Please let this end. I need my Office fix. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/showtracker/2008/02/hollywoods-stri.html Writers, studios said to have resolved key issues 04:16 PM PT, Feb 2 2008 Hollywood's striking writers and major studios have resolved their key differences in contract negotiations, moving them closer toward a final agreement that would end a 3-month-old walkout. After two weeks of talks, the parties Friday bridged the gap on the central issues surrounding how much writers should be paid for work that is distributed via the Internet, said three people close to the talks who asked not to be identified because the negotiations are confidential. A final contract could be presented to the Writers Guild of America's board by late next week, the people said. Attorneys from studios and the guild were meeting over the weekend to discuss contract language for the proposed agreement, which would have to be ratified by the union's 10,500 members. Representatives of the Writers Guild and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which represents studios, declined to comment, citing a press blackout. Writers began their strike Nov. 5 in a dispute largely over new-media pay. Talks revived two weeks ago, after studios quickly negotiated a contract with directors. The writers' agreement is modeled on the directors' pact, which doubles residual payments for films and TV shows sold online and secures the union's jurisdiction over shows created for the Internet. Guild negotiators David Young, Patric M. Verrone and John Bowman are scheduled to brief the union's negotiating committee on the proposed deal Monday. Writers and studios alike have confronted heavy pressure to find a way to end a strike that has cost thousands of workers their jobs, threatened the upcoming television season and kept in limbo the Academy Awards show Feb. 24. A number of top writers, including several members of the Writers Guild's negotiating committee, have viewed the directors' pact as a flawed but workable model for their own agreement and had strongly conveyed that message to guild leaders. Many writers, however, complained that the directors' contract offered meager residuals on shows that were streamed on advertising-supported websites and limited the union’s jurisdiction over shows created for the Web. Progress in the talks suggested that studios may have improved the terms for writers in those areas.
Thank goodness. Sadly though its probably too late to save the rest of the spring seasons. Sweeps started this past week. They may be able to get two or three episodes out, but at this point it would be tough. I wonder if they will just restart with new seasons in late summer.
I think they'll just screw the sweeps period and give the people what they want as soon as they possibly can.
As far as I'm concerned, their two months off was their summer break. They can get back to finishing these seasons that abrupty came to a halt. Then, they get right back into beginning shooting for next season with little break. This would mean we see new episodes of Lost and the like during the summer for the current season we are in...when we would normally be seeing re-runs galore with bs reality TV. It may be an awkward scenario but it's akin to them having their months off early. It's time to get back to work. Or, do something like start next season way earlier than normal.
Plus, advertisers did buy time on shows throughout the year and are expecting a certain level of ratings. If the shows that are on don't achieve those ratings, the networks will have to give back ad revenues or broadcast free advertising to make up the difference. There's also the fact that most of the above-the-line people will get paid their salaries based on the full season, so the networks will likely want to get as many episodes as they can out of that rather than just taking the loss and starting fresh in September. And that doesn't even touch on the ancillary markets that have become pretty big cash cows for the studios. The studios that produce the shows are going to want as many episodes as possible to sell on DVD sets, as well as for the overseas markets. It wouldn't surprise me to see a show like "The Office" produce a full 22-episode season. Some other shows are probably not going to make their full seasons, but they'll get some more episodes in the can and on the air before the end of this season.
I wonder if there's any chance that FOX would start 24 in March and run it through the summer, or if we're doomed to have to wait until the fall.
Hell . . .are there even really SEASONS anymore You have shows that only do like 6~10 episodes a year some just in the summer. . some in the fall Rocket River
I'm extremely hopeful they get this done - there's no saving stuff like Heroes or Office, I don't think, but a good chance they could do 4 episodes and wrap up LOST's mini-season. At the moment the season will end abruptly halfway through. I think you're probably waiting a full yr - January 2009. Evan
http://community.tvguide.com/blog-e...Ausiello-Report/Wga-Strike-Favorite/800032698 After the Strike: When Your Favorites Will Return! At long last, a strike chart you can get excited about! With an end to the three-month-old WGA strike imminent (yay!), the networks have quietly begun outlining plans to salvage what's left of the current TV season. At the same time, I've been quietly picking at my moles to get a preview of those plans — the results of which appear in chart form below. Keep in mind that the following information remains extremely tentative and is subject to change (and probably will). In other words, I strongly suggest you refresh your browser at least once an hour to ensure that you're getting the freshest scoop possible. 24 Expected to return this fall or January '09. 30 Rock Expected to shoot 5 to 10 new episodes to air in April/May. Back to You Two pre-strike episodes remain. Future TBD. Bionic Woman No new episodes expected. Ever. Bones Four pre-strike episodes left. Unclear whether additional episodes will be produced for this season. Brothers & Sisters Expected to shoot 4 or 5 new episodes to air in April/May. Chuck No new episodes until fall. Criminal Minds Expected to shoot 4 to 7 new episodes to air in April/May. CSI Expected to shoot 4 to 7 new episodes to air in April/May. CSI: Miami Expected to shoot 4 to 7 new episodes to air in April/May. CSI: NY Expected to shoot 4 to 7 new episodes to air in April/May. Desperate Housewives Expected to shoot 4 or 5 new episodes to air in April/May. Dirty Sexy Money No new episodes planned until fall; three remaining pre-strike episodes will undergo some tweaking and kick off fall run. ER TBD. Everybody Hates Chris Twelve pre-strike episodes remain. No additional episodes expected for this season. Friday Night Lights No new episodes expected for this season. Future TBD. Gossip Girl Expected to shoot up to 9 new episodes to air in April/May/June. Grey's Anatomy Expected to shoot 4 or 5 new episodes to air in April/May Heroes TBD. House TBD. How I Met Your Mother Expected to shoot 5 to 7 new episodes to air in April/May. Jericho Seven episodes remain. No additional episodes expected for this season. Las Vegas Three pre-strike episodes remain. No additional episodes expected for this season. Law & Order: SVU TBD. Life No new episodes expected until fall. Life Is Wild No new episodes expected. Ever. Lost TBD. Medium Six pre-strike episodes remain. No additional episodes expected this season. Men in Trees Eleven pre-strike episodes remain. No additional episodes expected this season. Moonlight No new episodes expected until fall. My Name Is Earl Expected to shoot 8 to 10 new episodes to air in April/May. NCIS Expected to shoot 5 to 7 new episodes, only three of which may air this season. The New Adventures of Old Christine Seven pre-strike episodes remain. No additional episodes expected this season. Numbers Expected to shoot 5 to 7 new episodes, only three of which may air this season. October Road Three pre-strike episodes remain. Future beyond that TBD. The Office Expected to shoot 5 to 10 new episodes to air in April/May. One Tree Hill Six pre-strike episodes remain. Future beyond that TBD. Prison Break Two pre-strike episodes remain. Future beyond that TBD. Private Practice TBD. Pushing Daisies No new episodes until fall. Reaper Three pre-strike episodes remain. Future beyond that TBD. Samantha Who? Three remaining pre-strike episodes could be held until fall (see Dirty Sexy Money). Scrubs Four pre-strike episodes remain. Four additional episodes will likely be shot; unclear whether they'll air on NBC or go straight to DVD. Smallville Five pre-strike episodes remain. Expected to shoot 3 to 5 additional episodes to air in April/May. Supernatural Three pre-strike episodes remain. Expected to shoot 3 to 5 additional episodes to air in April/May. Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles Five pre-strike episodes remain. Future beyond that TBD. Ugly Betty Expected to shoot 4 or 5 new episodes to air in April/May.
Crap! No new Pushing Daisies til the fall. And no word on Lost either. Good news about The Office though. Looks like tonight's Friday Night Lights may be the last one ever.
