For Us Tv Viewers, a Threat of Harsh Reality

There is good news and bad news for American TV watchers. The good news is viewers may soon see Ricky Gervais star in the original British version of TV sitcom The Office. The bad news is viewers are likely to be subject to a slew of new reality shows.

Those changes could be among the products of a possible strike by American screenwriters, the first in almost 20 years. Should the screenwriters' union, the Writers Guild of America, and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, representing the big studios and television companies, fail to reach agreement by the end of this month, writers could go on strike. This could stall productions, prompting networks and studios to delve into their archives.

The likely product for viewers is hours of unscripted reality TV, endless reruns, occasional airings of little-seen gems and a barrage of substandard fare at the box office in 2009.

The dispute stems from residuals, or the amount a writer receives each time their work is repeated.Residuals can offer writers a lifeline to sustain them through fallow periods. Marc Cherry, who toiled for years as an unacknowledged writer before creating Desperate Housewives in 2004, said residual payments he received for work on The Golden Girls TV serial more than a decade earlier gave him the time and freedom to develop Desperate Housewives.

The studios initially proposed to introduce a formula that would allow them to recoup some basic costs before paying out residuals to writers. Studios also want to recalculate the way residuals are paid for new media, arguing business models are too young for them to know if they are profitable.

Writers have rejected these proposals and are asking for higher payments for DVD and home video releases. They receive about 4 cents for every DVD sold.

This week, after three months of unproductive talks, producers made a concession, removing the demand that residuals only be paid out after costs had been covered. This led to optimism a strike could be averted, although the two sides are yet to return to the negotiating table.

"There's no question there's a lot of anxiety, not just among writers but also among network and film executives," entertainment attorney Daniel Black told the Los Angeles Times. "Do you green light a movie? How long is the shooting going to be? Do we have to lay off employees? There are a lot of moving pieces here."

Studios have reportedly put a freeze on overtime and stopped new contracts for writers, as they rush to complete projects already in production. Once a strike is under way, writers will not be allowed to work on or deliver scripts. If they do, they will be in violation of the Guild's strike regulations.