| Michael Winship, the president of the | | | | returned with an agreement between the |
| Writer's Guild of America East, and Patric M. | | | | companies that run them for fairer wages and |
| Verrone, the president of the Writer's Guild | | | | several other demands were met, and some late |
| of America West announced in a letter to all | | | | night hosts even paid their writers with |
| involved with the strike of the past three | | | | money out of their own pocket. |
| months that has crippled much of the | | | | |
| entertainment industry that the WGA had | | | | This helped boost morale in the Writer's |
| indeed reached a deal with the AMPTP on the | | | | Guild of America and the strike pressed on |
| basis of if they get paid, we get paid. | | | | more determined than ever. The strike |
| | | | progressed and more and more deals were made, |
| The strike has been going on since November | | | | but some were not made fast enough, and the |
| 5, 2007 over the royalties that were to be | | | | major award ceremony The Golden Globe Awards |
| made from DVD sales, internet downloads, and | | | | was televised by simply a reading of what won |
| film revenue. Specifically, the guild wanted | | | | what award with no speeches, actors, writers, |
| an increase in the percentage they make off | | | | photographers, or anything one would |
| of these projects as a means to compensate | | | | associate with the award ceremony. |
| for the period of unemployment they must | | | | |
| often face between jobs. | | | | Many pondered what would happen for the |
| | | | Academy Awards, and it is perhaps that worry |
| The strike began and hopes were very quickly | | | | that led to the resolution that finally came |
| raised that the strike could be ended | | | | on February 9. |
| swiftly. However, this was not the case and | | | | |
| the strike went on stronger than before. The | | | | The following is an excerpt from the WGA |
| strike continued and crippled the production | | | | letter detailing the minimum royalties. |
| of many popular television shows such as | | | | Minimum rates generally increase 3.5% each |
| NBC's Heroes, CBS's CSI series, and several | | | | year. The exceptions are: network prime time |
| others. The strike even managed to halt | | | | rates and daytime serial script fees increase |
| production on almost every late night talk | | | | 3.0% each period; program fees and the upset |
| show. The strike did, however, benefit game | | | | price increase once by 3% in the second year; |
| shows and reality television which usually | | | | and clip fees increase once by 5% in the |
| require no writers at all. | | | | third year. Every other revision requested by |
| | | | the WGA has been met. More details are soon |
| In early January the late night talk shows | | | | to follow. |