Hollywood writers strike over streaming pay after talks fail
LA TimesA festering dispute over how writers are compensated in the streaming era came to a head Monday night, as leaders of the Writers Guild of America called on their members to stage Hollywood’s first strike in 15 years. “No such deal could ever be contemplated by this membership.” In a statement, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers said it offered “generous increases in compensation for writers as well as improvements in streaming residuals.” The alliance, which bargains on behalf of the major studios, said it was prepared to improve the offer but was “unwilling to do so because of the magnitude of other proposals still on the table that the Guild continues to insist upon.” The alliance said primary sticking points included the guild’s demands over mandatory staffing levels and duration of employment. Hollywood Inc. As Hollywood strike looms, five writers share their stories Streaming has transformed television and led to a surge in content, but it also has squeezed Hollywood writers. “The AMPTP member companies remain united in their desire to reach a deal that is mutually beneficial to writers and the health and longevity of the industry, and to avoid hardship to the thousands of employees who depend upon the industry for their livelihoods,” the alliance said in a statement. “An extended strike that lasts three-plus months should meaningfully advantage Netflix,” Rich Greenfield, a co-founder of LightShed Partners, a technology and media research firm in New York, said in an April research note.