GRAMMY AWARDS - WRITERS' STRIKE SETTLEMENT APPEARS CLOSE

In an effort to revive negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, the Writers Guild of America on Tuesday withdrew its demands to act as bargaining agents for writers of reality and animated films and TV shows. The AMPTP had said that it would not return to the negotiating table until the WGA's jurisdictional demands were removed. In a message to members of the WGA East, President Michael Winship wrote that the guild had agreed to remove the proposals in order to show its "commitment to bringing a speedy conclusion to negotiations." With those issues removed, formal talks between the two sides were expected to resume today (Wednesday). The WGA also announced Tuesday that it had decided not to picket the Grammy awards ceremonies, set for Feb. 10. There was no indication whether the guild would allow writers to provide material for the program, due to air live on CBS from Los Angeles. Typically the awards ceremony credits two writers. However, the WGA vowed that it would not make a similar concession to the Academy Awards telecast, scheduled for February 24. Speaking at a WGA rally Tuesday, Winship said, "Until the Writers Guild has a deal with the conglomerates -- the studios and networks -- our intention is to boycott the Oscars, to picket the Oscars and to ask our fellow union members at the Screen Actors Guild to boycott the Oscars."

23/01/2008