US President Joe Biden stated on Monday that he wants Hollywood’s striking film and television writers to quickly receive a “fair deal” in contract negotiations.
“I sincerely hope the writers’ strike in Hollywood gets resolved and writers are given the fair deal they deserve as soon as possible,” he said during a film screening at the White House in honour of the Asian-American community.
It is the first time the pro-union Democrat has addressed the strike, which began after talks between the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and significant US studios and streaming services broke down last week.
The tens of thousands of picketing writers claim they are on strike for better pay in a sector affected by streaming. The WGA represents about 11,500 screenwriters.
A better share of the profits brought in by the growth of streaming is also something writers claim they are seeking, along with more consistent working conditions.
In the past, network television series frequently had 20 episodes, which gave writers months of work in addition to residual royalties that were paid out when broadcasters aired reruns. However, writers claim they are earning less money as streaming takes over more and more of the industry.
Series on streaming platforms sometimes have significantly fewer episodes than their network counterparts — as few as six — which results in less work and smaller teams. Additionally, the authors claim that streaming residuals are much lower.
Several late-night shows have been cancelled as a result of the strike’s immediate effects. The longer the strike lasts, the more likely it is that television shows and films will be interrupted.
The last Hollywood writers’ strike, which shut down production for 100 days and cost California’s economy $2.1 billion, occurred in 2007.
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