The Writers Guild of America (WGA) has announced the end of its nearly five-month-long strike, urging its members to lower their picket signs. The WGA’s Negotiating Committee, WGAW Board, and WGAE Council have unanimously recommended a three-year agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which will end the strike and send the writers back to work. A ratification vote for the agreement is scheduled between October 2nd and October 9th. Furthermore, a summary of the deal has been posted, providing details of their agreement for the first time.
The newly reached agreement includes provisions regarding the use of generative AI tools and regulations around streaming data. It establishes a viewership-based bonus structure for streaming series and films and requires studios to share data on the number of hours streamed for projects like Netflix’s original series. Additionally, the agreement specifies that AI tools cannot write or rewrite literary material nor will AI-generated material be considered source material. Companies are also prohibited from mandating writers to use AI software and must inform them if any materials provided involve AI-generated content.
Despite the end of the strike, the return to normalcy in productions may be delayed as the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) is still on strike. Until both writers and actors resume working, the industry may not fully recover.
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