Hollywood studios have responded to accusations from striking film and television writers that they are being forced into the “gig economy” in the streaming era. Most writers are hired on a weekly or episodic basis, with a guaranteed number of weeks or episodes, it said. The gig economy means that temporary contracts are awarded flexibly and at short notice to job seekers, freelancers or part-time employees.
Around 11,500 members of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) went on strike Tuesday after talks with film studios and streaming platforms ended without an agreement. The writers say they’re working more and earning less as studios have shifted their focus to streaming over traditional TV and cable. They also pointed out that they had to pay their agents and lawyers from their salaries.
The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), which represents major studios like Walt Disney and Netflix, said writers would enjoy benefits “far in excess of what many full-time employees get for a full year.” Health care, pension insurance contributions and paid parental leave.
Support also from Austria
The strike comes at a challenging time for media companies. Corporations are under pressure from Wall Street to make their streaming services profitable after pumping billions into programming to attract subscribers. The rise of streaming has also eroded TV advertising revenue as traditional TV audiences shrink.
The strike could have an impact on the fall TV season. Drew Barrymore has stepped down from hosting tomorrow’s MTV Movie & TV Awards in sympathy for the strike. Support for the authors also came from Austria, the Austrian script association and the Vienna script forum showed their solidarity in a broadcast. “Especially in times of change – including through streamers and AI – it is important to take a clear position,” they wrote.
