Latest news with #WGAEast
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
TV Writers Of Color Gained Increased Representation In 2023-24 Season, But Screenwriting Diversity Remains Stagnant, WGA Reports
Non-white people were increasingly represented among employed television writers from 2020 to 2024, while the screenwriting landscape remained largely the same, per a new report from the Writers Guild of America. The guild released data Wednesday comparing employment data for both television writers and screenwriters between 2020 and 2024. Despite a sharp decrease in the total number of jobs, the WGA did find that the percentage of BIPOC writers increased by 8.5% to represent 40.4% of total employed TV writers during the 2023-24 season. More from Deadline British TV's Working-Class Problem: Nearly A Quarter Of Top Execs Went To Private School, Report Finds NowThis Workers Unanimously Ratify New 3-Year WGA East Contract WGA East Decries Polygon's Sale To Valnet & Fifth Round Of Layoffs Since November As "Self-Defeating" & "Short-Sighted" Also, white writers made up 45.4% of series employment in 2023-24, an 8.6% decrease. It is worth noting that 14.2% of series writers did not report an ethnicity. In all, 45.0% of series writers were women, nearly the same as in the 2020-21 season, while 52.5% of series writers were men, a 1.9% decrease from the 2020-21 season. The WGA, which combined employment data from both the East and West for this report, also included similar data on employed screenwriters in 2020 and 2024. The guild found minimal change over that four- year period, and in 2024, 66.4% of screenwriters in 2024 were men and 32.6% were women, while 63.6% of screenwriters were white and 18.9% were BIPOC. On the TV side, breaking the data down even further, the WGA found that BIPOC women represented 22.2% of series writers, while BIPOC men were 17.4% — marking approximately 4% increases in both groups from the 2020-21 season. Black writers represented the largest group of employed writers other than white writers during the 2023-24 season at 16.5%, an increase from the 2020-21 season. Indigenous and Middle Eastern writers had the lowest representation, less than 1% each, remaining stagnant over the four-year span. Mid-level BIPOC women and lower level BIPOC men expanded their presence in writers rooms, per the report, which also broke its data down by individual job title. BIPOC men accounted for a range of 15.5% to 32.7% of jobs ranging from Staff Writer through Supervising Producers. At the upper level, they represented 18.3% of Co-EPs, 11.7% of EPs, and 6.5% of showrunners. This demographic saw its largest gains at the staff writer and story editor levels with an 18.5% increase in BIPOC men hired as executive story editors. BIPOC women, on the other hand, accounted for a range of 32.4% to 41.3% for job titles from Staff Writer through Supervising Producer. At the upper level, BIPOC women were 18.0% of Co-EPs, 9.3% of EPs and 8.1% of showrunners. The largest gains were in hiring at the producer, co-producer and supervising producer levels. As for new members, BIPOC women accounted for 21.2% of new members in 2024, and BIPOC men represented 20.5%. White women represented 19.2% of new members in 2024, and white men represented 25.5%. In addition to ethnicity and gender, the WGA's report also includes data on employment for writers based on sexual orientation, age, and disability status, though the gains in those areas were much smaller. Read the full report here. Best of Deadline Every 'The Voice' Winner Since Season 1, Including 9 Team Blake Champions Everything We Know About 'Jurassic World: Rebirth' So Far 'Nine Perfect Strangers' Season 2 Release Schedule: When Do New Episodes Come Out?
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
WGA Ratifies New 3-Year Contract With CBS News, Securing Key AI Protections
The Writers Guild of America East and West members at CBS News have ratified a new three-year collective bargaining agreement with the company. Per the guild, the 270-plus member unit 'overwhelmingly' approved of the deal, which includes AI protections, guaranteed raises, and improved benefits, among other provisions. More from Deadline Los Angeles Sound Stage Occupancy Declined Again In 2024 To 63% - Report L.A. Might Have Found A Local Solution To Stop Movies Being Made In Other States WGA East Slams Trump Executive Order To End Collective Bargaining For Many Federal Workers: "Assault On The Entire Labor Movement" The WGA had been prioritizing artificial intelligence in these negotiations, in an effort 'to safeguard journalism as a profession,' WGA East Executive Director Sam Wheeler told Deadline last month. Modeled after the recently ratified ABC News contract, CBS News staffers also secured protections against the technology that include advance notice from the company before it implements any new generative AI systems so that the guild can bargain over its impact on members. CBS News management has also agreed to meet semi-annually with the guild to discuss AI, which has become a fairly common provision in these contracts. Notably, any current staff who is laid off as a result of generative AI is now guaranteed 1.5x severance that they would otherwise receive. Other highlights from the contract include: 3% wage increase to all pay minimums in each year of the three-year contract, with even greater increases to pay for entry-level Desk Associates and Junior Writers of 11% to 22% in the first year Additional 2% increase to pay override for per diem employees over the life of the contract Increases to fees for performing additional work, including Acting Editor fees, Producer fees, and Network Radio fees Increased vacation in first year of employment for staff employees. Full funding for the WGA Health Plan for staff employees, with no diversion from wages Lower threshold for per diem employees to earn comp days and be eligible for parental leave and severance The CBS News bargaining unit includes newswriters, producers, promotions writer-producers, editors, graphic artists and news desk associates based in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and Washington D.C. 'We're so proud to have fought for a strong contract that provides critical job protections to our members,' Beth Godvik, WGAE VP of Broadcast/Cable/Streaming News said in a statement Friday. 'Our members work around the clock to bring viewers across the globe the news, and we're encouraged to have a contract that reflects our value.' Best of Deadline Everything We Know About 'Nine Perfect Strangers' Season 2 So Far Everything We Know About 'Hacks' Season 4 So Far 2025 TV Series Renewals: Photo Gallery
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
WGA Ratifies New 3-Year Contract With CBS News, Securing Key AI Protections
The Writers Guild of America East and West members at CBS News have ratified a new three-year collective bargaining agreement with the company. Per the guild, the 270-plus member unit 'overwhelmingly' approved of the deal, which includes AI protections, guaranteed raises, and improved benefits, among other provisions. More from Deadline Los Angeles Sound Stage Occupancy Declined Again In 2024 To 63% - Report L.A. Might Have Found A Local Solution To Stop Movies Being Made In Other States WGA East Slams Trump Executive Order To End Collective Bargaining For Many Federal Workers: "Assault On The Entire Labor Movement" The WGA had been prioritizing artificial intelligence in these negotiations, in an effort 'to safeguard journalism as a profession,' WGA East Executive Director Sam Wheeler told Deadline last month. Modeled after the recently ratified ABC News contract, CBS News staffers also secured protections against the technology that include advance notice from the company before it implements any new generative AI systems so that the guild can bargain over its impact on members. CBS News management has also agreed to meet semi-annually with the guild to discuss AI, which has become a fairly common provision in these contracts. Notably, any current staff who is laid off as a result of generative AI is now guaranteed 1.5x severance that they would otherwise receive. Other highlights from the contract include: 3% wage increase to all pay minimums in each year of the three-year contract, with even greater increases to pay for entry-level Desk Associates and Junior Writers of 11% to 22% in the first year Additional 2% increase to pay override for per diem employees over the life of the contract Increases to fees for performing additional work, including Acting Editor fees, Producer fees, and Network Radio fees Increased vacation in first year of employment for staff employees. Full funding for the WGA Health Plan for staff employees, with no diversion from wages Lower threshold for per diem employees to earn comp days and be eligible for parental leave and severance The CBS News bargaining unit includes newswriters, producers, promotions writer-producers, editors, graphic artists and news desk associates based in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and Washington D.C. 'We're so proud to have fought for a strong contract that provides critical job protections to our members,' Beth Godvik, WGAE VP of Broadcast/Cable/Streaming News said in a statement Friday. 'Our members work around the clock to bring viewers across the globe the news, and we're encouraged to have a contract that reflects our value.' Best of Deadline Everything We Know About 'Nine Perfect Strangers' Season 2 So Far Everything We Know About 'Hacks' Season 4 So Far 2025 TV Series Renewals: Photo Gallery
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Hours Before His Surrender, Ozy Media's Carlos Watson Has His Sentence Commuted By President Trump
Carlos Watson, the founder and former CEO of Ozy Media, is not going to prison after all. Watson, who was sentenced to 116 months, or nearly ten years, in prison for conspiracy to commit securities fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft has had his prison sentence commuted by President Trump. He also no longer has to pay $96M in restitution and forfeiture as a result of the commutation. More from Deadline WGA East Slams Trump Executive Order To End Collective Bargaining For Many Federal Workers: "Assault On The Entire Labor Movement" Netflix' Ted Sarandos On His Dinner With Donald Trump FCC Chair Opens Investigation Into Walt Disney Co. Over DEI Programs Watson launched the digital lifestyle and news site in 2012. The sentence was made in December 2024 – before Trump took office – by United States District Judge Eric R. Komitee in federal court in Brooklyn following Watson's conviction in July after an eight-week trial. Watson pleaded not guilty. The trial showed that between 2018 and 2021 Watson and Ozy Media co-conspirators orchestrated a scheme to defraud investors out of tens of millions of dollars through fraudulent misrepresentations and omissions about Ozy's financial performance, including revenue, cash on hand and profit, ongoing business relationships with celebrities, acquisition prospects from high- profile technology and media corporations, contract negotiations and other corporate metrics. Court filing showed that Watson and his co-conspirators, who were being tried separately, lied to prospective investors about who else might be investing in Ozy, the existence and size of acquisition offers received by Ozy, the existence and timing of financing rounds, and the existence and terms of Ozy's business contracts, directing Ozy employees to create fake contracts with forged signatures to provide in due diligence. One of the strangest claims was that on multiple occasions, when faced with questions from lenders or potential investors, Watson and his co-conspirators assumed the identities of and impersonated actual media company executives to cover up their prior fraudulent misrepresentations. In particular, Ozy co-founder and chief operating officer Samir Rao had misrepresented himself on a call with Goldman Sachs by pretending to be a YouTube executive, Alex Piper. The idea was to put Ozy in a positive light as it sought an investment from the bank. 'Carlos Watson orchestrated a years-long, audacious scheme to defraud investors and lenders to his company, Ozy Media, out of tens of millions of dollars,' Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York said in December. 'His incessant and deliberate lies demonstrated not only a brazen disregard for the rule of law, but also a contempt for the values of honesty and fairness that should underlie American entrepreneurship. On far too many occasions, Watson chose deceit over candor, grasping for the illusion of business success and personal acclaim at any cost. Today's sentence should serve as a warning to those who would engage in fraud that justice will be swift and certain.' Best of Deadline 2025 TV Series Renewals: Photo Gallery '1923' Season 2 Release Schedule: When Do New Episodes Come Out? 2025 TV Cancellations: Photo Gallery
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Pushkin Industries Workers Ratify First Union Contract With Podcast Company
The 12-member unit at Pushkin Industries has reached its first collective bargaining agreement with the podcast company. Per the Writers Guild of America East, the group, which includes writers, producers, editors and engineers, unanimously ratified the contract, establishing a minimum salary of $73,000 and guaranteed raises, among other provisions. More from Deadline WGA Zeroes In On AI Protections In CBS News Contract Negotiations To "Safeguard Journalism As A Profession" IATSE Urges Against Kennedy Center Cancellations, Citing Removal Of "Critical Opportunities" For Crew Walt Disney Animation Studios Staffers Ratify First Union Contract - Update 'We're proud of this contract, and we think it reflects the strength of the community we've built at Pushkin and is an essential part of the movement to build better standards across the industry,' the bargaining unit said in a statement Friday. 'We're grateful to leadership for working with us throughout this process and for investing in our future together. The unit is looking forward to it!' Pushkin was co-founded by Jacob Weisberg and Malcolm Gladwell. The company produces podcasts like Revisionist History, Deep Cover, Broken Record, Against the Rules with Michael Lewis, and Where's Dia? Below are some additional highlights from the contract, according to the WGA East: Guaranteed IP negotiation for shows where unit members write, research and host their own ideas Artificial intelligence protections, including allowing workers to decline their byline for content or altered by AI or created AI and the Company cannot use a worker's voice or likeness to create content without consent Enshrining Quiet Weeks in August and December 16 weeks fully paid parental leave A minimum 12 weeks of severance, plus laptop Protections for remote and hybrid employees Reports on Company's diversity, equity and inclusion work Just Cause 'I know how much effort and care went into negotiations, and am delighted that we've reached an agreement. We're excited about the future at Pushkin, and grateful that we're moving forward united, towards the same shared goals,' Pushkin CEO Gretta Cohn said in a statement of her own. The WGA East continues to expand its representation for podcast companies, and Pushkin Industries is only the latest example. The union also represents workers at Crooked Media, the iHeart Podcast Network, Lemonada, Pineapple Street Studios, The Ringer and Spotify Studios. Best of Deadline 'The White Lotus' Season 3 Release Schedule: When Do New Episodes Arrive On Max? How Jon Gries' Return To 'The White Lotus' Could Shape Season 3 Everything We Know About 'Nobody Wants This' Season 2 So Far
