Six Degrees: A few words from Jay Katsir
By
From Metro New York:
14 weeks & $2 billion later, an ending is written
by ned ehrbar / metro new yorkMANHATTAN. The Writers Guild of America’s board voted yesterday to approve a tentative deal with producers and end the 14-week-long writers’ strike, which has cost Hollywood an estimated $2 billion. The motion to end the work stoppage now goes to the union’s 12,000 members, who will vote tomorrow on whether or not to go back to work.
Union leadership called the proposed contract “a huge victory.” The deal creates formulas for revenue-based residuals in new media such as Internet streaming and downloads, one of the major sticking points in negotiations. A formal vote by members on the contract will take place by mail over the next 10 days.
If the vote to end the strike is successful, writers, TV and film will be back at their jobs Wednesday, with the most immediate effects being seen in late-night TV.
“I’m very excited about what seems to be the strong possibility of going back to work,” said Jay Katsir, a writer on Comedy Central’s “The Colbert Report.” While that show and others returned last month, the hosts have had to press on without writing staffs.
The union will suspend picketing today and tomorrow while members decide on the strike’s future. “I’ve already lost 3 of my 48 hours poring over legal language,” Katsir said. “I just hope in 45 hours I can make an informed decision.”
. . .
Well, Mr. Katsir, assuming your informed decision favors acceptance of the proposed contract terms, we couldn’t be more excited by the prospect of your return to work. Here’s hoping the deal looks as favorable upon further review as it did at first glance, because we’ve missed you and your fellow writers!
[Comments are off for this post.]
Related posts
