Deal Could Bring Writers Back To Work

On Friday, the Writers Guild of America crafted a tentative deal with the studios that will go before the union's membership for approval.

The timing of the announcement was a good one, taking place just hours before meetings of the guild membership in Los Angeles and New York. This will give the union's leadership a chance to talk about the deal and get member feedback.

A vote could come as early as Sunday, which could have scribes back at work on soon as Monday.

According to Patric Verrone and Michael Minship, who lead the guild, the new accord "protects a future in which the Internet becomes the primary means of both content creation and delivery.

"It also "establishes the principle that, 'When they get paid, we get paid," they said.

The deal sets up payments for streaming of video established at $1,300 a year for an hour-long program (half that amount for a half-hour show). This is very close to the agreement the guild worked out with the producers' organization in January.

This could end the strike that started on Nov. 5 and virtually brought scripted programming for television to a standstill.

If the deal is approved, what next?

Once work resumes, new episodes could be back on the airwaves in a few weeks. Of course, situation comedies, which take less production time, would be back first, followed by dramas. Not all shows may be able to pick up where they left off, and networks may keep some shows off the air until the fall season begins.

During the third year of the deal, the writers will begin receiving 2 percent of the revenue a distributor receives for the product. This will be particularly important if, as analysts believe, the streaming of video continues to grow.

Other increases include a 1.2 percent residual in download rentals as well as a raise in the minimum salary each year. The guild also would have jurisdiction over new media programming.

"Much has been achieved," states a letter to the guild membership, "and while this agreement is neither perfect nor perhaps all that we deserve for the countless hours of hard work and sacrifice, our strike has been a success."

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