooms. The streaming economy has led to a reduction in the size of these rooms, with fewer writers employed and less stability in the profession. The AMPTP has proposed 5% salary increases and a minimum duration of work for writers in smaller “mini-rooms” to address these concerns.
At the time of writing, neither the WGA nor SAG-AFTRA has responded to CBS MoneyWatch’s requests for comment.
Denial of responsibility! VigourTimes is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
