For the first time in twenty years, scriptwriters for US TV are going on strike this Monday following a breakdown in negotiations, according to a statement by the President of the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), Nick Counter. Counter called the action "irresponsible" on the part of Writers Guild of America (WGA) members, as “negotiations were ongoing” with the meeting which took place yesterday with the AMPTP. Picketers demand that the new distribution channels – sales of TV series on DVD and Internet streaming of series – return some of the profits they make to the scriptwriters, but with terms that have been defined as unattainable given the financial realities of the sector. “We made an attempt at meeting them in a number of their key areas including Internet streaming and jurisdiction in New Media. Ultimately, the guild was unwilling to compromise on most of their major demands,” explained Counter in the statement. Meanwhile, from California, WGA West President Patric Verrone, stated that “our position is simple and fair: when a writer´s work generates revenue for the companies, that writer deserves to be paid.”
The opposing camps didn’t reach an agreement and, according to Counter, “When we asked if they would ´stop the clock´ for the purpose of delaying the strike to allow negotiations to continue, they refused.” Thus, series such as Lost, 24, Law and Order: Criminal Intent will not be producing the scripts they should be using in the coming months. The first to feel the affects of the strike will be the fans of such popular nightly shows as The Tonight Show, The Conan O’Brien Show, Colbert Report or The Daily Show. Regarding the conflict over DVDs, the AMPTP recently stated, “We cannot move further as long as that issue remains on the table. In short, the DVD issue is a complete roadblock to any further progress.” However, Verrone said that “In recent years, these conglomerates have enjoyed tremendous financial success off the backs of literally tens of thousands of people - including members of the creative community,” adding that “although the industry´s pie is continually growing, our share continues to shrink.”