Skip to main content

Hollywood writers strike ends after agreement on AI and other issues

The Writers Guild of America (WGA) has called off its strike after five months during which a slew of popular shows were taken off air.

The WGA said it had reached a tentative agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers on a new three-year Minimum Basic Agreement (MBA), and voted unanimously to recommend it to its 11,500 members.

It’s also given the green light for writers to return to work from Wednesday, though acknowledged that the situation could change if its members vote against the deal when they have their say next month.

The WGA reached a tentative agreement with the AMPTP. Today, our Negotiating Committee, WGAW Board, and WGAE Council all voted unanimously to recommend the agreement. The strike ends at 12:01 am. Check out our deal at https://t.co/c0ULMXhPL7. #WGAStrong pic.twitter.com/7z8kw9xI1p

— Writers Guild of America West (@WGAWest) September 27, 2023

According to the WGA, improvements have been agreed for writers’ pay as well as for contribution rates to their health and pensions.

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the industry has also been addressed following concerns that the technology could adversely impact the work of entertainment writers.

As per the WGA:

– AI can’t write or rewrite literary material, and AI-generated material will not be considered source material under the MBA, meaning that AI-generated material can’t be used to undermine a writer’s credit or separated rights.

– A writer can choose to use AI when performing writing services, if the company consents and provided that the writer follows applicable company policies, but the company can’t require the writer to use AI software (e.g., ChatGPT) when performing writing services.

– The company must disclose to the writer if any materials given to the writer have been generated by AI or incorporate AI-generated material.

– The WGA reserves the right to assert that exploitation of writers’ material to train AI is prohibited by MBA or other law.

A summary of the deal terms of the MBA is available here, while anyone keen to pore over the full details of the 94-page agreement should go here.

The ongoing actors’ strike means movie sets and TV shows will stay shuttered, but the new WGA contract means that, for example, America’s late-night talk shows can return to screens, with NBC’s The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon, CBS’ The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, and ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! expected to head back into production as early as next week.

But as one entertainment-linked strike ends, another could soon begin as the sections of the video game industry demand a better contract.

Editors' Recommendations

Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
The 18 best sitcoms on Netflix right now (December 2023)
Iain Armitage as Sheldon in Young Sheldon.

Sitcoms seem to be a dying breed on television, but the genre lives on thanks to Netflix in the form of original shows, as well as series from the past that have found a home at the streamer. This month's top new addition to the sitcom lineup is Young Sheldon, which was most recently streaming on Max. We're also putting a spotlight on two Netflix original sitcoms, Merry Happy Whatever and Blockbuster, as well as a former NBC sitcom, Great News.

Netflix is also the home for all-time great sitcoms like Seinfeld, Arrested Development, and Community, all of which you can find on our list of the best sitcoms on Netflix right now. And more sitcoms are coming in 2024 because Netflix is constantly adding new shows. So keep checking back as we update this list every month.

Read more
Where to watch the Christmas at Opry 2023 live stream
Wynonna Judd holds a guitar and performs a song.

Join Country Music Hall of Famer Wynonna Judd for Christmas at the Opry, a two-hour musical event featuring "Christmas favorites, holiday classics, and today's biggest hits." Christmas at the Opry was filmed at the iconic Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, Tennessee.

Judd will host the event and sing a special duet of Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree with Brenda Lee, who recorded the original version in 1958. Other performers set to grace the stage and sing during the special include Adam Doleac, Breland, Chris Janson, Chrissy Metz, Kelly Clarkson, Lauren Alaina, Meghan Patrick, Michelle Tenpenny, Mickey Guyton, Mitchell Tenpenny, and Trace Adkins.
Watch the Christmas at the Opry live stream on NBC

Read more
Where to watch Sleepless in Seattle
Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks in Sleepless in Seattle

Fans don't really need a reason to revisit Sleepless in Seattle beyond the fact that it's one of the best romantic comedies ever made. The film also has its fair share of drama, as Sam Baldwin (Tom Hanks) and his son, Jonah (Ross Malinger), mourn for their wife and mother, respectively. Because Jonah wants his dad to be happy, he calls into a nationally syndicated radio show to share his story, which captures the attention and the imagination of Annie Reed (Meg Ryan). Annie is very intrigued by Sam's plight regardless of the fact that she's already engaged to Walter Jackson (Bill Pullman).

Thanks largely to this film, Hanks and Ryan are considered rom-com royalty. The irony is that they share very little screen time together. This movie shouldn't work as well as it does, but few romantic comedies have matched its success. It's just a classic, and we're here to tell you where you can stream Sleepless in Seattle.
Where is Sleepless in Seattle streaming?

Read more