Letterman returns on Wedensday – with writers

The first deal the Writer’s Guild made since the strike began is for Late Show with David Letterman. The new interim deal covers not only Letterman’s show, but Craig Ferguson’s as well, since Letterman owns his show and Ferguson’s (a main stipulation in the CBS deal when he came to the Tiffany Network in 1993.) New shows began January 2, […]

Leno, Conan return to NBC late night

Taking a page from Johnny Carson’s playbook in 1988 during the last writer’s strike, NBC announced Monday that Jay Leno and Conan O’Brien will return to work with new episodes of their respective late-night shows on January 2, in lieu of writers. Meanwhile, Letterman’s production company (Worldwide Pants) is negotiating with its writers to return The Late Show with David […]

TCA cancels tour

To no one’s surprise, The Television Critics Association tour scheduled for January 2008 has been canceled due to the ongoing writers’ strike. This is perhaps the only positive thing for the networks, who now get to save tons of dough – and they didn’t even have to call Geico.

2007-08 TV season over

Just like the Bears, the 2007-08 season for television appears to be over early with a disappointing thud. And with talks broken off between the WGA and AMPTP, negotiations are unlikely to resume soon – and television can join its sister medium radio on the road to obsoleteness. Call it the Dying Medium Duo.

AMPTP offers WGA a digital proposal

The AMPTP has offered the WGA a “Digital Plan” regarding payments of residuals from new media (i.e. the Internet, DVDs, etc.). The WGA says it will take four days to think about it, and come back to the bargaining table Tuesday. UPDATE: The Writer’s Guild has indicated that it has rejected the offer. which basically means, were back at square […]

Networks to use original episodes creatively because of strike

They are running out of fresh episodes, and the countdown is now underway to indefinite reruns and new episodes of reality shows non-stop. The writers and producers have agreed to return to the bargaining table next Monday, so keep your fingers crossed. If you want a laugh, scroll down to the comments section at the end of the linked article. […]

Worst People In Media This Week – 11/16/07

I know I’m supposed to award this on Friday, but it’s a blowout in the race for the award this week (a blowout so large, even FCC Chairman Kevin Martin and the Sun-Times’ Jay Mariotti couldn’t compete – plus it’s a slow news day), so I might as well award it now… To the pricks who came onto James Hibberd’s […]

63 percent of public back striking writers

In a poll conducted by Pepperdine University, 63 percent of the public are backing the writers in their dispute with the studios, who had only 4 percent. 33 percent of the people surveyed in the poll were unsure. In other strike news: – NBC has pulled out of the upcoming Television Critics Association tour in January because of the strike […]

They like us… They really, really like us…

An item on James Hibberd’s blog on the writer’s strike has turned the comments section to a free-for-all, attacking writers and bloggers, and yours truly in particular: Fred: Wow, T Dog, is that professional writing? It is so impressive. Question: If a script falls in the forest and no one hears it it does it deserve a residual? Yours truly […]

Strike may affect local stations’ bottom lines

The current writer’s strike in Hollywood may further hurt TV stations’ bottom lines, which are already reeling from a soft ad market and tight spot ad inventory. Stations, especially network affiliates, need fresh programming in the last hour of prime time to lead into their late local newscasts. With network programming likely to go into reruns the longer the strike […]

Writer’s Guild Strike Roundup – 11/9/07

Writers Held Hostage: Day 5 – NBC is planning to lay off its Tonight Show and Late Night staff next week, but may rely on guests hosts on those shows beginning Nov. 19. Meanwhile, The Late Show with David Letterman will be in repeats next week. – Ellen DeGeneres is under fire for crossing the picket line to work on […]

Writer’s Guild Strike Roundup – 11/8/07

Writer’s Held Hostage: Day 4 – The Office will air its final completed episode on November 15. – Another casualty of the strike: The Television Critics Association tour may be scrapped, to the delight of the networks. – Bionic Woman, Reaper, and Men in Trees are on the verge of shutting down, perhaps for good, as all three are struggling […]

Writer’s Guild Strike Roundup

Writers Held Hostage: Day 2 The latest: – The walkout has shut down numerous shows in Hollywood until notice, notably sitcoms shot in front of studio audiences. Back to You, Two and a Half Men, ‘Til Death and The Big Bang Theory have gone dark (however, CW sitcoms Girlfriends and The Game are reportedly still in production.) – The Writer’s […]