Writers bill aims at cable revenue
On the heels of finalizing its new contract with producers, the Writers Guild has turned its attention to sponsoring a new bill intended to increase its share of revenues from program licensing and syndication. The bill, which is co-sponsored by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, would force studios to license or sell programs at a determined fair market value. The writers have long contended that studios drastically discount the sale of programs to co-owned cable affiliates, thereby freezing out writers from a better share of the licensing fees. The studios strongly oppose the bill, calling it an attempt by the Writers Guild to make an end run around the terms of the recently negotiated contract.
See "Writers bill aims at cable revenue", Marc Lifsher, Los Angeles Times, February 25, 2008