Writers Guild of America Goes on Strike Transcript

Overnight, more than 11,000 film and TV writers went on strike after the Writer’s Guild of America and a group representing TV networks and studios failed to agree on a contract. The first to feel the effects of the strike, late night comedy shows like Jimmy Kimmel Live.

They cannot produce new episodes without writers. It may be a long time before viewers really feel the impact of a strike because all the major players have such vast libraries of shows.

The two sides are at odds over writers pay for shows on streaming services. Among other things, the writers say streamings’ lack of a regular seasonal calendar has hurt their pay.

Network series typically were 22 episodes or even more. Streaming series are 10, eight, sometimes even six or even four episodes.

The last writer strike back in 2007 lasted 100 days costing California’s economy an estimated $2 billion. Experts say that strike boosted reality television giving a rise to unscripted shows like Big Brother and The Apprentice.

Maria, you’re fired.

But the impact of this new strike will go far beyond Hollywood and New York. Take Georgia for instance, where movie and TV productions pumped more than $4 billion into the local economy last year.

Georgia is a leader in the world. We’re top three, typically, production city. We’re going to feel it more than most other markets and feel it just as much as New York or LA would.

The group representing TV network studios says it’s committed to reaching a fair agreement.