When the Writers Guild of America (WGA) went on strike on Nov. 5, talk shows were the first ‘casualty’. Without writers crafting new jokes, gags and skits for monologues and comedy bits, shows like the ‘Late Show with David Letterman’ and ‘The Tonight Show’ went dark immediately. Instead of doing what they love, writers took to the picket lines in New York and Los Angeles.
Why the fight?
During the summer and early fall, WGA members hit a stumbling block in contract negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) regarding residuals from the sale of DVDs and other digital releases, such as Internet downloads and cell phone entertainment (so called ‘mobisodes’).
Presently, writers receive 4 percent of DVD sales – 4 cents on the dollar - and no residuals from new media ventures. They are asking for 8 cents and similar residuals for new media ventures. Presently, studios make about 60 percent of their overall profit from DVD sales, according to a 2005 L.A. Times article, and estimates place the value of new media in the billions of dollars category.
Reports suggest that writers are in no hurry to return to the negotiating table, though it is expected negotiations will resume soon. The strike was described as “a marathon, not a sprint,” suggesting the strike will last months rather than weeks.
The last time writers striked, for 22 weeks in 1988, networks saw a decrease in viewership by nearly 10 percent. That strike allegedly cost the entertainment industry $500 million in lost revenue.
Follow the strike and its effect on TV’s Talk Show’s right here.
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