How voiceless the world would have looked without our writers. They not only add colors to the white and dull-looking pages, but also contribute value to one’s thoughts by bringing out the appropriate meaning behind them. Hollywood is facing a hard time as the writers have put down their pen and paper. The writers in the entertainment world have proved that the multi-billion dollar is nothing without them.
The Writer’s Guild Of America, the union behind the movies and TV shows went on strike on May 2, 2023. The Writer’s Guild Of America approached the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) with a contract on behalf of the nine largest studios that failed to turn into a deal. The reputed organization unanimously went on strike leading to a big halt in the electronic and print media of Hollywood.
Jimmy Fallon And Seth Meyers Are Paying The Writers From Their Own Pocket
With the Writer’s Guild of America going on a full-blown strike, reality TV shows have taken a setback. The employees of the famous reality TV shows Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon and Late Night With Seth Meyers would be paid until the strike is called off by the union. Due to the indefinite strike of the writers, these shows have taken a setback. It has been decided that NBC would be paying for at least two weeks of salary to the staff members, whereas the legendary show hosts Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers would be shelling off the payment for the third week from their pockets.
While addressing the strike during his show Late Night With Seth Meyers, the notable TV presenter went on to show light on a very sensitive matter. He said-
“Look, no one is entitled to a job in show business. But for those people who have a job in show business, they are entitled to fair compensation. They are entitled to make a living. I think it’s a very reasonable demand that is being set out by the guild, and I support those demands. But I also believe that everybody at the table right now, be it from the writer side or the studio side, knows that the future of this business is dependent on storytellers.”
Between 2007 to 2008, during the writer’s strike- all the shows came to a stop. Notable TV show hosts Conan O’Brien, David Letterman, Jimmy Kimmel, and Jay Leno paid the writers and the other staff members from their own pockets. A similar kind of move was taken by the late-night show hosts during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Reason For The Writer’s Strike In Hollywood
The writers are facing a huge existential crisis because streaming websites are negatively impacting the compensation of the creative minds of the entertainment industry. The shows are being run on repeat, and the viewership of the channels is dropping. The entertainment industry has come to a halt and uncertainty looms over the continuous broadcasting of TV shows and movies.
The streaming channels have created a modification in the traditional pay structure. The concept of longer production schedules with fewer episodes has created a hole in the pockets of the writers. The entertainment giants are cutting jobs and facing huge losses.
According to a statement published by the Writer’s Guild Of America,
“The companies’ behavior has created a gig economy inside a union workforce, and their immovable stance in this negotiation has betrayed a commitment to further devaluing the profession of writing. They have closed the door on their labor force and opened the door to writing as an entirely freelance profession. No such deal could ever be contemplated by this membership.”
Due to the pact between the production houses and the streaming platforms, TV is facing a tough situation. It has been assumed by the experts that the longer the strike continues, the more production houses, studios, and networks will switch to a non-Writer’s Guild of America sources. Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers are trying their best to save their late-night shows during the dark time in the entertainment industry.
Source: Variety
