Striking Hollywood writers to hold first talks with studios in three months

[August 02, 2023]  (Reuters) - Hollywood's striking writers and major studios have agreed to hold talks on Friday for the first time since their strike began over higher pay demands in May, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) said on Tuesday.

SAG-AFTRA actors and Writers Guild of America (WGA) writers walk the picket line during their ongoing strike outside Netflix, in Los Angeles, California, U.S., July 31, 2023. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni

The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), reached out to the WGA and requested for a meeting, the WGA negotiating committee told its members in a statement that was shared with Reuters.

"We'll be back in communication with you sometime after the meeting with further information," the committee told its members in its note.

The AMPTP negotiates on behalf of Walt Disney, Netflix, Warner Bros Discovery and other studios.

An AMPTP spokesperson told Reuters that the alliance was committed to finding a mutually beneficial deal, without giving further details.

The strike by about 11,500 writers has led to late-night shows cancelling new episodes, disrupted most production for the fall TV season and halted work on big-budget movies.

Hollywood actors joined the writers on picket lines in July as they also demanded higher streaming-era pay and curbs on the use of artificial intelligence.

The entertainment website Deadline reported on Tuesday that the WGA and the studios were on the verge of making a breakthrough in talks.

(Reporting by Gokul Pisharody and Bharat Govind Gautam in Bengaluru; editing by Robert Birsel)

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