Category: News

What TV Writers Need to Know About the WGA Strike Talks

The L.A. Times, which actually knows about these things because, you know, company town, gives us the info we all need:

Golden Age of TV is not so golden for writers: Why the Writers Guild of America is moving closer to a strike
by David Ng

A decade ago, Hollywood writers brought the entertainment industry to a standstill when they walked off the job for three months in a dispute over pay for movies and TV shows distributed online. The strike halted dozens of TV and movie productions and sent shock waves through the Los Angeles economy.

Now, the Hollywood community is feeling a sense of déjà vu as the possibility of another strike looms large. After the collapse of talks with the major studios, the Writers Guild of America is seeking a strike authorization vote from members. While the union has until May 1 to reach an agreement, tensions are as high as they’ve been in years, say people close to the negotiations not authorized to comment. read article

Netflix Original Series Coming in April

Yeah, we’re tired of the Netflix logo so here’s the icon instead

We here at TVWriter™ make no bones about it: We’re fans of Netflix’s original productions because so many of them feature such excellent writing. (Yeah, there are exceptions. Iron Fist comes to mind for one. So does Grace & Frankie…but that’s a whole ‘nuther post we hope to publish soon.)

Without further ado, here’s a list of series that will be gracing our browsers starting next month:

  1. Chewing Gum, season 2 (April 4th)
  2. Louis C.K. 2017 (April 4th)
  3. Dawn of the Croods, season 3 (April 7th)
  4. The Get Down: Part 2 (April 7th)
  5. Win It All (April 7th)
  6. Chelsea, season 2 (April 14th)
  7. Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Return (April 14th)
  8. Lucas Brothers: On Drugs (April 18th)
  9. Bill Nye Saves the World, season 1 (April 21st)
  10. Girlboss, season 1 (April 21st)
  11. Hot Girls Wanted: Turned On, season 1 (April 21st)
  12. The Mr. Peabody & Sherman Show, season 4 (April 21st)
  13. Tales by Light, season 2 (April 21st)
  14. Vir Das: Abroad Understanding (April 25th)
  15. Las Chicas del Cable, season 1 (April 27th)
  16. Casting JonBenet (April 28th)
  17. Dear White People, season 1 (April 28th)

Hmm, looking over this list, don’tcha kind of wonder what Hot Girls Wanted: Turned On is all about? And how the hell it could ever be even remotely, um, “good?” read article

LB: WGAW & WGAE Ask Members for Strike Authorization Vote

by Larry Brody

As usual (don’t trust us, google Writers Guild of America AMPTP negotiations over the past two decades and see for yourself), the AMPTP is stonewalling the Writers Guild on all fronts during the early negotiations.

It’s a thing they do because, well, because they think it shows the contempt they feel for our oh-so-unnecessary-selves. (“We don’t really need writers because any one of us could do what they do if we just had the time” has been a mantra since the early days of silent films.) read article

2017 College Television Awards Nominees Announced

by TVWriter™ Press Service

This just in from the Television Academy Foundation about an award more commonly known as “The Student Emmys:

Nominations for this year’s Awards have been announced! read article

2017 WGA TV Writer Access Project Honorees

We would like to be saying, “This just in from the Writers Guild of America, West,” but, unfortunately we’re a couple of weeks late in relaying what this genuinely important WGAW announcement.

The Diversity Department of the Writers Guild of America, West is pleased to announce the honorees for the 2017 WGAW TV Writer Access Project, a program designed to identify excellent, diverse writers with television staffing experience. read article