Lion TV Reality Staffers Join WGAE

Reality TV writers, producers and researchers for shows including Discovery's Cash Cab and PBS' History Detectives are joining the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE).

That is after Lion TV, which produces those and other shows, agreed to recognize WGAE as the collective bargaining representatives of its approximately 100 affected employees.

Those employees had voted to join the union, and now that Lion has withdrawn its objection, the National Labor Relations Board has certified the election, according to WGAE.

"We are pleased that Lion respects their decision to become part of the Writers Guild and we look forward to a long and productive relationship," said WGAE executive director Lowell Peterson in a statement.

Other Lion TV shows affected include PBS's America Revealed and MTV's Megadrive.

Getting union coverage of writers who pen the bulk of reality TV -- yes, wrestling fans, reality TV needs writers, too -- has been a priority for WGAE.

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.