As the clock strikes midnight, the screens of late-night television have gone blank, leaving viewers with no fresh content to watch but only reruns. The cause of this disruption is the ongoing strike of more than 11,000 television and film writers. These writers are demanding better compensation and job security, marking the largest strike by the Writers Guild of America since 2007. As a result, some of the most popular late-night shows have been forced to suspend their operations due to the absence of their writing teams.
TV shows impacted by the strike include The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, and Jimmy Kimmel Live on ABC. The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and Late Night with Seth Meyers have also been affected, resulting in reruns. The impact of this strike is significant, not only for the entertainment industry but also for the viewers who are missing their favorite shows.
The impact of this strike on the television industry depends on how long it lasts. While primetime shows are currently unaffected, they may be delayed or pushed back if the strike continues. Despite the ongoing strike, certain TV productions have applied for filming permits in Los Angeles.
To keep its viewers entertained during the strike, Netflix plans to feature shows that were produced outside of the US. HBO Max now ‘Max’ has a backlog of shows that have been written and filmed and are prepared for release.
In 2007-2008, the writers’ strike endured for 100 days and inflicted a $2 billion hit on the California economy. The strike caused numerous programs to be canceled or postponed, and the current strike may have comparable effects, particularly for late-night programs that depend heavily on their writers.
During the previous strike, Conan O’Brien kept his viewers amused by attempting to set a record for spinning his wedding ring on his desk with the assistance of an MIT physicist. Since the strike seems to have no resolution in sight, audiences may need to prepare themselves for more reruns and truncated seasons of their beloved programs.
The ongoing strike primarily stems from concerns about equitable wages, particularly within the fast-growing streaming industry. Writers have expressed dissatisfaction with receiving lower pay for their work on shows produced or spearheaded by streaming platforms.
They have also voiced grievances about being expected to perform extensive rewrites without proper compensation. Moreover, the duration of seasons on streaming platforms has shortened, leading to reduced overall remuneration for writers. The guild is advocating for guarantees that human employment will be safeguarded, irrespective of the advancements made in AI systems.
If the strike continues, late-night shows and Saturday Night Live will be among the hardest hit. The last strike boosted the prominence of reality TV, which does not require pre-writing. With the current strike, we may see more shows with awkward endings or shortened seasons. As the saying goes, “the show must go on,” but without writers, it may be a less entertaining one.