Is The WGA Strike About To End?

Simon Brew

The WGA strike, that's brought film and television productions to a standstill in the States, could be nearing resolution...

Published on Jan 21, 2008

The strike by the Writers’ Guild of America, which we discussed here, could soon be coming to an end. Over the last week, the Directors’ Guild of America struck a deal with the WGA which has encouraged many in Hollywood, and while there are still issues up for debate (relating primarily to Internet revenues and credit), there’s real hope of a resolution for the first time in a while.

Of course, one of the major reasons why people are keen to strike a deal right now is the impending Oscars, the biggest night on the Hollywood calendar. AMPAS has already confirmed that the Oscars will be going ahead, come what may, but there’s still, in a worst case scenario, a chance that the awards will be boycotted by major stars who refuse to cross a picket line. It won’t be forgotten that the Golden Globes were reduced to a press conference this year, and thus Hollywood seems determined that its premier show will not go the same way.

That said, even if a deal was struck tomorrow, it’s still going to take some time for the assorted productions to ramp back into life. For instance, 24 is unlikely to start in its usual slot, the plan for Lost’s fourth season to broadcast in one block is looking shaky, while The Office will be several more weeks off American screens as things swing back into life.

The next week or so should be crucial to resolving the ongoing strike, and we’ll keep you posted…