WGA In the News
Learn about the WGA contract campaign and why writers say it’s an “existential” fight to ensure the future of the profession of writing.
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June 7, 2023 – boing boing
Writer's Guild hands out leaflets outside Apple store
June 6, 2023 – Vox
Hollywood is staring down the barrel of a double strike
What happens if everybody walks off the job?
June 6, 2023 – The Hollywood Reporter
Amid Writers Strike, Hollywood’s Next Big Question May Be: Is SAG-AFTRA Next?
Armed with an overwhelming strike authorization vote and an activated membership, the performers union is seeking to tackle the snowballing issues of AI and streaming residuals: "If there is a deal to be made, we'll make it.”
June 6, 2023 – The Hollywood Reporter
An “Existential Fight” Looms If Actors Join the Writers Strike
As SAG-AFTRA starts negotiations with the AMPTP, the threat of a wider work stoppage is already having a chilling effect on film and TV production.
June 6, 2023 – Deadline
Netflix Shareholders Nix Executive Compensation Plan By Nearly 3-To-1 Margin In Non-Binding Vote – Update
June 6, 2023 – Deadline
L.A. County Board Of Supervisors Passes Motion In Support Of WGA Strike, Asks AMPTP To Return To Negotiations
June 5, 2023 – Deadline
WGA Urges Apple To Settle As It Details Protest Plans Against Tech Giant
June 5, 2023 – Deadline
Dispatches From The Picket Lines, Day 35: As Writers Take On Apple, WGA Chiefs React To DGA Deal
June 5, 2023 – ABC
Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference to be met with WGA protesters on strike
June 5, 2023 – REUTERS
Hollywood actors set vote to authorize strike with writers still out
June 5, 2023 – NME
Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre postpone ‘Doggystyle’ concerts in solidarity with WGA strike
"We stand in solidarity with the unions, and are hopeful that the AMPTP will negotiate fair deals as soon as possible"
June 2, 2023 – Vox
Hollywood is staring down the barrel of a triple strike
What happens if everybody walks off the job?
June 2, 2023 – The Hollywood Reporter
New York State Senate, Assembly Members Call on AMPTP to “Negotiate in Good Faith” With WGA Amid Stalled Contract Talks
Over 50 members of the state legislature questioned the entertainment companies that "have failed to negotiate a collective bargaining agreement one month after the strike," but "will benefit enormously" from the state's expanded film tax credit in two letters to the studios.
June 2, 2023 – Variety
WGA Leader Chris Keyser Argues Guild Is Ready to Fight Alone: ‘There Is No Way Around Us’
May 31, 2023 – The Hollywood Reporter
Writers’ Shut-It-Down Strategy Has Been Effective, Executives Privately Concede
As the strike extends into its second month, protesters are focusing efforts on stopping in-progress productions: "We have to make sure that no writing is happening across the board."
May 31, 2023 – The Hollywood Reporter
Writers Guild Picket Shuts Down Atlanta Production of Peacock’s ‘Hysteria!’
The action marks the first time union members have stopped a production in Georgia.
May 31, 2023 – The Hollywood Reporter
Former Writers Guild Chief: Why Writers Rooms Matter, and Can Save Lives
As the writers strike enters its second month, Howard A. Rodman reflects on his late father, the writer Howard Rodman Sr., and argues that "the fight to preserve the writers room is many things," not least "a fight for working conditions that extend and enrich human lives."
May 31, 2023 – The Hollywood Reporter
Producers Guild Presidents to Writers: Why We’re With You in This Fight
After Sean Penn confused the trade org with the AMPTP and called it a “bankers’ guild,” Stephanie Allain and Donald De Line explain how their battles parallel the issues underlying this spring’s strike.
May 31, 2023 – Los Angeles Times
Emmy campaigns walk a fine line during writers’ strike
May 31, 2023 – Variety
WGA and Other Unions Call on Studios to Reach ‘Fair Contract’ With DGA: ‘It Uplifts Every Worker’ in Hollywood
May 30, 2023 – The Hollywood Reporter
Writers Guild Targets Executive Pay In Letters to Netflix, Comcast Shareholders
The guild is urging shareholders to reject the compensation packages of top executives.
May 30, 2023 – Los Angeles Times
Hollywood writers say the bosses make too much. This is what our analysis found
May 30, 2023 – Los Angeles Times
WGA blasts studio executive pay in message to Comcast, Netflix shareholders
May 30, 2023 – Washington Post
Writing for TV is nothing like you (probably) thought
May 30, 2023 – Washington Post
The WGA strike is part of a recurring pattern when technology changes
Unions in the film and television industry have to band together to get their fair share when new ways of enjoying films and shows emerge
May 30, 2023 – New York Times
Has ‘Gig Work’ Become a Dirty Word?
If work for companies like Uber and Lyft once carried some appeal for offering flexibility, the kind of labor it has come to represent is now used by some as shorthand for a raw deal.
May 30, 2023 – JACOBIN
The Writers’ Strike Reminds Us Hollywood Is a Site of Class Struggle
The writers of your favorite movies and shows are workers just like you. They deserve your solidarity.
May 25, 2023 – New York Times
Predawn Picket Lines Help Writers Disrupt Studio Productions
Workers from other unions have shown solidarity with the strikers, catching entertainment companies off guard.
May 25, 2023 – The Hollywood Reporter
“We Want to Disrupt as Much as We Can”: How Warren Leight Is Leading the WGA East’s Push to Shut Down Filming
The strike captain, dubbed the writers strike’s “Air Traffic Controller” by David Simon, joins the ‘TV’s Top 5’ podcast to discuss how he’s working to force the AMPTP back to the bargaining table: “The quickest way to empty the pipeline is not to wait until all the shows are shot but to stop the shows from shooting.”
May 25, 2023 – The Hollywood Reporter
Barack Obama: Studios “Wouldn’t Be Around If It Weren’t for Writers,” Says He’s “Hopeful” About Deal
The former president, who hosts a Netflix docuseries about working in America, shared his support for the ongoing strike during a live-streamed interview with Ira Glass on LinkedIn.
May 25, 2023 – Rolling Stone
WGA Strike: Barack Obama Says Studios ‘Wouldn’t Be Around If It Weren’t for Writers’
“I’m very supportive of the writers and the strike and I’m hopeful that they get a fair share of the fruits of their labor"
May 23, 2023 – The Hollywood Reporter
New Max Credits Display Irks Creatives Amid Labor Standoff; Streamer Vows to Correct “Oversight” as Guilds Blast “Grave Insult”
The former HBO Max no longer provides specific credits for writers, directors and other creatives.
May 23, 2023 – Los Angeles Times
Inside the writers’ ‘guerrilla tactics’ to shut down live productions
May 23, 2023 – Washington Post
Max apologizes after new streaming app obscures writer credits
The app formerly known as HBO Max relaunched with a new display that upset manystriking Hollywood workers
May 24, 2023 – Deadline
Los Angeles On-Location Filming Continues To Plummet Amid WGA Strike
May 24, 2023 – Deadline
Max’s ‘Duster’, From J.J. Abrams & LaToya Morgan, Suspends Production In New Mexico – Update
May 23, 2023 – THE CORSAIR
Hollywood is Overdue for a Strike
Streaming platforms dominate Hollywood, and writers have gotten lost in the sweeping change.
May 23, 2023 – The Hollywood Reporter
Writers Strike Dampens Dealmaking in Rainy Cannes
The Marche has chugged along at a decent rate, with big deals for Todd Haynes' 'May December' and 'Paddington 3,' but insiders are clearly feeling anxious about an uncertain future: “If everything shuts down, eventually we're going to run out of movies."
May 23, 2023 – Mashable
'Succession' star James Cromwell tweeted something important about Logan's eulogy
"It illuminated an entire narrative."
May 22, 2023 – Washington Post
Warner Bros. CEO booed at commencement speech over writers strike
Writers Guild of America said it planned to picket during the speech
May 22, 2023 – NPR
David Simon, Creator Of The Wire, On AI, Television and the WGA Strike
May 22, 2023 – The Wrap
We’ve Been Here Before': Studios and Writers Got Unexpected Preparation for a Long Strike
The pandemic gave studios the playbook for a long work stoppage, while WGA’s battle with agencies helped organize writers
May 22, 2023 – Albequerque Journal
Production of ‘Duster’ suspended in NM as union workers support writer’s strike
May 22, 2023 – INEQUALITY.ORG
Lights, Camera, Action: Why the Hollywood Writers Strike Matters
If you work for a living in this increasingly unfair economy — or just watch TV — you have a stake in the Hollywood writers strike.
May 22, 2023 – REUTERS
Striking Hollywood writers lament residuals slide
May 19, 2023 – Los Angeles Times
As the writers’ strike lingers, TV showrunners are opting out of publicity for their work
May 19, 2023 – Los Angeles Times
Shea Serrano: What it’s like to have your TV show come out during the writers’ strike
May 19, 2023 – The Hollywood Reporter
At “Trans Takeover” Picket at Netflix, Writers Push for Representation: “Let Us Make You Money”
The event from the striking union's Trans/Gender Non-Conforming Writers Subcommittee sought to improve visibility for these members both within the industry and the union.
May 19, 2023 – The Hollywood Reporter
Aziz Ansari’s ‘Good Fortune’ Suspended Indefinitely Amid Writers Strike
Seth Rogen and Keanu Reeves also star in the Lionsgate feature, and the hope is filming will resume at a future date.
May 19, 2023 – Deadline
WGA Strike: ‘The Penguin’ Starring Colin Farrell Wrapping Production Week Disrupted By Picketing -Update
May 18, 2023 – IndieWire
The 2023 Upfronts Were a Big Win — for the WGA
IndieWire speaks with the folks who made sure no one had a good time this week — the Writers Guild of America.
May 18, 2023 – The Hollywood Reporter
Fewer Stars, Fewer Shows, Fewer CEOs and More Picket Lines as Upfronts Wrap
Plus: Upfront superlatives. Who had the best party? The biggest picket line?
May 18, 2023 – The Hollywood Reporter
How Networks Faced (or Ignored) the Writers Strike in Their Fall Plans
CBS waves away the labor action, ABC works around it, and NBC tries something in between.
May 18, 2023 – KCRW
WGA is prepared for ‘deep strike’ if necessary, says guild VP
May 18, 2023 – Variety
How the Writers Strike Is Forcing a Rewrite of Emmy FYC Season
May 16, 2023 – The Cut
I’m a TV Writer on Food Stamps
While writers like me struggle to make ends meet, Hollywood studios get rich off the content we create.
May 16, 2023 – Jacobin
Hollywood Screenwriters Have Always Known That Moviemaking Is a Form of Labor
The Hollywood screenwriters' strike has deep historical roots: stretching back to Hollywood’s Golden Age, writers and many others in the industry have insisted that filmmaking is a form of labor — and fought for their rights as workers.
May 16, 2023 – Capital & Main
Hollywood Writers Have a Word for It: Inequality
From Cocaine Bear to Panda Express, the fight for a living wage is the same.
May 16, 2023 – The New Republic
How the Writers’ Strike Will Actually Change TV
Stories from the last strike can’t explain the current action. Nor should they necessarily give us comfort.
May 16, 2023 – The Hollywood Reporter
Writers Guild Posts Studio-By-Studio Forecast of How Much a Deal Would Cost
The striking union projects that a consensus would set Disney back $75 million annually, and Netflix $68 million.
May 16, 2023 – The Atlantic
Why You Should Pay Attention to the Hollywood Writers Strike
“For a week or two, it’s kind of annoying ... But after several months, it can be disastrous.”
May 16, 2023 – IndieWire
WGA to Studios: We’re Asking for a Fraction of a Percent of Your Annual Revenue
According the writers, striking is so much more expensive than, you know, paying them.
May 12, 2023 – New Yorker Radio Hour
W.G.A. Strike: Why Your Favorite Shows Could Go Dark
May 12, 2023 – The Hollywood Reporter
Anonymous Strike Diary: “The AMPTP Has Utterly Lost the PR War”
A brutally honest account by the creator of a streaming hit on failing studio messaging and the first days of picketing: "The strike lines have echoes of a cocktail party. Eyes dart around looking for someone better to talk to. Others hope to get laid. Many grit their teeth and just hope to get through it."
May 12, 2023 – The Hollywood Reporter
Chris Keyser on the WGA’s “10,000-Front War” With Studios: “They’re Hiding the Money. We’ve Got to Find It”
The guild’s co-chair of the negotiating committee joins ‘TV’s Top 5’ podcast hosts Lesley Goldberg and Daniel Fienberg to discuss the latest on the strike; other topics this week include the latest on the broadcast networks ahead of the upfronts and Disney’s plan for Hulu.
May 12, 2023 – Vanity Fair
The Writers Strike Is Blowing Up the Upfronts
There won’t be any Jimmy Kimmel roasts this year as A-listers skip the advertiser showcases. Netflix dropped its Paris Theater plans while competitors lean into news, sports, and reality. Says a WGA member: “The guild plans to make our presence felt.”
May 12, 2023 – The Verge
Netflix canceled its in-person upfront, probably to avoid the WGA’s picket lines
After being tipped off by the NYPD about strikers planning to demonstrate at its upcoming upfront presentation, Netflix has shifted to a virtual-only event.
May 12, 2023 – New York Times
Striking Writers’ Union Denies Waiver, Imperiling Tony Awards Telecast
The Writers Guild of America indicated it would not grant a waiver to allow a live telecast of the Tonys on June 11, threatening one of Broadway’s biggest marketing moments.
May 12, 2023 – Deadline
Seth MacFarlane & Showrunners Exit ‘Family Guy’ & ‘American Dad’ Until Striking WGA Gets New Contract
May 11, 2023 – In These Times
The WGA Strike Is More Than an Issue of Pay—it’s Part of the Battle for Diversity and Inclusion in Hollywood
For the first time in 15 years, 11,500 members of the Writers Guild of America went on strike May 2, mostly asking for higher pay and better employment terms. But that’s not the end of the story.
May 11, 2023 – New York Times
Striking Writers Find Their Villain: Netflix
Fear of protests prompted the streaming giant to shift an anticipated presentation for advertisers to a virtual event and a top executive to skip an honorary gala.
May 11, 2023 – The Hollywood Reporter
Writers Guild to Picket Boston University Commencement Over David Zaslav Remaining 2023 Speaker
The picket announcement follows a statement from a BU spokesperson earlier this week confirming "there is no change in the university's plans," amid criticism tied to the writers strike.
May 11, 2023 – The Hollywood Reporter
Film/TV Shoots at L.A. Hotels May Be Disrupted as Hospitality Workers Back Writers Strike (Exclusive)
UNITE HERE Local 11, which represents workers at popular shooting locations across the region, announced it "will not cross any picket line set up by the WGA."
May 11, 2023 – The Wrap
WGA Strike Roundtable: ‘I Can’t Support My Family for the Rest of the Year’ – Writer Moms Talk Why They Strike
Mothers and WGA members talk about how raising kids makes the drop in writers’ wages even more of a problem
May 10, 2023 – Deadline
WGA Raises $1.7 Million To Help Industry Workers Impacted By Strike
May 10, 2023 – Deadline
'Daredevil: Born Again’ Shuts Down For Rest Of Week After Striking Writers Picket Disney+ Show
May 10, 2023 – Deadline
Ted Sarandos Will Skip PEN America Gala Honoring Him Amid WGA Strike Given “Threat To Disrupt” Event
May 10, 2023 – Boston Herald
Writers Guild of America blasts Boston University for picking Warner Bros. Discovery’s David Zaslav as commencement speaker
The guild warns of picketing at BU’s commencement
May 10, 2023 – Not A Blog
Writers On Set
May 10, 2023 – The Hollywood Reporter
“Nice Tesla (You’re Welcome)”: A Roundup of Writers Strike Protest Signs
As picket lines popped up in Los Angeles and New York amid the Writers Guild of America strike, writers are leaning on their skills to get their messages out.
May 10, 2023 – The Wrap
J.J. Abrams, Shonda Rhimes and Adam McKay Lead Donations for $1.7 Million Strike Relief Fund
Greg Berlanti and Ryan Murphy are also among the high-profile writers to provide gifts for industry workers in financial need
May 10, 2023 – The Wrap
SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director Expresses Solidarity With WGA: ‘Actors Are Facing the Same Problem’
Duncan Crabtree-Ireland also explains how using AI could lead to a lack of inclusive casting
May 8, 2023 – The Hollywood Reporter
President Biden Weighs in on WGA Strike, Says Writers Deserve a “Fair Deal”
"I sincerely hope the writers strike in Hollywood gets resolved," Biden told a crowd that included Disney execs at a White House screening of the Disney+ series 'American Born Chinese.'
May 8, 2023 – The Hollywood Reporter
Emmys: Writers Guild Turns Away FYC Money From Struck Companies (Exclusive)
"After deliberation with our legal department, all FYC production is now suspended," a WGA rep notified companies on Saturday.
May 8, 2023 – NPR
MTV Movie & TV Awards cancels its live show over writers' strike
May 8, 2023 – NPR
Because of writers strike, MTV Movie & TV Awards was a different show than planned
May 8, 2023 – New York Times
‘It’s Going to Be a While’: No End in Sight for Hollywood Strike
The writers and entertainment companies remain far apart on several key issues, including money, and the standoff could last for months.
May 8, 2023 – The Guardian
Writers on why they’re standing up to Hollywood: ‘this is fundamentally broken’
Six film and TV writers discuss what the industry means to them and why they are fighting for its future
May 8, 2023 – The Guardian
Game of Thrones prequel paused as Hollywood writers’ strike continues
Production on final season of Stranger Things also halted as strike by thousands of US film and television writers blows out to almost a week
May 8, 2023 – The Guardian
This historic writers’ strike matters for everyone – not just Hollywood
The contract that the writers are striking for could set a powerful precedent that AI must work for people, rather than being used to marginalize people to juice profits
May 8, 2023 – Politico
AI’s footprint in the workplace spreads as D.C. stalls on guardrails
Contract talks between Hollywood writers and producers have put a spotlight on how the fast-developing technology is blowing up the jobs landscape.
May 8, 2023 – Politico
Biden calls for ‘a fair deal’ for striking screenwriters
May 5, 2023 – GQ
All About the Writers Strike: What Does the WGA Want and Why Are They Fighting So Hard for it?
A breakdown of the writers’ demands, the conditions that created them, and what this means for your favorite shows (and showrunners).
May 5, 2023 – The AV Club
UPDATE: MTV Movie And TV Awards switch to pre-taped show in response to Writers Guild picket
News of the picket came after host Drew Barrymore already announced she was dropping out of the event in solidarity with the Writers Guild strike
May 5, 2023 – The Hollywood Reporter
Writers Guild to Picket MTV Movie & TV Awards on Sunday
The move comes after the ongoing writers strike caused host Drew Barrymore to pull out from emceeing this year's show.
May 5, 2023 – The Hollywood Reporter
2023 MTV Movie & TV Awards Will Not Be Held Live
The awards show will instead be a pre-taped ceremony airing Sunday night, organizers announced just hours after the Writers Guild of America disclosed plans to picket the live event.
May 5, 2023 – The Hollywood Reporter
Studios Demand Showrunners Work During Writers Strike
Letters to striking writer-producers from studios including those owned by Warner Bros. and Disney state that they must perform non-writing duties and may be obligated to act against their guild's own mandates.
May 2, 2023 – Democracy Now
Hollywood Writers Strike: Abbott Elementary’s Brittani Nichols Decries “Gig Economy” in Streaming Era
May 2, 2023 – The Onion
Netflix Condemns WGA Strike For Putting Future Show Cancellations Behind Schedule
May 2, 2023 – The Onion
Inflatable Scabby The Rat Keeps Trying To Give Striking Hollywood Writers Copy Of His Screenplay
May 2, 2023 – The Hollywood Reporter
Hollywood Writers Defiant as Strike Begins: “We’re Not Scared, Bring It On”
Top writers took to social media to slam studios as the WGA orders its first work stoppage in 15 years: "They’re going to lose billions — and still give us a deal."
May 2, 2023 – The Hollywood Reporter
Writers Guild Negotiators on Where Talks Broke Down: “They Really Weren’t Interested in Making a Deal”
In an interview after the studios and streamers and writers' union failed to reach an agreement on Monday night, David Goodman, Chris Keyser and Meredith Stiehm discussed how the guild came to its first work stoppage in 15 years.
April 30, 2023 – Wall Street Journal
Hollywood Braces for Potential Writers’ Strike Spurred by Shift to Streaming
April 29, 2023 – The New Yorker
Why Are TV Writers So Miserable?
On the cusp of a potential strike, writers explain why no one is having much fun making television anymore.
April 28, 2023 – The Atlantic
Why Hollywood Writers Might Go on Strike
The stories we love to binge don’t come from nowhere.
April 28, 2023 – New York Times
Hollywood, Both Frantic and Calm, Braces for Writers’ Strike
Studios have moved up deadlines for TV writers, and late-night shows are preparing to go dark. But for other segments of the industry, it’s business as usual.
April 28, 2023 – Los Angeles Times
Writers Guild and studios continue talks, but deal remains elusive as possible strike looms
April 27, 2023 – Vox
The looming threat of AI to Hollywood, and why it should matter to you
Artificial intelligence could be the most important part of a writers strike, for reasons bigger than show business.
April 25, 2023 – Deadline
IATSE Joins Hollywood Unions Supporting WGA As Contract Talks Enter Final Week
April 24, 2023 – The Hollywood Reporter
Directors Guild Calls for Studios and Streamers to Reach “Fair and Reasonable Agreement” With Writers
The union is set to enter negotiations with major Hollywood companies just 10 days after the WGA's contract expires.
April 22, 2023 – The Hollywood Reporter
SAG-AFTRA Unanimously Votes to “Strongly” Support WGA in Its Contract Negotiations
"It is long past time for the studios, streamers, and other employers in the entertainment industry to remove roadblocks to fair and equitable wages and working conditions," a resolution from the performers’ union read.
April 19, 2023 – Washington Post
The existential threat driving a potential Hollywood writers’ strike
The Writers Guild of America announced Monday that nearly 98 percent of voting members authorized the potential walkout.
April 19, 2023 – KCRW: Press Play
Looming Hollywood writers’ strike, Rafael Casal on ‘Blindspotting’
April 18, 2023 – The AV Club
As strike looms, The Bear, CSI: Vegas, and more TV writers tell us what it's really like behind the scenes
Writers from across the entertainment industry have been sharing their experiences online. The A.V.C
April 18, 2023 – All Of It
Adam Conover Explains How Streaming Impacts TV Writers
April 17, 2023 – Los Angeles Times
Writers Guild members vote to authorize strike by record margin as contract deadline nears
April 17, 2023 – New York Times
Hollywood Writers Approve of Strike as Shutdown Looms
The writers have not gone on strike in 15 years, and the vote gives their unions the right to call for a walkout when their contract expires on May 1.
April 17, 2023 – Fast Company
‘Our way of life is crumbling’: Why TV writers are gearing up for a potential strike
The rise of streaming TV has dramatically shifted the financial reality for writers.
April 17, 2023 – NPR
'We're just at a breaking point': Hollywood writers vote to authorize strike
April 16, 2023 – NPR
Streaming changed the Hollywood landscape. Now its writers are voting to go on strike
As members of the Writers Guild of America wrap up voting on whether to authorize a strike, NPR's Ayesha Rascoe talks to two writers about the changing content landscape in Hollywood.
April 16, 2023 – Reuters
Hollywood writers vote on whether to give negotiators power to call strike.
April 11, 2023 – Vanity Fair
A Writers’ Strike Might Grind Hollywood to a Halt: What You Need to Know
Why film and TV scribes are preparing to stop work—and how a potential strike could change everything.
April 10, 2023 – Los Angeles Times
Studios face turmoil and strife amid WGA negotiations. Not our problem, writers say
April 10, 2023 – Los Angeles Times
As Hollywood strike looms, five writers share their stories
March 27, 2023 – New York Times
Why There Is Talk of a Writers’ Strike in Hollywood
TV and movie writers want more money, but Hollywood companies say the demands ignore economic realities. The deadline to sort out those differences is approaching.
March 24, 2023 – Rolling Stone
Inside TV Writers’ Fight to Keep Their Shows From Disappearing
Ahead of ongoing WGA negotiations, several TV writers tell Rolling Stone the burst of the streaming bubble has them nervous for the future of the industry— and their hard work.
March 22, 2023 – The Hollywood Reporter
Writers Guild Says It’s Pushing to Prohibit AI-Generated Works Under Contract in Negotiations
The guild, which is currently at the table with studios and streamers over this issue and others, said Wednesday that artificial intelligence "has no role in guild-covered work, nor in the chain of title in the intellectual property."