Hope At Last? Writers Strike Ending at Smaller Production Companies
Hooray for David Letterman! Though many scripted TV dramas and sitcoms may end the season in chaos, perpetual reruns, or replacement by reality tv, the deal struck between David Letterman’s Worldwide Pants and the WGA is a ray of hope in this strike-sick season. The agreement will hopefully lead to more smaller production companies making their own independent agreements with their writers. Key to this agreement with Worldwide Pants, of course, is the section detailing residual payments for content made available on advertising and subscription funded websites.
When will we see more deals like this, and even the end of the strike? Considering that the WGA/Pants made both sides happy enough to go back to work, we can hope that it will become a template for more deals, at least among smaller studios and production companies. If the larger companies can muster enough empathy for the writers and their one-time viewers, perhaps, they can at least offer the Pants deal with a time limit. This would give both sides time to watch what happens in the industry, and negotiate new terms, as internet media income models evolve.
Come January 2, we can begin watching the first of newly –at least partially- scripted television, with the return of new Late Night with David Letterman and Craig Ferguson, thanks to this ground-breaking deal. I plan to watch every night in support.
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