Hollywood writers give union power to strike against big studios if needed

nypost.com:

The last WGA strike, in 2007 and 2008, lasted 100 days. TV networks broadcast re-runs and more reality shows, while the cost to the California economy was estimated at $2.1 billion, according to the Milken Institute.

If a strike is called, audiences would first see the impact on late-night talk shows, which use teams of writers to pen topical jokes.

Daytime soap operas would be next. Many comedies and dramas are filmed months in advance, giving them a longer lead time before fresh episodes would run out.Studios do not want another disruption after COVID-19 shut down production worldwide for months.

But sources close to the studios say budgets are tight at a time when Wall Street wants profits from the billions of dollars they spend to make streaming TV shows.The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which represents Comcast, Disney, Warner Bros Discovery, Netflix and others, said in a statement that its goal was “to reach a fair and reasonable agreement.”“An agreement is only possible if the Guild is committed to turning its focus to serious bargaining by engaging in full discussions of the issues with the companies and searching for reasonable compromises,” the statement said..