Writers Strike Hits Third Day

As the television and film writers enter a third day of picketing, a number of major Hollywood studios prepare to sever ties with television production companies. The Walt Disney Co., NBC Universal and Warner Bros. Studios are among the studios expected to suspend production deals that potentially jeopardizes the jobs of hundreds of below the line workers, the Los Angeles Times reported. The Writers Guild of America began a strike Nov. 5 after failing to reach agreement on a new contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. The Guild withdrew its request to hike the fee writers receive when their work is released on DVD, but the two sides are still far apart on how to compensate writers whose work is distributed by new media downloads, Internet streaming and mobile distribution. Writers have picketed in front of CBS Studio Center in Studio City, NBC Universal in Universal City, and Disney and Warner Bros. in Burbank.