The Writers Guild of America has come to the streets to protest against unfair wages and residuals. Streaming platforms have bloomed since the pandemic, and the executives have been earning well despite a lull in between. But they have not compensated the writers on shows, despite heavy working hours, and are not paying well.
As per Variety, a writer earned $131,184 annually in 2019–2020 after working for 29 weeks. Now, inflation has been a reason why the writers have not been getting a pay raise, along with irregular season calendars. The writers in the guild have been negotiating for a better raise with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). However, due to the failure to reach a middle ground The writers have called for a strike. So, how much will it affect the shows across various platforms?
Related: Why Hollywood Writers Are On Strike?
How Writers Strike Will Affect Streaming?
The Writers Guild of America (WGA) represents more than 11,500 writers across different mediums, including streaming giants. Streaming platforms like Peacock TV, Paramount, and Disney saw better growth in quarterly visits between Q1 2022 and Q1 2023, displaying 43.85% and 53.9% growth, respectively. But the writers’ strike can impact streaming services due to delays in premieres, resulting in a reduction in subscription revenue.
However, Netflix will be least affected by the strike, as per Ted Sarandos. In the Q1 earnings call, he said, “If there is one, we have a large base of upcoming shows and films from around the world. We could probably serve our members better than most. We really don’t want this to happen, but we have to make plans for the worst[-case scenario], and so we do have a pretty robust slate of releases to take us into a long time.”
In Case You Missed: Which Shows Will Be Affected By Writers Guild Of America Strike?
It Will Heavily Affect The Television And Late Night Show Production
Television will be the most affected medium due to the strike! The strike has affected late-night production. Now, shows like ‘The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,’ ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and ‘The Late Show With Stephen Colbert’ will have reruns. The ‘Saturday Night Live’ broadcast of the Pete Davidson episode will not be happening.
‘Abbott Elementary’ recently created ripples during the awards season, and the season two conclusion made the audience eager for the new season. But the writers’ strike will affect season three.
Hollywood screenwriters of @WGAWest are going on strike. They are fighting for a living wage in the streaming era, says Abbott Elementary writer @BisHilarious, who calls the industry a "gig economy," where studios prioritize Wall Street, not workers. pic.twitter.com/GDxWvfi5ZJ
— Democracy Now! (@democracynow) May 2, 2023
One of the writers, Brittani Nichols, talked to Democracy Now! about the impact of the strike on the show. Nichols said, “If this strike goes on for a significant period of time, our show will not come out on time and that could change the amount of episodes which people I’m sure will be very upset about.”
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