Writers' Guild Reaches Tentative Agreement With Studio Executives To End Strike By: Brody Sorbera
A tentative deal has been reached to end the Writers' Strike after 146 days of picketing and tense negotiations. We don't know all the details, but the strike has worked in the Guild's favor as they have won significant concessions. The Guild confirmed this in their words, "was made possible by the enduring solidarity of WGA members and extraordinary support of our union siblings who stood with us for over 146 days". This would end one of the most prolonged strikes in American history. What we should expect is for the late-night TV and daytime talk shows to come back soon. However, ongoing TV shows might be slower to come back because the SAG-AFTRA strike is still ongoing, but with the writers' strike resolved, we should expect the actors to reach a deal with studio executives to end their strike.
This was a massive win for the writers' who stood together and got a fair deal, but what could this mean for an already struggling Hollywood? There is still uncertainty about the entertainment industry, with streaming causing more problems and not being as profitable as expected. With the writers getting better compensated for their work, it will put more pressure on the studios to make changes, whether that be more advertising or increasing prices, which they already have been doing, as many of you have noticed.
The actors' strike is ongoing as SAG-AFTRA put out a statement applauding the WGA's efforts but will continue to strike until their agreement is reached. Some will argue this is a win for the writers and actors but could translate into a loss for consumers as we could be staring down the effects of this strike, leading to higher prices and fewer options unless streaming becomes profitable again. Although smoke will argue it's worth it, the people who make these shows and movies can have a reasonable standard of living.
Sources:
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-66914591
https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/25/entertainment/wga-strike-analysis/index.html