SAG-AFTRA Board Approves New Three-Year Contract

The joint board of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) has approved a new, three-year contract covering commercials on TV and radio. The vote was unanimous.

The agreement, which covers TV, radio, Internet and new media play, will result in a $36 million increase in payments. The total value of the joint contract is put at $2.9 billion, said the unions in a statement. There will also be a two-year study on whether compensation should be tied to ratings.

The contracts still have to be voted on by the rank and file, with the unions saying they will conduct joint informational meetings around the country to answer any questions.

Formal negotiations on the contract began Feb. 23 and ended April 1 with the tentative deal.

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.