Writers' strike ends

Los Angeles – Hollywood screenwriters have ended their strike following a 92.5% vote by members of the Writer Guild of America (WGA) in favour of resuming work after a three-month long dispute. The vote follows the presentation of a new contract to WGA members over the Feb 9 weekend. A second poll to ratify the contract has been scheduled for Feb 25.

Previous contract negotiations between WGA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) stalled as writers were not paid for content aired free or bought online. The breakthrough deal sets up a scale of royalty payments for writers whose work is sold over the Internet or streamed free.

Writers ceased work on November 5, 2007, causing TV programs and movies to be postponed or cancelled, resulting in losses that Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC) estimated to run up to US$733 million in lost film and TV production spending. The reduction of 2007’s Golden Globes awards ceremony to a news conference alone, is believed to have resulted in losses of US$10million in related revenues.

Overall, LAEDC placed total losses of the industry at US$2billion, and has called the strike the “longest and most damaging” in its history. Hotels, F&B and services establishments are also believed to have incurred US$1.3billion in losses with their reliance on the entertainment industry for business.