The union representing striking Hollywood writers says it will try and negotiate with individual production companies in order to end the impasse since talks broke off Dec. 7 with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.
"The internal dynamics of the AMPTP make it difficult for the conglomerates to reach consensus and negotiate with us on a give-and-take basis," said a statement released by the Writers Guild of America (WGA) on Saturday.
Talk show host David Letterman could be back on air in January if his company can hammer out an interim agreement with the Writers Guild of America.
(Canadian Press)
"We believe this multi-employer structure inhibits individual companies from pursuing their self-interest in negotiations."
On Dec. 7, the AMPTP, which represents the studios, said that it would not sit down at the table unless the WGA dropped six key proposals, including the authority to unionize writers on reality shows and animation projects.
The demand added an extra load on the talks. Up until then, the central issue of the walkout, which began Nov. 5, had been residuals for writers for programs, movies and other content streamed or downloaded over the internet.
"This is merely the latest indication that the WGA organizers are grasping for straws and have never had a coherent strategy for engaging in serious negotiations," alliance spokesman Jesse Hiestand responded in a statement.
Soon after, an official with the company run by talk show host David Letterman expressed a desire to deal directly with the WGA to hammer out an interim agreement.Â
"Since the beginning of the strike, we have expressed our willingness to sign an interim agreement with the guild consistent with its positions in this dispute," said Rob Burnett, chief executive of Worldwide Pants, which produces Late Night With David Letterman and The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson.
Worldwide Pants is an independent producer and can sign an interim deal outside the WGA and AMPTP talks.
"We're happy that the guild has now adopted an approach that might make this possible. It is our strong desire to be back on the air with our writers and we hope that will happen as soon as possible."
Burnett said he was hoping to meet with the WGA next week. If the company reaches an agreement, Late Night With David Letterman could be on the air in the new year.
Burnett's statement seemed to confirm reports from a few days earlier that the talk shows, including Late Night With Conan O'Brien and The Tonight Show With Jay Leno, may be back on air by January.
The shows would likely return without their opening monologues.
With files from the Associated PressRelated
More TV Headlines »
- CTV buys U.S. series Mad Men
- Private broadcaster CTV has added to its slate of U.S.-produced shows with the purchase of the Golden Globe-nominated series Mad Men.
- Law & Order to get British accent
- A British production company is considering creating a London version of the long-running TV crime series Law & Order.
- Expect pickets at Golden Globes, striking writers say
- The Writers Guild of America is saying no deal to Golden Globe Awards organizers, who had hoped to negotiate a ceremony without a picket line.
- Late-night hosts return to TV
- Late-night TV hosts returned to the air Wednesday after a two-month hiatus.
- Serbian Big Brother cancelled following deaths of evicted contestants
- Producers of a Serbian version of Big Brother have cancelled the latest series after three of the reality show's participants were killed in a weekend car accident.
More Arts Headlines »
- Stinky Cheese man named U.S. kids' books ambassador
- Jon Scieszka, author of such bestselling picture books as The Stinky Cheese Man and The True Story of the Three Little Pigs, has been named the ambassador for children's books in the U.S.
- Expect pickets at Golden Globes, striking writers say
- The Writers Guild of America is saying no deal to Golden Globe Awards organizers, who had hoped to negotiate a ceremony without a picket line.
- Sean Penn to head Cannes festival jury
- American actor and director Sean Penn will head the awards jury at the Cannes Film Festival this year, organizers announced Thursday.
- Artists face charges over fake nuclear blast on Czech TV
- A group of Czech artists who staged a fake nuclear blast over national television will be sent to criminal trial, a state prosecutor said Thursday.
- CTV buys U.S. series Mad Men
- Private broadcaster CTV has added to its slate of U.S.-produced shows with the purchase of the Golden Globe-nominated series Mad Men.
Arts Features
Blog Watch
Most Blogged about CBC.ca Articles
Note: CBC does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of external sites - link will open in new window