Representatives of SAG-AFTRA and Writers Guild of America (WGA) walk the picket line during their ongoing strike outside Sunset Bronson Studios and the Netflix offices in Los Angeles, California, U.S. August 11, 2023. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni/File Photo
(Reuters) – Hollywood studios have made a new offer to prominent screenwriters that includes concessions on issues such as the use of artificial intelligence and access to viewer data, Bloomberg News reports. mentioned on Monday, citing people familiar with the discussions.
The Motion Picture and Television Producers Alliance has agreed to ensure that humans are considered screenwriters, rather than replaced by artificial intelligence, the report said, adding that the companies will also share data about the number of hours viewed on streaming services.
Other parts of the offer include a more than 20% increase in residual payments to writers when their offers appear on networks other than the one they were presented for, Bloomberg said.
Netflix (NFLX.O) co-CEO Ted Sarandos has emerged as a powerful force, and Walt Disney Co. (DIS.N) CEO Bob Iger has joined him in recent weeks in seeking a deal with the book, the report added.
The union representing Hollywood’s leading writers said on Friday it had received a counterproposal from studios that it would consider, in an apparent sign of progress in the strike that has lasted more than 100 days.
The Hollywood writers’ strike began on May 2 after talks between the WGA and major studios deadlocked over compensation, minimum staffing of writers’ rooms and payments remaining in the broadcast era, among other things.
Alliance of America’s Film and Television Writers and Producers Association did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
Additional reporting by Kanjik Ghosh in Bengaluru; Editing by Kim Coghill and Cynthia Osterman
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