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A tentative deal has been reached in the ongoing writers strike. The only reason why we paid attention to it here was because a primary reason for the strike stemmed from the use of “new media” like Internet broadcasts, DVD sales, mobile use, etc. Our bread and butter, in other words.
There’s a PDF of all the terms and conditions of the new contract, which is good through May, 2001 2011 (who knows what the media landscape will look like then). For things that we care about:
• Guys who write Internet shows that later end up being picked up by a network have to be bought out. The show is theirs and will be treated as a proper show, not some mickey mouse, lesser “Internet content” category or anything like that.
• Writers get 1.2 percent of download rentals gross
• Writers get 0.36 percent of download-to-own gross
The rest, again, can be found in the linked PDF.
Patric Verrone and Michael Winship, heads of WGA West and East, respectively, said the deal “protects a future in which the Internet becomes the primary means of both content creation and delivery.” So it looks like they’re happy.
Keep in mind that the deal still needs to be ratified by WGA members. Without it, the deal mentioned here is meaningless.
Writers, Producers Reach Tentative Deal [Variety via Drudge]
New Contract Details [WGA, the PDF]