Movie executives generally consider screenwriters to be expendable. But television writers ? and particularly the writer-producers who serve as show runners ? wield considerable power over a television show, so much so that it often is not clear where their writing duties end and their producing duties begin. That has big implications if Hollywood writers go on strike next month. Dozens of other producers who also serve as writers on some of television?s biggest hits, and are members of the writers? union, would not be able to do at least half of their jobs. Whether they could perform any of their duties ? or whether most television shows would have to shut down production almost immediately ? is an open question.
See "As Writers? Strike Looms, Stakes Are Higher for TV Than Film", Edward Wyatt, The New York Times, October 17, 2007