Late-Night TV goes black – The writers’ strike leaves viewers with reruns | World news
As the clock strikes midnight, the screens of late night television go blank, leaving viewers with no new content to watch but only reruns. The reason for this disruption is the ongoing strike of over 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 cancel the their work stopped because of the absence of their writing. groups.
TV shows affected 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, prompting revisions. The impact of this strike is significant, not only for the entertainment industry but also for the viewers who lost their favorite shows.
The effect of this strike on the television industry depends on how long it lasts. While prime-time demonstrations are currently unaffected, they could be delayed or pushed back if the strike continues. Despite the ongoing strike, some TV productions have applied for filming permits in Los Angeles.
To keep its viewers entertained during the strike, Netflix plans to feature shows made outside the US. HBO Max now ‘Max’ has a backlog of shows that have been written and filmed that are ready for release.
In 2007-2008, the writers’ strike lasted for 100 days and caused a $2 billion hit on the California economy. The strike caused many programs to be canceled or postponed, and the current strike may have comparable effects, especially for late-night programs that depend on their writers.
During the previous strike, Conan O’Brien entertained his viewers by attempting to set a record for spinning his wedding ring on his desk with the help of an MIT scientist. Since the strike seems to have no resolution in sight, the audience may need to prepare themselves for more repetitions and cut times of their beloved programs.
The ongoing strike primarily stems from concerns about equal wages, particularly within the fast-growing streaming industry. Writers have expressed dissatisfaction with receiving low wages for their work on shows produced or directed by streaming platforms.
They have also voiced complaints about being expected to do multiple redundancies without proper compensation. Also, the duration of sessions on streaming platforms has shortened, leading to a reduction in overall pay for authors. The Guild is advocating for guarantees that human employment will be protected, despite advances made in AI systems.
If the strike continues, late night shows and Saturday Night Live will be among the hardest hit. The last strike increased the popularity of reality TV, which does not require pre-writing. With the current strike, we may see more shows with worse endings or shorter seasons. As the saying goes, “the show must go on,” but without writers, it might be less fun.
