WGA And AMPTP Reach Tentative Deal To End Writers' Strike

The Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers reached a tentative deal Sunday, heralding an end to the WGA's months-long strike.

"We have reached a tentative agreement on a new 2023 MBA, which is to say an agreement in principle on all deal points, subject to drafting final contract language," the WGA posted in a message to its members late Sunday.

"We can say, with great pride, that this deal is exceptional," the statement later continued, "with meaningful gains and protections for writers in every sector of the membership."

The WGA, which represents Hollywood movie and TV writers, went on strike in May. Among the writers' demands: better residuals from streaming shows, minimum staff sizes to prevent the use of "mini rooms" and protections from the use of AI. Prior to this week's negotiations, the WGA and AMPTP last met on Aug. 22.

The guild and the AMPTP met for negotiations Thursday following a reportedly "encouraging" day of talks on Wednesday. CNBC later reported that the two sides were "near an agreement" to end the strike and hoped to come to a deal this week. However, if an accord were not reached, sources told CNBC, the strike was poised to last "through the end of the year." The talks continued over the weekend, with the AMPTP reportedly offering its "best and final" offer to the WGA Saturday.

The actors' guild SAG-AFTRA also chose to strike in July, citing many of the same demands as the WGA.

The dual strikes have brought the TV world to a virtual standstill, with no shows being written or filmed and the networks' fall TV lineups being decimated as a result. Fox entertainment president Michael Thorn predicted that the strikes would have to be resolved by Oct. 1 to have any chance at getting new episodes of scripted TV series on the air during the 2023-24 broadcast season.

The strike could still continue, if WGA members reject the deal in a ratification vote.