Hollywood Writers Strike Could Affect Your Favorite Shows and Delay Films
May 2, 2023
1,413 1 minute read
AAA
Early on Tuesday, the entertainment industry was hit by a major event that may have far-reaching consequences. Hollywood writers have put down their pens and headed to the picket line as they went on strike for unfair wages. The strike has been called by the board of directors of the Writers Guild of America (WGA).
This strike could affect many aspects of the industry, from our favorite TV shows and movies to streaming services.
The primary reason for the strike is a dispute between writers and producers over the compensation and working conditions for writers. The WGA had been negotiating with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) for months, but the talks broke down in March 2023, leading to the strike.
The strike will have a significant impact on the industry, with many TV shows and movies delayed or canceled as a result. Many writers, who were members of the WGA, are refusing to work during the strike, and this can cause significant disruption to production schedules.
Late-night talk shows and NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” will likely go dark this week amid the strike. In addition, producers of weekly dramas or comedies may be forced to delay or even cut their seasons short.
The strike also affects streaming services, which have become increasingly important players in the entertainment industry.
Services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Hulu rely heavily on original content, much of which is written by WGA members. The strike means that many of these services are unable to release new content, leading to a loss of revenue and subscribers.
WGA members are seeking increases in pay as well as changes to the structure of a business model that has made it increasingly difficult for them to make a living. In the past few years, median writer-producer pay has decreased by 4%.
Comedy writer and producer, Danielle Sanchez-Witzel, a member of the WGA’s negotiating committee, stated “this is not an ordinary negotiating cycle,” adding, “We’re fighting for writers’ economic survival and the stability of our profession.”
WGA members previously went on strike in November of 2007 amid a disagreement with the AMPTP over writers’ salaries among other issues. The strike disrupted Hollywood’s content production and lasted 100 days, finally coming to an end on February 12, 2008.
Raphael Bob-Waksberg, creator of Netflix’s “BoJack Horseman” stated the, in the clearest of terms, what the writers strike is about.
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
