Several major Hollywood CEOs have met to try to resolve the ongoing Writer's Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA strikes.
Per The Hollywood Reporter, Disney CEO Bob Iger, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav, Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos, and Universal Pictures chief content officer Donna Langley were all present at the most recent bargaining session between the WGA and the AMPTP (Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers). The AMPTP bargaining representative noted that it is not common for CEOs to be present during negotiations. However, all four of these figures are reportedly very eager to end the strikes, which have each lasted several months. "CEOs have cleared their calendars and want to sit and have a real conversation," one source claimed.
The source continued, "This is so long in coming; everyone’s feeling pain. Let’s get in there and nail things down." WGA leaders previously met with Iger, Zaslav, Sarandos, and Langley on Aug. 21, 2023, but negotiations reportedly did not go well. However, after the WGA revealed negotiations with the AMPTP would resume on Sept. 20, an unnamed showrunner claimed that the guild leaders came across as much more hopeful, saying, "I took from the guild’s language in email [to members] that they expect real negotiations. Not to talk for a little while. They didn’t say that for the last time they spoke with the AMPTP. They are at least hoping/expecting something real." The most recent meeting reportedly did go well, and the parties are set to meet once again on Sept. 21.
If it is indeed true that the WGA and AMPTP have finally made some progress in their negotiations, this news would align with Zaslav's previous comments claiming that he is ready to fight to end the Hollywood strikes. The CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery, which will reportedly lose up to $500 million this year due to the strikes, recently said, "We are really going to fight to get this resolved. I was in LA the last two days, and we really have to focus as industry — and we are trying — to get this resolved in a way that is really fair and everyone feels fairly treated."
AI Use Has Been a Big Part of the Discussions
Both the writer's and screen actor's guilds have been fighting for better compensation for their members, as well as protection against advancing technologies. For example, the WGA is stressing that AI should not be used to write scripts for movies and television shows, and SAG-AFTRA is arguing that studios should not be able to perform scans on actors to use their likeness in future projects without their permission. A recent poll revealed that the majority of Americans support the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes against the AMPTP.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter