Paging the cast of Grey's Anatomy... you're needed back on set, STAT!

With a tentative agreement between striking writers and Hollywood moguls expected to be announced sometime this week, my moles at Grey's tell me that production on the show is expected to resume in early March. The plan is to shoot four or five episodes to air in April/May.

A similar scenario is expected to play out at two other ABC hits, Desperate Housewives and Brothers & Sisters. Conversely, freshman shows that have already been given full-season pickups (i.e. Pushing Daisies, Dirty Sexy Money, Samantha Who?) will likely restart production over the summer ahead of a fall relaunch. Expect a similar pattern to play out at CBS, NBC and Fox: Established shows returning in the spring; newer ones held till fall. The fate of heavily serialized shows like Lost, Heroes and 24 remains unclear.

Meanwhile, high-level sources close to the talks tell me that the WGA deal is close to the DGA deal, with a few exceptions — one of which represents a "major breakthrough."

Bottom line: There's a lot more than one measly football game to get excited about today. We're getting our TV shows back! Can I get a hallelujah in the comments section?

Courtesy TVguide.com

By MICHAEL CIEPLY Published: February 2, 2008

LOS ANGELES — Informal talks between representatives of Hollywood's striking writers and production companies have eliminated the major roadblocks to a new contract, which could lead to a tentative agreement as early as next week, according to people who were briefed on the situation but requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak.

A deal would end a crippling writers strike that is now entering its fourth month.

The agreement may come without renewed formal negotiations between the television and movie writers and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, though both sides still need to agree on specific language of key provisions. If that process goes smoothly, an agreement may be presented to the governing boards of the striking Writers Guild of America West and Writers Guild of America East by the end of next week, the people said.

The breakthrough occurred Friday after two weeks of closed-door discussions between the sides. Even if approved by leaders of the guilds, a deal would require ratification by a majority of the more than 10,000 active guild members.

Writers walked out on Nov. 5 after failing to reach a new contract with producers in months of difficult bargaining. Talks resumed briefly in December, but quickly broke off again. The latest round of talks came more than two weeks ago in the wake of a tentative contract agreement between producers and the Directors Guild of America.

That deal confronted many of the same issues that have troubled writers — including difficult questions related to pay for digital distribution of shows and movies — and paved the way for Friday's movement toward a deal.

A final sticking point had been compensation for ad-supported television programs that are streamed over the Internet after their initial broadcast. Companies were seeking a period during which they could stream such shows without paying a residual, and wanted to peg payments for a year of streaming at the $1,200 level established in the directors' contract. Writers were seeking 1.2 percent of the distributors' revenue from such streams, to ensure they would participate in any revenue gold mine discovered on the Web. How that issue was finally resolved in the informal talks remained unclear.

The talks were made particularly difficult by strong cross-currents within the guilds. Some members favored a rapid settlement along lines established by the directors, whose tentative deal made large gains in the area of digital media, but stipulated that new media pay schedules could not be regarded as final, because the markets are still not mature. Other writers argued that a much bigger step was required immediately.

The informal sessions involved on the company side Robert A. Iger, chief executive of the Walt Disney Company; Peter Chernin, president of the News Corporation; Leslie Moonves, chief executive of CBS Corp.

Writers were represented by Patric M. Verrone, the president of the West Coast guild; David J. Young, its executive director; and John Bowman, who headed the guilds' negotiating committee. Alan Wertheimer, a prominent entertainment attorney, also worked with the writers.

Even if the writers and producers hammer out a final agreement, there's no guarantee that there will be an end to the labor strife in Hollywood. The companies' current contract with actors expires on June 30, and leaders of the Screen Actors Guild — a staunch ally of writers throughout their strike — have said they did not expect to begin negotiations early.

But the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, which shares many members with the screen actors guild and traditionally has negotiated jointly with it, appears likely to start bargaining soon with companies on its own.

A spokeswoman for the Screen Actors Guild declined to comment on the writers talks, or the possibility her union might also start negotiating in coming weeks.

The writers walkout has not fully shut down Hollywood. But it stopped the production of dozens of television series, ended development work on future feature films, and created bitter divisions within the entertainment world.

One of the sorest points has been whether the 80th Academy Awards show, scheduled for Feb. 24, will proceed with its usual complement of stars, and without pickets. A rapid agreement between writers would clear the way for the ceremony, perhaps pointing again toward normality in an industry that has seen little of it lately.

Courtesy of The New York Times

By Michael White and Andy Fixmer

Jan. 18 (Bloomberg) -- The labor agreement reached late yesterday between Hollywood directors and movie and television studios may help resolve a writers strike that has put more than 10,000 people out of work.

The Directors Guild of America reached the three-year accord yesterday with the studios' bargaining entity, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, the groups said in a statement. They began talks Jan. 12.

The deal may serve as a model for negotiations between the studios and writers, who walked off the job Nov. 5. Directors won increased pay for Internet distribution, an issue splitting the studios and the Writers Guild of America. Their talks broke off Dec. 7.

``This may be the beginning of the end of the strike,'' Jonathan Handel, a Los Angeles-based entertainment attorney with TroyGould, said in an interview. ``It's extremely unlikely the writers are going to be able to achieve improvement over what the directors have negotiated.''

Directors get an overall wage increase of 3 percent for primetime shows and daytime serials, and 3.5 percent for all other programming. The agreement increases pay for films and TV shows sold on the Web. It also sets pay levels for content that is streamed for free over Internet sites.

``This was a very difficult negotiation that required real give and take on both sides,'' said DGA president Michael Apted in the statement.

Back to the Table?

Time Warner Inc., owner of the Warner Bros. studio, gained 16 cents to $15.65 at 9:39 a.m. in New York Stock Exchange composite trading. Before today, the shares had dropped 13 percent since the start of the strike. CBS Corp., the most- watched broadcasting network, advanced 25 cents to $23.55 and had fallen 16 percent. News Corp. Class A shares, down 11 percent since Nov. 5, rose 27 cents to $19.05. Walt Disney Co., down 15 percent, gained 29 cents to $29.06.

Weeks of informal talks made it possible to reach an accord quickly, Nick Counter, president of the studio alliance, said in a separate statement. ``Both parties were determined to focus on the core issues that are most important to all of us.''

Talks for the studios and writers broke down after negotiators failed to agree on pay for use of writers' work on the Internet and mobile phones. Writers also sought jurisdiction over reality shows and animation, angering studio executives who opted to seek an agreement with directors instead.

In a statement, executives from media companies including News Corp., Disney and Sony Corp. proposed informal meetings with the writers guild to lay the groundwork for renewed talks.

SAG, IATSE

The union will consider such talks, Patric Verrone, president of the WGA's western unit, said in an interview. ``We have been ready to bargain for a month and a half now,'' he said.

The guild will study the directors agreement and hopes it serves as a ``step forward'' in reaching an accord, the union said in a statement.

Other unions, including the Screen Actors Guild, whose contract expires in June, and the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, may join in pressuring the writers to agree to a contract, Miller Tabak & Co. analyst David Joyce said yesterday in an e-mail.

``This could turn the industry on the WGA, perhaps forcing them back to the table and accepting terms similar to what the DGA'' agreed to, Joyce said.

The stage employees union has been critical of the writers guild for starting the strike. Actors guild spokeswoman Pam Greenwalt said the union wouldn't comment beyond its statement.

Independent Producers

The strike has idled about 10,000 workers and cost the local area about $1.4 billion, Jack Kyser, chief economist for the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp., said Jan. 7. Writers have lost about $179.6 million in pay and other unionized workers, including stage hands, about $309.6 million, he said.

The WGA has pursued agreements with independent producers as part of a strategy to force major studios back to negotiations. Yesterday, the union reached a deal with Jackson Bites, the sixth company to sign such a contract.

Jackson Bites is a new-media company created by Doug Liman, producer of the ``Bourne'' films. The union has also reached accords with United Artists, Weinstein Co., MRC, Spyglass Entertainment and Worldwide Pants Inc., David Letterman's production company.

Coutesy of Bloomberg.com Exclusive

By LYNN ELBER – 3 hours ago

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Hollywood directors has reached a tentative contract deal with studios, a development that could turn up the pressure on striking writers to settle their 2-month-old walkout that has crippled the entertainment industry.

"Two words describe this agreement — groundbreaking and substantial," said Gil Cates, chair of the Directors Guild of America's negotiations committee. "There are no rollbacks of any kind."

Among other things, the three-year agreement establishes key provisions involving compensation for programs offered on the Internet.

That issue has been a key sticking point between striking writers and the studios, which broke off talks on Dec. 7.

The writers walkout has halted work on dozens of TV shows, disrupted movie production, turned the glitzy Golden Globes show into a news conference and threatened the upcoming Academy Awards ceremony.

The deal between directors and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which represents studios, was lauded by top executives from eight major companies, including Fox, Paramount Pictures Corp., The Walt Disney Co., CBS Corp., Sony Pictures Entertainment, Warner Bros., MGM and NBC Universal.

In a joint statement, the executives said they hoped the agreement would signal the end of an "extremely difficult period for our industry."

They called on the writers guild to join in the kind of informal talks with industry leaders that preceded the directors' negotiations, and said the deal with directors established a precedent for the industry's creative talent to "participate financially in every emerging area of new media."

The Writers Guild of America said it would evaluate the terms of the directors' proposed contract. The guild also reiterated that it has been calling on the studios to resume negotiations.

"We've been making independent deals, so we're in a negotiating mood," said Writers Guild of America, West, President Patric Verrone, referring to interim agreements the guild has reached with companies such as United Artists and The Weinstein Co.

Verrone declined to comment on specifics of the deal by directors or compare it to what the writers are seeking until he saw a copy of the proposed contract, which he expected to receive from the directors guild.

Writers previously said directors do not represent their interests.

Alliance President Nick Counter said in a statement that the directors' talks focused on key issues, and the result was a groundbreaking agreement for the industry at large.

"This deal was strongly influenced by the writers strike," said Jonathan Handel, an entertainment lawyer in Los Angeles and a former counsel to the writers guild. "It shows all the earmarks of the improvements the writers were looking for — but it doesn't achieve them by any means."

In the significant area of streaming media, the deal falls short of "fundamental fairness," Handel said.

However, he considers it unlikely the writers can get a better agreement.

The deal with directors gives their union jurisdiction over programs produced for distribution on the Internet and sets a new residuals formula for some paid Internet downloads that essentially doubles the rate currently paid by employers, the guild said.

In addition, it sets residual rates for ad-supported streaming and use of clips on the Internet.

The deal was welcomed by others in Hollywood.

"I'm very pleased with the new agreement and I hope it helps speed up the negotiations" with the writers guild, George Clooney said in a statement.

Clooney has often commented on the need to resolve the strike to put thousands of people back to work in Hollywood.

Roberta Reardon, president of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, which represents actors, singers, dancers, announcers and others, called the deal encouraging and said her guild was optimistic the writers guild would resume negotiations soon.

The directors guild was well-prepared when it started negotiations Jan. 12. It had spent $2 million researching the potential value of new media over the next decade and held a series of meetings with key studio heads to establish a basis for the formal talks.

Gil Cates, who's been involved in union contract negotiations for three decades, served as lead negotiator for directors.

He is also producing this year's Academy Awards, which are imperiled by the writers' standoff.

Last Sunday's Golden Globes show was reduced to a news conference after actors refused to cross writers' threatened picket lines.

NBC lost millions of dollars in ad revenue, and award winners were deprived of instant publicity that could have provided a box-office bump.

New media issues also were expected to dominate negotiations with the Screen Actors Guild, whose contract expires in June.

The directors guild said late last year that it would delay the start of talks to give writers a chance to come to an agreement with studios.

But the guild clearly lost patience after negotiations between the writers and studios broke off last month and the strike dragged on.

Among other things, the studios' deal with directors says programs produced for the Internet will be directed by guild members, with the exception of low-budget shows, and payments for downloaded TV programs and movies will be based on a distributor's gross.

Distributor's gross represents the amount received by the company responsible for distributing the film or TV program on the Internet.

The writers guild was seeking 2.5 percent of such grosses, about three times what the directors' deal provides. Interim deals the writers guild has made with studios provide for 2 percent compensation on downloaded films and 2.5 percent on TV programs, the guild said Thursday.

Under the proposed directors agreement, companies are contractually obligated to provide the guild "unfettered access to their deals and data," the guild said, calling that unprecedented transparency.

In their talks, the writers guild and studios clashed over using a percentage of gross receipts to determine Internet compensation.

The guild said it sought that approach but was told by the alliance it was an unworkable and unacceptable formula.

The studios offered, for example, a flat $250 payment for a year's use of an hourlong TV show on the Web.

The guild balked, citing the $20,000-plus residual that writers now earn for a single network rerun of a TV episode.

Also at issue for the writers guild is unionization of reality and animation writers.

Talks broke down after the alliance demanded the guild take that and other issues off the table, claiming there had been an agreement to drop it.

The guild's next move may be influenced by history.

There's a lingering resentment among members over what they considered raw deals in the 1980s involving what eventually became lucrative home-video and DVD markets.

The writers guild home-video deal was shaped by a deal made previously by the directors guild, following an industry practice of pattern bargaining. That created resentment among some writers guild members toward the directors guild.

Courtesy of AP

I just wanted to say happy New Year's Eve and New Year to everyone. I don't think I am going to make it. I have a headache out of this world, so I might be sleep before 2008 :P. I hope 2008 will prove to be a good year for everyone.

John Consoli

DECEMBER 04, 2007 -

Look for CBS to begin airing sister pay cable network Showtime hit drama Dexter sometime in midseason if the Writers Strike is prolonged, and for the broadcast network to bring back freshman sitcom The Big Bang Theory and first-year drama Moonlight next season.

Speaking at the 35th annual UBS Global Media & Communications Conference in New York today (Dec. 4), Les Moonves, CBS Corp. president & CEO, mentioned the two freshman shows as likely to return next season, and that CBS would be looking to air some Showtime shows to supplement its schedule should the Writers Guild strike continue and effect the return of first-run shows on the network.

Read the rest here!!

You know, by being socked in it. Metaphorically speaking, of course. The Desperate Housewife is being sued by Hydroderm, TMZ says, because she broke the anti-competition clause in her contract with the company when she mouthed off about how wonderful City Cosmetics' Lip Plumper is. According to the legal docs, Hydroderm paid the erstwhile Lois Lane $2.4 million for her exclusive endorsement, and now its execs want all $2.4 million back.... In a move that will surprise no one, yesterday Dennis Quaid and his wife sued the makers of heparin, claiming that negligent packaging of the blood thinner led to the massive overdose their newborn twins were given at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in L.A.... Sasha Baron Cohen and his fellow Borat creators were sued again yesterday, this time by a driving instructor who claims he was suckered into appearing in the film.... A Dublin court has dropped all charges against The Tudors' Jonathan Rhys Meyers, who got a bit drunk and disorderly at the airport last month. — Ben Katner

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As talks resumed Tuesday, the Writers Guild of America was expected to deliver its "counteroffer" to the New Economic Partnership, which was proposed last week by the AMPTP but swiftly dismissed by the scribes. Based on a statement issued late today by the AMPTP, that appears to be exactly what happened: "We will spend the evening studying what the WGA had to say today," says the group, "and we look forward to returning to the bargaining table tomorrow."

Read the rest here!

Well I was searching the net for some add ons and widgets for websites and blogs. I happen to come upon this cool little site. One of the things that caught my eyes was a thing that lets you create your own puzzles from photos on your computer, so I did. Its a very hard one though.

Just click here and scroll down. See if you can solve it.

Courtesy of Tvguide.com

Turns out Gabrielle Union spoke too soon when she told TvGuide.com that the writers strike nixed her chances of joining Ugly Betty. Multiple sources confirm to me exclusively that the Bring It On actress has just closed a deal to play Wilhelmina's younger sister.

As I scrooped in Ask Ausiello last month, the character Dominique is described as a relentless party animal who has a skeleton rattling around in her closet.

Incidentally, the role was initially supposed to be recurring, but due to the you know what, Union's only booked for one episode.