The Writers Guild of America voted to go on strike on Monday, May 1, putting the TV industry in jeopardy. Some effects of this strike will be immediate but others may take weeks or even months to be felt. Read on for a look at how the strike will impact your favorite shows – depending on how long it takes the writers to reach a resolution.
The WGA voted overwhelmingly to go on strike after repeatedly failing to reach a new agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), which essentially represents the interests of major studios. The WGA represents screenwriters working in both TV and movies, on content that appears on broadcast TV, cable, streaming and in theaters. In its regularly-scheduled renegotiation with the AMPTP, the WGA is demanding an update to the rate of compensation for writers, assurances that projects will be followed through on after writers are hired and protections from loopholes – including the use of artificial intelligence writing programs. Reps for the guild insist that these terms are important not just for members, but for everyone in the industry, and for all laborers in a more broad sense.
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Longtime TV fans likely remember feeling the impact of the last WGA strike in 2008 and 2008. That one lasted for about 100 days and was resolved in the writers’ favor. Like the current strike, the last one started in the summer, meaning that there was a delay before the strike made a palpable impact on the normally-scheduled TV season. However, with streaming more popular than ever, the timeline could be different this year. Here’s a look at the latest information on the strike and its impact on the entertainment industry.
Late Night Shutdown
The most immediate impact of the WGA strike will be the immediate shutdown of all three major network late-night talk shows – The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel Live. According to a report by Deadline, all three shows will halt production immediately and will air re-runs in their usual time slots starting on Tuesday, May 2. One showrunner told the outlet that they are in contact with the showrunners of the other two shows, and all three are working to present a united front.
“I have been and will continue to talk to the other shows to see what they’re up to,” they said. “We’ve got to support the writers – our writers are amazing. That said, the rest of the staff is amazing, and I don’t want to see anybody lose their jobs or lose a paycheck. What’s the happy medium there? Figuring that out, it’s not been easy.”
Other late night shows including cable shows like The Daily Show, Last Week Tonight and Real Time with Bill Maher will reportedly “be impacted,” but it’s not clear yet if they have material for the coming week or if they will go on hiatus immediately.
Saturday Night Live
In the late night space, Saturday Night Live may be the one major exception to the strike. A source told Deadline that the variety show may not necessarily go on strike, and that a decision is likely to be made closer to the scheduled showtime this Saturday. This weekend’s episode is supposed to be hosted by series alum Pete Davidson, who is promoting his new series Bupkis on Peacock.
“We have to think about our crew too,” an SNL cast member told Deadline. “I absolutely support the writers, and I want the writers to get what they deserve and need, but I don’t want our crew to be out of work. We can’t make this art without each other.”
Network Shows
The regular spring TV season is more or less over, and most major shows on broadcast networks and cable are already on hiatus for the summer. That means you won’t likely feel the impact of the strike on sitcoms, dramas or procedurals, as those shows aren’t typically on at this time anyway. Networks expect viewers to be preoccupied with their own lives during the summer and save their scripted programming for the colder months.
Still, timing is everything when it comes to these deals. If the WGA and AMPTP do not reach an agreement by the end of June, the strike will likely impact the fall premiere lineup according to a report by Entertainment Weekly. The studios need time to hire writers, assemble writers’ rooms and get some scripts prepared before production begins, and that process needs to begin in the summer to make it in time for autumn debuts. If this strike lasts as long as the last one, the 2023-2024 TV season may be a bit sparse.
Streaming Content
Surprisingly, even today’s fast-paced streaming ecosystem the strike will have a bit of a delayed effect. Streaming shows are generally produced all at once and finished before their release, more like movies than network TV shows. That means that most streaming shows being advertised are far enough along in the production process to be released as planned with no strike-related delays. Even shows are that are currently in production may be safe as long as the pre-production phase is over. However, without writers on set, scripts will need to be filmed as they are with no revisions or additions.
Reality TV
Finally, for better or worse, the reality TV world will likely be impacted very little by the writers strike. Unscripted shows have little need for writers – though not none – and will proceed without them for the summer. That includes game shows, competition shows and reality dramas, many of which make up the bulk of summer programming anyway. However, it’s worth noting that the perceived rise in popularity of reality TV is not as closely correlated to the last writers strike as is sometimes presumed. If the strike goes on, even the most die-hard fans of messy drama will be clamoring for a well-ordered script.
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