Rules of engagement: Sony TV finally suspends its scribes

Weeks after other studios started cutting scribes, Sony Pictures Television Tuesday bowed to the inevitable.

Studio has begun sending out suspension letters to its roster of writers.Less than 10 scribes will have their overall deals iced, while none of the studio’s non-writing exec producers (like Darren Star or Jamie Tarses) will be impacted.

Sony has waited far longer than other studios before taking action to suspend scribes. CBS Paramount, for example, started sending out letters within 48 hours of the strike's start.

In a bit of pre-holiday cheer, Sony is also working to avoid layoffs for assistants to the striking scribes. Rather than terminate the assistants, studio has opted to forego the use of temp pools and will instead use the writers’ assistants to fill in around the studio.

--Josef Adalian

Comments

[Alan]

Classy move by Sony for trying to avoid laying off the assistants to the striking scribes.