WGA Members OK New AMPTP Contract

The Writers Guild of America, East and West, said Wednesday its members have voted overwhelmingly to approve a new, three-year contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.

The vote was 98.5% in favor, 1,175 out of 1,193 valid votes, said WGA. "We continue to build on the battles won by our predecessors and fight for the rights of generations to come,” said WGAW president Chris Keyser and WGAE president Michael Winship in a statement announcing the result.

According to WGA, the contract, which covers May 2, 2014 through May 1, 2017, includes boosts to minimum compensation rates, more money for the guild's pension plan, new minimums for subscription VOD, increased residuals for ad-supported streaming, boosted minimum pay for hour basic cable shows, and a new provision limiting the options and exclusivity requirements on episodic TV show writers.

WGAE and WGAW represent writers in television—cable and broadcast—and new media, broadcast news and films.

John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.