Saturday update: Breakthrough in talks

Talks between WGA leaders and top studio execs on Friday and Saturday have been productive enough to generate some cautious optimism that a settlement to the strike may soon be within reach.

WGA negotiating committee head John Bowman and WGA West exec director David Young had a lengthy meeting with News Corp. prexy Peter Chernin and Walt Disney Co. CEO Robert Iger on Friday that was described as having gone well on balance following some tension at the outset. It's understood that those conversations continued on Saturday, though it was not clear if it was by phone or face-to-face.

But insiders said there was enough progress being made to raise the prospect of WGA leaders bringing a contract proposal directly to the boards of the WGA West and WGA East, possibly bypassing the resumption of formal bargaining between the WGA and Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. Sources indicated the informal talks had progressed to the point where draft language of a tentative deal was being drawn up and exchanged by lawyers and reps for both sides.

WGA's 17-member negotiating committee and the WGA West's board are already skedded to hold separate meetings on Monday, at noon and 3 p.m., respectively.

Chernin and Iger began the informal talks with WGA toppers on Jan. 22, on the heels of the AMPTP sealing a deal with the Directors Guild of America that the studios aim to use as a template for a WGA pact. A big stumbling block for the WGA is said to be the terms agreed to by the DGA for web streaming of TV shows and movies. The United Hollywood.com blog reported Saturday that "creative solutions to the biggest differences between the AMPTP and the WGA have gotten the tentative and cautious approval of both sides."

Neither WGA or AMPTP reps would comment on the status of talks in accordance with the news blackout both camps have agreed to.

Going into the weekend, studio toppers were said to be frustrated with the lack of substantive progress in the talks, which were designed to lay the groundwork for the resumption of formal bargaining.

The AMPTP and WGA last met in a formal session on Dec. 7. WGA has been on strike since Nov. 5.

-- Cynthia Littleton and Dave McNary

Comments

[Greg Fairwind]

Thanks, but I'll believe this when there's actually a deal, or an offer. I am inclined to believe that Variety, after having carried the water for the AMPTP during the entire strike (particularly these two reporters) is simply doing it again. Raise expectations, then the AMPTP walks, blames it on the writers, and everyone comes in here and yells. Hopefully, I'm wrong.

[Stuart Creque]

Just curious: if the talks currently involve three individuals on the WGA side (Verrone, Young and Bowman) and a handful of top execs on the other side... who are the "people close to the talks" who are allegedly leaking word about the status of negotiations? The pizza delivery guys?

[Richard]

I heard it was Jay Leno listening in from an adjoining supply closet.

[Fi Core]

Hopefully there can be at least a few more force mejuer cuts before this ends,the networks have to fund the new contracts for the dga and sag also,since the wga called this strike let them fund the increaces,smart move wga,its called karma

[Fi Core]

I hope the strike is over soon and the WGA gets a fair deal. They absolutely deserve it.

[Fi Core]

Just so you know, the "Fi" is short for Finneas. And the "Core" is short for "cornhole." Which is where I get most of my ideas from.