Hollywood Screenwriters Go On Strike Over Pay

Thousands of Hollywood TV and movie screenwriters will strike on Tuesday, after last minute talks with major studios over wages broke down.

A Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike, the first in 15 years, saw more than 9,000 writers – 98% of voting members – walk out from midnight.

Late-night live chat shows are expected shut down first, while forthcoming shows and films could face delays.

Picketing will begin on Tuesday afternoon, the Guild also said.

In 2007, writers went on strike for 100 days, at a cost of around $2bn to the industry.

This time around, writers are clashing with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) – which represents the major studios, including Disney and Netflix – in demand of higher pay and a greater share of the profits from the modern streaming boom.hTe WGA said the decision to strike was made after six weeks of negotiations produced a “wholly insufficient” response to “the existential crisis writers are facing”.

Key issues in the talks have been how writers get paid for shows which often remain on streaming platforms for years, as well as the future impact of artificial intelligence on writing.

The AMPTP said it had offered a “comprehensive package proposal” including higher pay for writers.

But it was unwilling to improve that offer further “because of the magnitude of other proposals still on the table that the Guild continues to insist upon.”

BBC/ Olusola Akintonde