SAG-AFTRA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) have reached a tentative agreement on terms for a new contract that would avoid the bitter strike that took place in 2023.

The tentative new agreement would replace the 2023 SAG-AFTRA TV/Theatrical Contracts covering motion pictures, scripted primetime dramatic television, streaming content and new media.

The tentative agreement is subject to approval by the SAG-AFTRA National Board, which will meet in the coming days to review the terms.

The union and the studios said that the specific details will not be released in advance of the Board’s review.

Negotiations began February 9 and recessed March 15. Talks resumed April 27 and concluded May 2, 2026.

The tentative agreement was reached about a month after the Writers Guild of America announced its tentative agreement with AMPTP.

NEW YORK—XR (Extreme Reach) has announced what it is billing as a first-of-its-kind solution for paying AI-generated performers in ads.

At a time when advertisers are increasingly using AI replicas of actors or AI created characters, the payments system is designed to offer ethical, compliant AI talent payments aligned with the SAG-AFTRA Commercials Contract, XR reported.

XR's platform is built to support AI performances in advertising without disrupting the underlying systems that govern celebrity and talent rights and compensation. While AI performances such as de-aging and likeness recreation have historically been reserved for big budget film and television series, their rapid adoption in advertising introduces new operational and compliance challenges.

To address those trends, XR has innovated its platform to fully support two new SAG-AFTRA performer categories, Digital Replicas and Synthetic Performers, giving brands and agencies the compliant, scalable payment infrastructure they need to move fast and stay ahead.

“AI is going to fundamentally change how celebrities and synthetic talent are portrayed in advertising, and agencies, brands, and talent agents must be ready to support this shift,” said Tim Hale, managing director, XR Pay. “The rules around Digital Replicas and Synthetic Performers are new territory for everyone in advertising and XR is here to help our brand and agency clients navigate this complexity, ensuring celebrity rights are protected, everyone gets paid correctly, and that all SAG-AFTRA obligations are met.”

For Digital Replicas, which SAG-AFTRA defines as AI-generated or AI-modified performances tied to a real performer, XR's platform will handle payments to performers or their estates under existing SAG-AFTRA structures, just as if they had appeared in the ad in-person. This covers a wide range of emerging use cases: from living celebrity actors whose performances are enhanced or remixed by AI, to iconic performers no longer with us whose estates have approved their Digital Replicas for use in advertising.

By contrast, for Synthetic Performers, AI-generated performers with no connection to a real person (living or deceased), XR ensures that equivalent compensation is directed to the SAG-AFTRA Pension and Health funds, in accordance with union requirements.

XR’s platform addresses the rapid adoption of AI in production by embedding AI performer classification and payment logic directly into existing workflows, enabling brands, agencies and production partners to scale AI usage with confidence. Additionally, XR Metadata will classify Digital Replicas and Synthetic Performers accordingly, ensuring talent rights are tracked from production to ad delivery.

New capabilities include:

EMERYVILLE, Calif.—Advanced Systems Group (ASG) has announced that they worked with the SAG-AFTRA Foundation to create the Meryl Streep Center for Performing Artists.

The vibrant hub for creativity and the creative community features screening rooms, voiceover labs, an on-camera studio, classrooms, and creative spaces on the same floor. Previously, the Foundation operated in isolated pockets of space scattered throughout a 10-story building.

While ASG was originally hired to update the Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson Screening Room (pictured above), those plans quickly grew into a fully realized 15,000-square-foot center in Los Angeles.

One of the early goals was to rethink the screening experience. The Foundation’s screening room could no longer support modern workflows and formats, like DCP. "We wanted a screening experience that matched today’s professional standards and the ability to screen content the way studios intended,” Charlotte Wells, COO of the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, explained. "That got us thinking about what else was possible."

That idea grew and kicked off a broader conversation about expanding the space to support auditions, classes, screenings, live events, and content creation, while building a larger community. “As an actor, you can feel like an island,” Wells continued. “But now, you might walk out of a screening and bump into someone heading into the on-camera lab. People are having conversations, connecting, and sharing ideas. That didn’t happen before, and that sense of connection is incredibly valuable.”

Given the Center's new reputation for professional-grade technology, casting directors recommend that SAG-AFTRA Foundation members use the facility to record auditions. "We have countless testimonials from members who came in for a free session, recorded a reading, and booked the job," said Cyd Wilson, executive director at the SAG-AFTRA Foundation. "It's changing lives."

The Foundation has named several spaces in the Center to honor actors who have supported its mission, including the Nicole Kidman Green Room, the Leonardo DiCaprio On-Camera Studio, and the Don LaFontaine Voiceover Lab. At the heart of the Center is the Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson Screening Room - a 100-seat screening room. The Screening Room is a multifunctional venue ideal for panels, Q&A’s, live events, masterclasses, educational screenings, and private industry gatherings.

ASG outfitted this room with a 4K production setup, including Telemetrics 4K cameras, live switching, and multi-track audio for live streaming and archival use. The centerpiece is a 225-inch LG Miraclass 4K Cinema Display (the first of its kind) paired with a Dolby IMS3-L cinema server and Storm Audio ISP to deliver a premium cinema-quality experience. ASG also engineered a Meyer Sound 7.1 surround system specifically to maintain audio fidelity while minimizing sound bleed to neighboring floors, balancing performance with strict building and acoustic constraints.

Every part of the Center is connected through a sophisticated, easy-to-use AV infrastructure, making powerful technology feel invisible so that artists and educators can stay focused on their craft, ASG explained. This includes Extron NAV for HDMI video distribution and SDI video routing, Dante / AES67 audio, and networking across the facility. A centralized control room ties everything together, with Crestron wireless interfaces enabling control from anywhere in the space.

Each room - classrooms, editing suites, voiceover booths, and performance areas - are capable of real-time routing between spaces. The pre-function area, an outdoor balcony and an expandable classroom, features two JBL audio systems (indoor/outdoor) combined to create a unified experience for events and social gatherings.

Throughout the facility, LG UHD displays create a consistent, professional look in every zone, from the lobby, classrooms, and screening room. The center is fully accessible, offering hearing impaired (HI) amplified audio, closed captions (CC), visually impaired narrative (VI-N), and stage setups suitable for Q&A sessions, panel discussions, and small performances.

In addition to its work on creating the Center, ASG continues to support the facility through its Managed Services team, keeping systems reliable and easy to use. From routine maintenance to on-call technical support, ASG takes care of the day-to-day technology so the Foundation’s staff and members can stay focused on what matters most - supporting performers and their craft.

NEW YORK—SAG-AFTRA has inked a deal with Nielsen to become its third-party provider of streaming content measurement and has announced that it will use the Nielsen data to enforce the streaming bonus provisions in the 2023 TV/Theatrical Contract the union negotiated last year. 

“New business models require new tools, and that’s why we’ve enlisted Nielsen,” said SAG-AFTRA national executive director & chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland. “The information they provide will give us the means to cross-check the data streamers give us and ensure employers are fulfilling their contractual obligations to our members.” 

More specifically, SAG-AFTRA, which represents more than 160,000 professionals in the media and entertainment industries, will use Nielsen’s Streaming Content Ratings service, which provides audience insights for programs and episodes across streaming platforms, as an objective source of domestic viewership data for original streaming programming, the union said. The data, and the insights gleaned from it, will inform the union’s forecasting and enforcement efforts around the new terms of the streaming bonus provisions of the 2023 TV/Theatrical Contract. 

As an independent source of audience measurement insights, Nielsen’s data will complement first-party data from streaming platforms and serve as a consistent and comparable lens through which the performance of streaming titles across various distribution platforms can be analyzed, the union said. 

“The rapid evolution of the media landscape and audience behaviors over the past decade has not only affected how content is consumed and measured, but also greatly impacts the financial models on which the entertainment industry operates,” said Nielsen CEO Karthik Rao. “We are incredibly proud that SAG-AFTRA has chosen Nielsen as the source for objective and consistent audience measurement insights in the streaming space.”

Artificial intelligence was the great “disrupter” of 2023, not just on the world stage, but particularly in the media & entertainment business. 

(Read: AI named word of the year by Collins Dictionary)

Anyone using an Amazon Echo or similar smart device knows how AI has been in the business of “disrupting” lives and livelihoods prior to 2023; but it was OpenAI’s launch of ChatGPT—the first widely accessible generative AI application—at the end of 2022 that turned heads: in M&E, academia, government, Madison Ave., anywhere creativity, critical thinking and originality is valued and monetized. 

It certainly turned heads in Hollywood and was among the leading issues resulting in one of the longest and most widespread labor disputes in the industry’s history. The Writers Guild of America sounded the alarm, walking off the job and onto the picket lines in May when it announced its first strike in more than four decades.

 Although the new work and financial realities resulting from the television industry’s increased focus on streaming services were a main complaint, AI was also a major concern, with both writers and actors—who launched their own strike by mid-summer—warning that their livelihoods were at stake if “guardrails” were not initiated. 

Actors were concerned that studios were going to use AI to scan their images into digital files with the goal of using their likenesses in future productions without their consent, while writers saw ChatGPT and panicked, with good reason. However, some in the industry took it in stride, voicing their concerns that it's not the technology they fear, but how it will be used. 

“I’m not worried about the technology,” comedy writer Adam Conover told TechCrunch at the beginning of the strike in May. “I’m worried about the companies using technology that is not in fact very good, to undermine our working conditions.”

Both the WGA and SAG-AFTRA—the actors union—settled with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) last month and under the new contract with the WGA, AI will not be permitted to be used to write or rewrite scripts, and AI-generated writing will not be considered source material, which means writers won’t be competing with AI for screen credits. Writers will be permitted to use AI tools if they want but no employer will be allowed to mandate such use. 

For actors, studios will have to obtain “clear and conspicuous” consent from any performer where the studio has created a digital replica of the performer with the intent to use their likeness for monetization. The studios will be required to compensate the performer for the number of days it would have required the studio to hire the performer in person and the same terms would apply in the case of a background actor whose likeness is upgraded to portraying a principal character.

Not everyone was happy, with one SAG-AFTRA national board member lamenting the loss of control over one's image.

“Consent at the time of employment isn’t consent,” Shaan Sharma told the L.A. Times. “It’s coercion. You don’t really have a choice. If you want to work, you’ve got to give them the right to replicate you.”

Actress-producer Justine Bateman, who has long been involved in Hollywood labor issues, says studios are favoring digital technology over creativity.

“Doing projects that don’t involve humans … you’re not in the film business anymore,” she said. “People who don’t want to have any humans involved have never really been on a set. They don’t know what it’s like to make a film.”

Double-Edged Sword
The double edged sword of AI is felt most often in content creation. On the one hand, it can create chaos in copyright, compensation and in some cases, the ability to distinguish fact from fiction; in the right hands with the right technologies, it can be a gamechanger. 

“Today, AI's influence extends beyond traditional filmmaking into the realm of content creation,” Gary Adcock wrote on tvtechnology.com earlier this year. “This includes generating or enhancing articles, videos, images, and social media posts. The benefits are manifold, ranging from accelerated production and enhanced efficiency to superior quality and unparalleled personalization for audiences.”

Adcock goes on to say that “many people are worried about AI replacing human creativity. However, it's essential to acknowledge that true creativity stems from the profound human experience—emotions, thoughts, and expressions that machines cannot replicate. As technology advances, AI's role lies in complementing and amplifying human creativity, not supplanting it.”

AI was the dominant theme at the NAB Show in Las Vegas, with exhibitors introducing new AI advances in graphics, captioning, imaging, audio, media management and network management, offering more solutions to automate menial tasks. 

During his opening address, NAB President Curtis LeGeyt discussed the impact of AI on the broadcast business, raising issues that predicated the great Hollywood walkout that occurred a month later. 

“It is just amazing how quickly the relevance of AI to our entire economy—but, specifically, since we’re in this room, the broadcast industry—has gone from amorphous concept to real,” LeGeyt told the audience. 

But he also warned that “big tech [uses] their platforms to access broadcast television and radio content. That, in our view, does not allow for fair compensation for our content despite the degree to which we drive tremendous traffic at their sites.” LeGeyt warned that the use of AI could put such practices “on overdrive,” and urge legislation to institute some “guardrails.”

There Oughta Be a Law…
AI was also on the mind of Congress this year, which focused mainly on the impact of AI on the federal government. The FCC, which, for the most part, cannot regulate broadcast content, focused mainly on the use of AI in battling robocalls; however it does have a stake in ensuring broadcasters are disseminating accurate information.

 So perhaps that’s why the commission’s proposal last month to allow the FCC to prioritize the processing of applications for license renewal or for assignment or transfer of license filed by radio and TV broadcast stations that provide locally originated programming was seen as not only promoting the value of local journalism—which NAB has touted for years—but also as a backdoor effort to encourage local stations to favor a thriving in-person local newsroom over an algorithm to deliver the news.

Currently, the savvy technophile can often spot the difference between content generated by humans and content generated by AI. And although that will become harder as AI improves, it still has a way to go. But with the 2024 U.S. presidential campaign in full swing, the threat of misinformation via AI is real and growing—with broadcasters at the forefront.

In a blog post for the Brennan Center for Justice on using generative AI in political campaigns, Christina LaChapelle and Catherine Tucker discussed the concerns over the use of AI in an unregulated environment:

“Given the current absence of AI regulations, there is growing apprehension that antidemocratic groups or other bad actors could exploit AI-driven advertising technology to unleash torrents of misinformation on the internet,” they wrote. “This very real possibility underscores the urgency to establish robust detection systems that can rapidly spot manipulated or fabricated content and bring it to voters’ attention.”

“From the perspective of well-intentioned campaigns, however, an issue that has received less attention in the press lies in AI’s capacity to inadvertently create false content,” they added. “Text generation tools like ChatGPT have been shown to ‘hallucinate,’ fabricating facts about individuals or events to fill in gaps in their knowledge. Recently, a mayoral candidate in Toronto used AI-generated images in a platform document, one of which depicted a person with three arms.”

It’s clear that wherever it takes our industry, AI is the great disrupter that has resulted in more hyperbole—whether unjustified or not—than just about any other recent tech development.

What lies ahead is often more important than what just happened, and the media technology developments of 2023 augur plenty of upheavals in store for 2024. 

Despite the flurry of streaming and artificial intelligence activity, the comatose NextGen TV inactivity and the shape-shifting Hollywood strikes, the past year has largely been a quiet period—typical of a transition presaging a looming overhaul in the production and delivery of video content and paving the way for whatever comes next.  

As usual, the major topics overlap and interweave in an irregular pattern of business relationships that are intensely affected by technological, financial and regulatory factors. 

For example, the dominance of streaming video arrives along with ownership changes (such as Disney’s acquisition of Comcast’s share in Hulu) and a reevaluation of retransmission consent rules and fees as they apply to streaming carriage of TV shows. Similarly, the frenzy about Generative Pre-trained Transformer (GPT)—a core tool of AI—became a critical negotiating element in the TV actors and writers’ strikes. 

The emerging opportunities in 5G broadcasting reflect the dominating role of video in the mobile communications sector, but also raise competitive questions about which industry (legacy broadcasters or mobile carriers) will dominate in these ventures. Such uncertainties tie into the evolving issues of targeted advertising and the concomitant shifting audience attitudes toward media and marketing. 

Moreover, the connection between cord-cutting and retransmission consent was apparent in the Charter Communications (Spectrum TV) stand-off with Disney (ABC/ESPN) at the start of the college football season. The overall cable churn rate at the six largest Multiple System Operators grew from 7.5% in Q3 2022 to 9.3% during Q3 2023, according LightShed data—and that underscores the migration from cable to streaming options.  

Change is afoot.

Even in this turbulent yet intertwined media evolution, a handful of topics emerge as benchmarks for the new broadcasting landscape: 

Streaming: FAST Growth but Still Finding Its Way
Streaming video is now the dominant viewing option, according to Nielsen and several other audience studies. In a report released last summer, Nielsen said that 39% of viewing time was spent on streaming, while cable channels gleaned 30% and broadcast had 20% (the “other” 11% included gaming and DVDs). Although the streaming tally may have been inflated by summer doldrums, Nielsen’s historical data showed the continual shift towards streaming options.

And there are plenty of choices, although aside from the biggies (Netflix, Hulu, YouTube TV, Roku, Disney+), streaming channels seem to come and go.   

In November,  Jonathan Katz unveiled plans for “Free TV Networks,” which will deliver free over-the-air and streaming channels, starting with digital broadcast channels such as “The 365” aimed at African-American viewers and “Outlaw” (Western programs).  

At the same time, streaming bundles are popping up in endless configurations. For example, Verizon’s wireless service recently discounted Netflix and Max (formerly HBO Max) when bought together, and all the major streamers are toying with ad or no-ad versions: Netflix with commercials costs $6.99 per month, while its lowest priced ad-free version costs $15.49.  Likewise, Amazon automatically puts commercials into Prime Video unless subscribers pay $2.99 per month to squelch them. 

An analysis in October found that 47% of U.S. homes use a FAST (Free Ad-supported Streaming TV) service at least once a week. That was part of the Kantar Entertainment-on-Demand study which found that 120 million homes use at least one video streaming service.

Indeed, FAST has become the new benchmark in the streaming category with Netflix boasting 15 million monthly active users for its ad-supported subscription tier. FAST’s acceptance is also evidence by the growing number of programming alliances, such as the deal between Golf Nation and TV maker Vizio, which will put the golf events on its “WatchFree+” menu of its FAST on-demand smart TV receivers (connected TV). 

Meanwhile, fickle viewers are still churning galore. A TransUnion analysis found that 52% of subscribers canceled  a streaming service because of price increase, and 29% dropped off because they had finished watching a specific show on that platform. A similar number canceled “due to lack of new content,” and 17% admitted that they abandoned a streaming service because they got access to someone else’s credentials.

NextGen TV’s Roller Coaster Year
Is ATSC 3.0 (“NextGen TV”) the “AM Stereo of our age?” That cynicism spread throughout the year, especially after LG Electronics had to abandon production of 3.0 sets and broadcast networks continued their lackadaisical embrace of the standard. 

LG, which spearheaded NextGen TV receiver efforts, announced it would no longer include ATSC 3.0 tuners into its 2024 models after losing in court against Constellation Designs LLC, which claimed it held patents over some of the receiver technology LG used.  

LG’s retreat (albeit possibly temporary) fueled concern that other TV set makers would also back down, given the paucity of audience uptake—and despite pronouncements from the Pearl TV consortium that more than 10 million NextGen TV “capable” devices will be in homes by the end of 2023. (That sales figure amounts to about half the number of TV sets that have been sold annually in the U.S. during the past few years.)  

LG asked the FCC to intervene in the patent case, but the National Association of Broadcasters urged the commission to stay out, asserting that it does not have authority and that its rules would not resolve the problem.  The faceoff underscored the ongoing complexity of technical and regulatory inter-relationship.

On the other hand, broadcasters eager to switch off 1.0 have asked the FCC for help in establishing a deadline. FCC Chairman Jessica Rosenworcel responded with the formation of a “Future of TV” initiative at the NAB Show. The NAB has hosted a number of meetings and first reports should be forthcoming by next summer.

Despite the setbacks, NextGen TV promoters could boast that their TV signals are now available in New York City as well as another 75+ cities, with a dozen more markets (including Chicago and San Diego) “coming soon.”

Hollywood Strikes  
The dramatic (and sometimes comedic) Hollywood labor disputes involved a variety of issues that will affect the future of entertainment, and (since wordsmiths are performers and were at the core of these disputes) this is not the last word or final act. The artists wanted—and won—residual payments from streaming video productions and assurances regarding use of their likeness in future artificial intelligence-generated productions.

Although “talent” got what it wanted (to some degree), the longer-range effect is still unclear. Analysts expect that studios and networks will pare back the number of productions and make other financial cuts to handle the costs of these latest labor deals.   

Although the Hollywood strikes focused attention on the looming impact of AI throughout the media industry and society the resulting settlements barely just scratched the surface of AI’s potential role in the video and media category. Developers are already touting AI tools that can manage newscast production, create short-form videos (such as teaser promos) and maximize search-engine-optimization keywords and category placement plus social media presence.

Anna Chauvet, vice president-Public Policy for NAB envisioned what’s next in her May blog:

“AI technology brings immense potential for unlocking operational efficiencies in broadcasting when it’s used responsibly,” Chauvet said.  She cited, “efficiencies and operational help” for tasks such as scripting commercials, first drafts of content, speeding up transcription services and social media posts for on-air talent.

But Chauvet also reminded broadcasters of AI’s threats regarding use of copyrighted works plus its ability to distort and spread misinformation and urged that “responsible development and use of AI should ensure the integrity of our broadcasters’ work and the trust … [and should] adequately compensate broadcasters.”

‘Creator Economy’ Growing in Video Sector
Homemade videos have been part of the video ecosystem for decades, but thanks to TikTok, Facebook, YouTube and other social media, the broad “creator economy” has grown to a $250 billion business this year, and Goldman Sachs Research expects it could nearly double to $480 billion by 2028.  

In an April report, the investment analysts noted that increased technology has “lowered barriers to content creation” triggering more digital media consumption. The investment firm expects the current 50 million global creators to increase by up to 20% compound annual growth rate during the next five years, monetized by access to large pools of capital and fueled by “strong AI-powered recommendation engines,” which will match relevant content creators with interested users. 

Such new production sources (and distribution via video blogs and podcasts) bolster Goldman’s mega-billion-dollar forecast. The impact on legacy TV operations is expected to become significant. 

Ownership Overhauls
When the $8.6 billion merger of broadcaster Tegna Inc. (which owns 64 TV stations) into hedge fund Standard General was abandoned in May, analysts attributed the move to concerns that the deal would lead to higher prices for consumers and job losses. A planned FCC investigation into the acquisition led to a Standard General suit against the Commission, which was overturned. As part of the deal, Cox Media Group would have acquired several major market stations that Tegna owned. 

Although there was considerable finger-pointing about the culprits in this failed transaction, the plan has become a poster-child of the rearrangement of industry’s ownership. A few months later, Disney CEO Bob Iger indicated he may jettison some of the firm’s legacy holdings. Insiders believe the company will hold on to network brands best suited to streaming, including ABC and the Disney Channel. 

The recently conjoined Warner Bros. Discovery is also expected to focus on its holdings with the great streaming opportunities. 

5G Broadcast: Collaboration or Competition?
It’s hard to claim that the “jury is still out” on another alternative media option—5G Broadcasting—because the trials are still underway. 

LPTV station WWOO-LD in Westmoreland, N.H. (near Boston), is currently operating on a temporary special authorization to transmit programming and data via 5G. The station, licensed by Milachi Media LLC, began its transmission of a 5G signal over its licensed ATSC 3.0 facility in June. The test, which is scheduled to run through mid-January 2024, is intended to gauge the viability of a national 5G broadcast infrastructure for carrying data and emergency alerts.  

In a perceptive TV Tech analysis of the 5G Broadcast situation, Doug Lung raised a series of vital questions about introduction of the service: 

• Does it have the potential to replace ATSC 3.0?
• Will wireless operators who control mobile devices features permit 5G Broadcasting reception without a government mandate?
• How will it get into vehicles and older handsets?

Rick Ducey, BIA Advisory Services’ managing director, said in a Forbes interview that the U.S. broadcast and mobile industries are waiting to see if it’s possible to combine “multicast and unicast networks to offer integrated services over common devices.”

Apple Vision Pro: An Immersive Video Prelude to New Competition
Apple Vision Pro, a mixed-reality headset that the computer-maker unveiled in summer, is being promised as an “infinite canvas” for “entertainment experiences” as well as other home and office applications. 

Apple says that the $3,500 device can be used to watch movies and TV shows, including three-dimensional programs. Apple Immersive Video offers 180-degree high-resolution recordings with Spatial Audio. The headset, which will become available in early 2024, is being positioned to compete with Microsoft HoloLens and headsets from Magic Leap.  

Although not a broadcast receiver (yet), the capabilities of the visionOS – including a three-dimensional interface with “infinite screen real estate” could open doors to even more immersive production and display options.  Apple is also citing its ability to deliver “all-new ways to multitask.”  

The company claims that, “Apple Vision Pro can transform any space into a personal movie theater with a screen that feels 100 feet wide.”

Audience Disdain: Waning Trust in News, Hurdles for Ads
As elsewhere in American society, trust in institutions is in free-fall with media leading the plunge downwards. A Gallup survey in early summer found that public confidence in both TV news and newspapers were near historical lows, with many respondents questioning the honesty and ethics of journalists.  A new high of 39% of audiences have “no confidence at all” in journalists, Gallup found. 

Separately, Horowitz Research found that “younger consumers find ads in TV shows less effective” and that they “have pretty much gravitated away from ad-supported live TV.” Horowitz’s “State of Media, Entertainment, and Tech” recommended that advertisers should focus on targeted ad-supported streaming services to open “new opportunities … to re-connect with younger audiences through TV content.”

...And Some Final Words from Washington
The moribund FCC did what it could in 2023, given its limited ability with 2–2 partisan voting blocs until Anna M. Gomez was sworn in as a commissioner in September to bolster the Democratic roster. Meanwhile, an array of regulatory issues awaits federal action, including: 

Retransmission consent for streaming: Cord-cutting’s impact on broadcast income has popped up via several initiatives with members of Congress urging the FCC to find a way to make vMVPDs (virtual Multichannel Video Program Distributors such as  YouTube TV and Hulu) pay compulsory licensing fees to broadcasters akin to the current requirements for pay TV operators’ payments. 

Inevitably an advocacy group, the "Coalition for Local News" (600 local TV stations), was formed to demand that the FCC change how it regulates live streaming services.  Equally inevitable was the counter-move, called "The Preserve Viewer Choice Coalition" (YouTube TV, Roku, Disney, Paramount, NBCUniversal and others) which promptly declared such regulations as “laughable” in this era of “nearly unlimited viewing options.”

Blackouts: FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel has floated a proposal to force cable and satellite operators to pay rebates to subscribers if MVPDs that blackout local broadcast stations.

The Biden Administration’s Proposal for a “National Spectrum Strategy:" unveiled in mid-November, is a long-term vision that will be hammered out by the Commerce Department, Defense Department and other agencies to develop mor efficient spectrum use and more spectrum sharing. 

Although the bandwidth under scrutiny does not include current TV spectrum, the proposal affects more spectrum than had been expected.  The study’s long-term impact is unclear and, as the White House pointed out, this initial exploration does not presume how any of the spectrum will be repurposed.  

These policymaking issues underscore the array of 2023 topics that are being tee’d up for further action.  And it’s anyone’s guess about how much will be done in 2024, which is already shaping up to be an ultra-contentious election year.   

In national voting completed this week, members of SAG-AFTRA ratified the 2023 TV/Theatrical Agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) by a vote of 78.33% to 21.67% with a turnout of 38.15%.

The actors union, which joined the Writers Guild of America on the picket lines in July after the WGA initiated a strike in May, announced the settlement on Nov. 8 and on Nov. 10, the SAG-AFTRA National Board voted by a majority of 86% to approve the agreements and recommend a “yes” vote.

The new multi-year contract covering television, theatrical and streaming production, is effective retroactive to Nov. 9, 2023, and expires June 30, 2026 and includes more than $1 billion in new compensation and benefit plan funding, along with outsized gains to the traditional residuals formulas. 

In what AMPTP described as "the largest increase in minimum wages in the last 40 years," SAG-AFTRA says the contract offers a new compensation model for performers working in streaming, with a substantial bonus on top of existing residuals structures, plus compensation escalation for principal and background actors. Additionally, the deal establishes detailed informed consent and compensation guardrails for the use of AI, hair and makeup equity, meaningful protections for the casting process, sexual harassment prevention protections and more.

Click here for a list of the provisions.

SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher said, “I’m proud of our SAG-AFTRA membership. They struck for 118 days to grant the TV/Theatrical Negotiating Committee the necessary leverage to secure over $1 billion in gains, along with the union’s first-ever protections around AI technology. Now they’ve locked in the gains by ratifying the contract. SAG-AFTRA members have remained incredibly engaged throughout this process, and I know they’ll continue their advocacy throughout our next negotiation cycle. This is a golden age for SAG-AFTRA, and our union has never been more powerful.”

SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director & Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland said, “SAG-AFTRA members demanded a fundamental change in the way this industry treats them: fairness in compensation for their labor, protection from abusive use of AI technology, strengthened benefit plans, and equitable and respectful treatment for all members, among other things. This new contract delivers on these objectives and makes substantial progress in moving the industry in the right direction. 

"By ratifying this contract, members have made it clear that they’re eager to use their unity to lay the groundwork for a better industry, improving the lives of those working in their profession," Crabtree-Ireland added. "In any democratic institution, there will be disagreement at times. But no one should mistake the robust debate and democracy within SAG-AFTRA for any lack of unity in our purpose or mission: to protect and advance the cause of SAG-AFTRA members, now and forever.”

 LOS ANGELES—The SAG-AFTRA National Board has approved the tentative agreement for the 2023 TV/Theatrical Contracts reached with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) and sent the deal to the union’s membership for ratification. 

Membership voting will begin on this week but union members can return to work immediately, the union said. Wage increases will go into effect during the ratification process, which will continue into early Dec.

The 76-member board reported that it approved the tentative agreement on Nov. 10 by a majority of 86% to 14% and recommended a vote of “yes” to ratify the contracts.

In a statement SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher said “that we have forged the biggest deal in industry history which broke pattern, established new revenue streams and passed a historic $1 billion plus dollar deal with the most progressive AI protections ever written, I feel pretty confident in saying this is a paradigm shift of seismic proportions!”

SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland added that “Once ratified, this deal will fundamentally reset how our membership is compensated to account for the growth of streaming and, for the first time, institute deep protections against the encroachment of AI technology. At its core, this deal is about our members and making sure they are able to maintain the dignity that comes with a career as an actor and performer. This deal is possible because of their solidarity and unwavering commitment throughout this process. The sacrifices made by our members and our union siblings throughout the past 118 days are creating a fairer industry for all moving forward.”

Eligible SAG-AFTRA members will vote on the proposed successor agreements covering television, theatrical and streaming production. The total package, valued at more than one billion dollars in new wages and benefit plan funding, is a landmark achievement for the union, SAG-AFTRA said. 

The deal provides meaningful protections around the use of artificial intelligence, including informed consent and compensation for the creation and use of digital replicas of members, living and deceased, whether created on set or licensed for use. 

More specifically, the union described key aspects of the deal as follows: 

• The agreement includes an unprecedented wage pattern with two wage increases in the first year of the contract – 7% upon ratification, and another 4% increase effective July 2024, making a compounded first year increase of 11.28%. There will be another 3.5% increase effective July 2025. This package breaks the so-called “industry pattern,” the union said. 
• Wages for background actors will increase by 11% effective November 12, 2023, and then by an additional 4% effective July 1, 2024 and by another 3.5% effective July 1, 2025. And in a monumental breakthrough, for the first time ever, the number of covered positions in the West Coast Zones will equal those of the East Coast Zones. This is projected to add almost 11,000 new covered background work days annually. 
• A nearly 43% increase to the contribution cap for one-hour productions and nearly 67% increase to the cap for half-hour productions will result in increased contributions to the Health and Pension/Retirement funds, as well as help performers working on those shows to continue qualifying for benefit coverage.
• The union achieved the creation of a new compensation stream for performers working in streaming. It provides a substantial bonus on top of existing residuals structures making work in streaming more sustainable for middle class actors. The majority of that compensation will be paid to actors on programs meeting certain viewership requirements. The remaining money will be distributed to other actors working on those streaming platforms through a new, jointly-trusteed distribution fund. This ensures improved compensation and sustainability for a wider range of actors contributing to the success of those platforms. The agreement also adds fixed residuals for stunt coordinators working on television and new media productions. 
• The contract achieved important gains for hair and makeup equity, the sharing of aggregate diversity statistics, eliminating inappropriate wiggings and paintdowns, gender neutral language, access to gender-affirming care, and translation services. It also provides more sexual harassment prevention protections for performers including the use of intimacy coordinators in scenes involving nudity and simulated sex or upon request and additional safeguards for background. 
• Additional gains include establishing minimums by applying television terms to high budget made-for-AVOD programming. 
• Meaningful protections for the casting process have been established, including provisions specifying that breakdowns, sides, and/or scripts shall be provided no less than 48 hours prior to the submission deadline (excluding weekends and holidays). This is increased to 72 hours for minors. Talent may not be asked to perform more than eight (8) industry standard pages for a first self-tape or twelve (12) industry standard pages for a second or subsequent call back. Additionally, if memorization is required, performers will be entitled to compensation. And performers may not be requested to appear nude or while wearing attire more revealing than a bathing suit that could be worn at a public pool. Producers must also provide opportunities to interview virtually or in person on a first come, first served basis with accommodations for performers with disabilities, senior performers, and minors.
• Substantial improvements in relocation allowances for series performers were also made, covering $5,000 per month for up to 6 months with no cap on the number of seasons. Based on employment patterns, this amounts to a 153% effective increase in relocation payments.
• Together, the gains achieved in the contract are expected to generate over $1 billion in new compensation and funding to the benefit plans.

The union reported that the national referendum for the TV/Theatrical contracts will be conducted via an online vote to ratify the contracts. Traditional paper ballots will also be available on request to any eligible voter who asks for such a ballot. Members who are eligible to vote will receive a postcard with ballot instructions explaining how to vote electronically or how to request a paper ballot. The postcard will be mailed to members on or about Tuesday, November 14, the union said. 

Ratification votes received by the voting deadline of Tuesday, December 5 (electronically or by mail) will be tabulated on the same day. Informational meetings for members across the country to discuss the tentative agreement are scheduled beginning the week of November 13, 2023. Information about the agreement will also be posted online prior to the balloting period at sagaftra.org/contracts2023. 

The current contracts remain in effect during the member ratification process, except for wage increases, which go into effect during the ratification period. The term of the new agreement is for three years effective during the ratification period through June 30, 2026, and is retroactive upon ratification, the union said. 

A month after settling with writers, Hollywood studios have reached a tentative agreement with actors who went on strike themselves five months ago. The resolution ends the 118 day walkout, the longest such strike in the history of Hollywood.

In a statement released last night, the union representing actors—SAG-AFTRA—announced the agreement, which will  be put to a vote tomorrow (Thursday). The union joined the writers union, WGA on the picket lines in early June over many of the same concerns that prompted writers to walk out in May over how the industry pays and treats its creative talent in a new media environment where major Hollywood brands have launched D2C streaming services over the past decade as well concerns over the use of AI. 

After the WGA settled with the studios last month, negotiations continued with the actors union until this week when the studios pitched what they termed as their “final offer.”  Negotiations got more serious in recent weeks with Netflix’s Ted Sarandos, Disney’s Bob Iger, NBCUniversal’s Donna Langley and Warner Bros Discovery’s David Zaslav reportedly participating in the discussions.

SAG-AFTRA hailed the new contract, which it said is worth more than $1 billion and announced cessation of the strike at 12:01, Nov. 9. 

“We have achieved a deal of extraordinary scope that includes "above-pattern" minimum compensation increases, unprecedented provisions for consent and compensation that will protect members from the threat of AI, and for the first time establishes a streaming participation bonus,” the statement read. “Our Pension & Health caps have been substantially raised, which will bring much needed value to our plans. In addition, the deal includes numerous improvements for multiple categories including outsize compensation increases for background performers, and critical contract provisions protecting diverse communities.

“We have arrived at a contract that will enable SAG-AFTRA members from every category to build sustainable careers,” the union added. “Many thousands of performers now and into the future will benefit from this work.”

The union said that it would release full details of the agreement after the tentative agreement is reviewed by the SAG-AFTRA National Board. It also thanked the WGA for its solidarity.

LOS ANGELES—Negotiations between the AMPTP and SAG-AFTRA to resolve the actors strike that began in July have been suspended after SAG-AFTRA presented its most recent proposal on Wednesday. 

“After meaningful conversation, it is clear that the gap between the AMPTP and SAG-AFTRA is too great, and conversations are no longer moving us in a productive direction,” the Alliance Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers said in a statement Wednesday night.

The most contentious issue is over streaming revenues: AMPTP claims that SAG-AFTRA’s current offer that would include a collective fee (which the actors union describes as a “viewership bonus”) to cover streaming revenues would cost more than $800 million per year, creating what the studios said would be “an untenable economic burden.”

SAG-AFTRA responded that the actors union negotiated with AMPTP “in good faith, despite the fact that last week they presented an offer that was, shockingly, worth less than they proposed before the strike began,” adding that the studios intentionally overstated the cost of the streaming revenue proposal by 60%. 

The AMPTP’s statement included details over proposed resolutions to the ongoing strike, which began in July after the actors union voted to join writers who had been on the picket line since early May. That walkout was resolved two weeks ago. 

AMPTP says it offered actors “the highest increase in minimums in 35 years,” generating an additional $717 million in wages and $177 million in contributions to pension and health plans during the contract term. It also offered a 76% increase in “high budget” SVOD foreign residuals for the four largest streaming services, as well as “substantial increases” in pension and health contribution caps, ranging from 22-33%. It also offered double-digit wage increases for extras and stunt performers as well as additional job protections.

On AI, AMPTP said it offered to put rules in place that would give actors more control over the use of “Digital Replicas” or “Digital Alterations” and establish guidelines for renumeration. 

AMPTP said “on common issues, such as general wage increases, High-Budget SVOD residuals, and viewership bonuses, the AMPTP offered the same terms that were ratified by the DGA and WGA. Yet SAG-AFTRA rejected these. We hope that SAG-AFTRA will reconsider and return to productive negotiation soon.

SAG-AFTRA was having none of that. 

“These companies refuse to protect performers from being replaced by AI, they refuse to increase your wages to keep up with inflation, and they refuse to share a tiny portion of the immense revenue YOUR work generates for them,” the union said Wednesday night. “We have made big, meaningful counters on our end, including completely transforming our revenue share proposal, which would cost the companies less than 57¢ per subscriber each year. They have rejected our proposals and refused to counter. LOS ANGELES—Negotiations between the AMPTP and SAG-AFTRA to resolve the actors strike that began in July have been suspended after SAG-AFTRA presented its most recent proposal on October 11. 

“After meaningful conversation, it is clear that the gap between the AMPTP and SAG-AFTRA is too great, and conversations are no longer moving us in a productive direction,” the Alliance Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers said in a statement Wednesday night.

The most contentious issue is over streaming revenues: AMPTP claims that SAG-AFTRA’s current offer that would include a collective fee (which the actors union describes as a “viewership bonus”) to cover streaming revenues would cost more than $800 million per year, creating what the studios said would be “an untenable economic burden.”

SAG-AFTRA responded that the actors union negotiated with AMPTP “in good faith, despite the fact that last week they presented an offer that was, shockingly, worth less than they proposed before the strike began,” adding that the studios intentionally overstated the cost of the streaming revenue proposal by 60%. 

The AMPTP’s statement included details over proposed resolutions to the ongoing strike, which began in July after the actors union voted to join writers who had been on the picket line since early May. That walkout was resolved two weeks ago. 

AMPTP says it offered actors “the highest increase in minimums in 35 years,” generating an additional $717 million in wages and $177 million in contributions to pension and health plans during the contract term. It also offered a 76% increase in “high budget” SVOD foreign residuals for the four largest streaming services, as well as “substantial increases” in pension and health contribution caps, ranging from 22-33%. It also offered double-digit wage increases for extras and stunt performers as well as additional job protections.

On AI, AMPTP said it offered to put rules in place that would give actors more control over the use of “Digital Replicas” or “Digital Alterations” and establish guidelines for renumeration. 

AMPTP said “on common issues, such as general wage increases, High-Budget SVOD residuals, and viewership bonuses, the AMPTP offered the same terms that were ratified by the DGA and WGA. Yet SAG-AFTRA rejected these. We hope that SAG-AFTRA will reconsider and return to productive negotiation soon.

SAG-AFTRA was having none of that. 

“These companies refuse to protect performers from being replaced by AI, they refuse to increase your wages to keep up with inflation, and they refuse to share a tiny portion of the immense revenue YOUR work generates for them,” the union said Wednesday night. “We have made big, meaningful counters on our end, including completely transforming our revenue share proposal, which would cost the companies less than 57¢ per subscriber each year. They have rejected our proposals and refused to counter. Instead they use bully tactics. 

“The companies are using the same failed strategy they tried to inflict on the WGA – putting out misleading information in an attempt to fool our members into abandoning our solidarity and putting pressure on our negotiators,” SAG-AFTRA continued. “But, just like the writers, our members are smarter than that and will not be fooled.

“We feel the pain these companies have inflicted on our members, our strike captains, IATSE, Teamsters and Basic Crafts union members, and everyone in this industry. We have sacrificed too much to capitulate to their stonewalling and greed. We stand united and ready to negotiate today, tomorrow, and every day.”

Although the great Hollywood walkout of 2023 is only partially over, the TV industry is estimated to have lost $1.6 billion in ad revenues, a 17% YoY decrease when compared to the same period in 2022, according to a new report from MediaRadar. 

Primetime and late night TV were impacted the most by the strike, with the combined sector losing an estimated $1 billion in revenues. Ad spend for the combined sector decreased 12% YoY to $7.6 billion, with primetime television experiencing a drop of 11% from $7 billion to $6.2 billion, while late night saw a 15% decrease from $1.7 billion to $1.4 billion. 

“Late night is one of the most profitable hours of TV, and a lack of talk shows during the writers strike really affected advertisers,” said Todd Krizelman, CEO and co-founder, MediaRadar. “Now that the strike is over and talk shows are returning, we should see advertisers eager to pour money into those slots.”

Daytime TV is a bit more of a mixed bag, however. While ad investment on daytime TV talk shows dipped 6% YoY from May through August to $300 million—down from nearly $321 million spent during the same period in 2022—it’s anticipated advertising will also be down in September. 

The few remaining daytime soaps still on the air, however, continued production throughout the writers strike due to a separate SAG-AFTRA agreement that expires in July 2024. During the strike, new daytime drama content aired and advertising was up 21% YoY May through August to over $84 million.

From May through August, overall spend on TV ads reached $14.4 billion from 7.2K brands, a 10% YoY decrease from the $16 billion in ad spend from the same period in 2022. The number of brands also decreased 7% YoY from 7.8K advertising via TV in 2022, according to the researcher.

For its latest report, MediaRadar analyzed a sampling of ad revenue from national TV programming categories. Additionally, it sampled ad spend on national TV broadcasts, national print publications, and newspapers from top DMA’s, as well as online channels for films, TV shows, and subscription services. The data spans from January 2022 through August 2023. 

When it comes to the effects of the Writers Guild Association (WGA) and SAG-AFTRA strikes, four in 10 Americans have responded with a big yawn, taking no specific action in response to the loss of new content, according to the findings of a new poll from YouGov Surveys: Serviced.

The company’s poll of 1,168 U.S. adults taken Sept. 19-20 found that 41% of respondents have taken no specific action. Among those 35 to 54 years of age, 46% have carried on with no change, while 48% of those over 55 years old have moved forward without a change in behavior. 

However, 18- to 34-year-olds are the exception with only 26% reporting not making some sort of change, the survey found.

Regarding reported changes in behavior due to the loss of fresh entertainment, 24% of all respondents said they are rewatching favorite shows and movies and finding old content they have missed. Among 18- to 34-year-olds, 25% are rewatching, 20% are exploring unseen classics. Twenty-eight percent of those over 55 are following suit, watching classics, it found.

What viewers have done in response isn’t confined to the living room, however. Fourteen percent said they are engaging in social activities, nearly 11% are spending time engaging in outdoor hobbies, and another 11% are working out. Among younger respondents, 21% are socializing more, 16% are involved in outdoor hobbies; and 17% are pursing fitness, the survey found.

Spending time with other media, including books, podcasts and video games, offers a popular alternative to TV and movies for some (14%) respondents. Eighteen percent of those under 35 are engaging with these media alternatives, it said.

Other alternate activities included: learning a new skill (7%), mediation or mindfulness exercises (6%) and volunteering (5%), it found.

Many viewers are ready for new content to return. Forty-nine precent said they were strongly inclined to binge watch new seasons when they return; however, 36% have no interest in binging. Women are more interested in binge watching (53%) compared to men (46%). Forty-one percent of men aren’t likely to binge on new content, it found.

The lack of new content is having a mixed effect on people’s thinking when it comes to their streaming subscription plans. Fifty-five percent are unlikely to change plans, while 48% are not thinking of cancelling. However, 28% said it’s likely they will explore other plan alternatives, such as lower service tiers, as a result of a lack of fresh content. A total of 33% are looking to cancel some streaming subscriptions, it found.

More information is available on the YouGov Surveys: Serviced website. 

HOLLYWOOD, Calif.—While there’s optimism Writers Guild of America [WGA] members will soon return to work following this week’s announced tentative contract agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, nearly two-thirds of Americans believe their favorite shows will be delayed or canceled due to the strike and the ongoing strike of SAG-AFTRA members, according to software developer Samba TV.

“With the WGA strikes resulting in a tentative deal and all eyes now on SAG-AFTRA, the impact on viewers is already being felt,” said Samba TV co-founder and CEO Ashwin Navin. “While the majority of generations support the strike, they also are expecting major slowdowns with their favorite shows. We believe that no matter what, the industry will emerge with more transparency that will benefit the publishers, writers, talent and viewers alike.”

Samba TV is well-positioned to capture insights into the effects of the work stoppages on viewers. It develops software for a variety of television platforms, ranging from TVs and set-top boxes to smart phones and devices, and provides clients with real-time insights and audience analytics. (Editor’s note: Data for this story comes from Samba TV and HarrisX.)

According to the company, 74% of adults in the United States say they have heard of the strikes. Baby Boomers and the Silent Generation are more aware compared to other generations.

The majority of all generations support the strikes. Eighty percent of Gen Z and Millennials favor the strikes, while two out of three Gen Xers do so, the company said.

The strikes have taken a toll on late-night audience numbers. Comedy Central, ABC, CBS and NBC saw double-digit declines in average daily reach during the late fringe daypart beginning with the start of the WGA strike in May till and through July compared to the same period last year, Samba TV said. 

The broadcast networks were hit particularly hard with viewership declines. They experienced between 46% and 50% as the late-night fare of Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel ceased. Before the strikes, the average episode of the three reached between 680,000 and 780,000 viewers in 2023, it said.

Only HBO saw a year-over-year increase in average daily reach for the fringe daypart, further illustrating the negative impact of not having new episodes on the others, according to Samba TV. 

“The ongoing writers’ and actors’ strikes have had a catastrophic impact on late-night TV viewership. Without jokes and new material, many of the top late-night shows have gone off the air,” said Navin. “As a result, four of the five leaders in late night have seen double-digit decreases in reach during the late fringe time slot, with some losing as much as 50% of their audience during those hours. It remains to be seen how late night will rebound to its previous relevance.”

The Writers Guild of America on Sunday night announced to its members that it has struck a tentative deal with major Hollywood studios that would end a strike that has lasted 146 days (and counting). 

On May 2, TV and fim writers represented by the WGA went on strike against the American Motion Picture and TV Producers (AMPTP) over pay,  the changing roles of writing staffs and concerns over how studios will implement artificial intelligence in film and television production.

In an email sent to its members Sunday night, the WGA trumpeted what it felt was a successful agreement that met their demands.  

“We can say, with great pride, that this deal is exceptional – with meaningful gains and protections for writers in every sector of the membership,” the WGA’s negotiating committee said. But it was also cautious:: "“To be clear, no one is to return to work until specifically authorized to by the Guild. We are still on strike until then,” the WGA added.

The WGA's negotiating committee will vote Tuesday on whether to recommend the agreement to WGA boards on the west and east coast who will could also vote on it. If both boards approve, the proposal would then go to a final vote to the WGA’S 11,000 members.

TV talk shows are among the first programs expected to return to the air if the agreement is signed, but even a settlement with writers will not end the walkout which has been estimated to have impacted the national economy by $5 billion so far. Actors represented by SAG-AFTRA joined the picket lines in July over the same issues and remain on strike.

WGA told its members to remain on the pickets lines until the agreement was finalized. 

“Though we are eager to share the details of what has been achieved with you, we cannot do that until the last ‘i’ is dotted,” the WGA emailed its members. “To do so would complicate our ability to finish the job. So, as you have been patient with us before, we ask you to be patient again -- one last time.”

SAG-AFTRA hailed the announcement but said the resolution wouldn’t change its stance.

“SAG-AFTRA congratulates the WGA on reaching a tentative agreement with the AMPTP after 146 days of incredible strength, resiliency, and solidarity on the picket lines," the actors guild said in a statement Sunday evening. 

"While we look forward to reviewing the WGA and AMPTP’s tentative agreement, we remain committed to achieving the necessary terms for our members,” the statement added. “Since the day the WGA strike began, SAG-AFTRA members have stood alongside the writers on the picket lines. We remain on strike in our TV/Theatrical contract and continue to urge the studio and streamer CEOs and the AMPTP to return to the table and make the fair deal that our members deserve and demand.”

As expected, SAG-AFTRA, the largest actor’s union in Hollywood, voted Thursday to join the Writers Guild of America on the picket lines in a strike against film and TV production studios after talks to extend their contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) beyond the June 30 deadline broke down earlier this week. 

In a press conference on Thursday, union president Fran Drescher excoriated the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), telling them to “wake up and smell the coffee.”

“We are being victimized by a very greedy enterprise,” she said. “At some point you have to say ‘No, we’re not going to take this anymore. You people are crazy. What are you doing? Why are you doing this?’”

“If we don’t stand tall right now, we are all going to be in jeopardy," Drescher added.  "You cannot change the business model as much as it has been changed and not expect the contract to change too. I cannot believe… how [the studios] plead poverty, that they are losing money left and right, when they give hundreds of millions to their CEOs. It is disgusting. Shame on them.”

At issue are concerns over the fact that while the explosion in streaming services over the past decade have led to an increase in programming (and opportunities), the policies that control the management and dispersion of royalties and the working conditions of writers have not caught up with the realities of the new media landscape. In addition, the threat from AI in supplementing or even replacing writers has been top of mind, especially since the rise of ChatGPT and similar generative AI platforms.

That last issue was highlighted at yesterday’s press conference when Duncan Crabtree-Ireland,  chief negotiator for SAG-AFTRA, said that talks broke down with AMPTP after the organization revealed what AMPTP described as a “groundbreaking” proposal to use AI to scan images of secondary performers so they could control the rights of their digital avatars in perpetuity without future remuneration.  

“This ‘groundbreaking’ AI proposal that they gave us yesterday, they proposed that our background performers should be able to be scanned, get one day’s pay, and their companies should own that scan, their image, their likeness and should be able to use it for the rest of eternity on any project they want, with no consent and no compensation,” Crabtree-Ireland said. “So if you think that’s a groundbreaking proposal, I suggest you think again.”

It also doesn't help when the studios give tone-deaf responses, highlighted by an interview with Disney head Bob Iger on CNBC Thursday morning, 

The strike is “very disturbing to me," he said. "We’ve talked about disruptive forces on this business and all the challenges we’re facing, the recovery from Covid, which is ongoing, it’s not completely back. This is the worst time in the world to add to that disruption.”

SAGA-AFTRA’s strike, which started at 12:01 AM Friday, along with WGA’s walkout against AMPTP two months ago, effectively shuts down all TV and film production in the U.S. and could end up of costing the industry an estimated $8 billion.

The effects will be felt worldwide, according to analyst Fred Black from Ampere Analysis, who told TV Tech sister brand TVBEurope, “The strike impacts everybody in the industry,” he says. “If you’re a camera operator, you need an actor and someone to have written their lines.

“There’s going to be a huge amount of strife for other groups [of workers] as well,” he added. “With the writers’ strike, we’ve seen some of the other workers express their support and refuse to go to work in solidarity with a writer, even though they’re not part of that union. But it’ll be a question about how far they’re willing to see that pushed.”

“We’re going to see a global effect that’s going to it’s going to hurt people all over the world,” he concluded.

The writers’ strike against Hollywood studios could get a major boost today as the largest union representing actors votes on whether to join the Writers Guild America on the picket lines. 

The negotiations board for SAG-AFTRA, which represents more than 160,000 film and TV actors voted unanimously on Wednesday to strike and the national board will convene today and all signs indicate overwhelming support for the WGA, which went on strike May 2.  In early June, the actors union voted to walk out if an agreement with the studios was not reached by the time it expired at the end of June. Negotiations that have gone on since then stalled this week, with accusations for the breakdown coming from both sides. 

“The companies have refused to meaningfully engage on some topics and on others completely stonewalled us,” said SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher in a statement. “Until they do negotiate in good faith, we cannot begin to reach a deal.”

“We are deeply disappointed that SAG-AFTRA has decided to walk away from negotiations,” the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, the organization that negotiates on behalf of Hollywood companies, said in a statement. “This is the union’s choice, not ours.”

At issue are concerns over changes that have taken place over the past decade as Hollywood has adjusted its focus from traditional network primetime programming to the explosion in high-end film-quality productions on streaming platforms such as Netflix, Prime and Hulu. WGA believes that as this landscape has changed, so should studios change the way writers are compensated and treated. AI, which has been a subject of concern for several years, has now also moved to the top of the list of concerns as generative AI platforms like ChatGPT gain hold and are viewed as an increasing threat on writers’ livelihoods.

If the walkout is approved, SAG-AFTRA members would join their fellow strikers on the picket lines in front of Hollywood studio headquarters, something some high-profile actors have already been doing. Matt Damon, who’s been promoting the upcoming theatrical release “Oppenheimer,” plans to detour from the current promotional tour to join the picket line if the vote passes. 

“We ought to protect the people who are kind of on the margins,” Damon told The Associated Press. “And 26,000 bucks a year is what you have to make to get your health insurance. And there are a lot of people whose residual payments are what carry them across that threshold. And if those residual payments dry up, so does their health care. And that’s absolutely unacceptable. We can’t have that. So, we got to figure out something that is fair.”

If approved, the walkout would mark the first time actors have joined writers in striking against the studios since 1960. And considering the increasing demands for new content as streaming services attempt to expand their reach worldwide, the implications of a prolonged walkout could have devastating consequences. Nevertheless, the media landscape has dramatically changed over the last decade and some Hollywood bigwigs agree that the relationships between the studios and the people who produce the content need to change. 

“You have a complete change in the underlying economics of the entertainment business that it previously held for certainly the last 50 years, if not the last 100 years,” Barry Diller told The New York Times. “Everything was basically in balance under the hegemony of five major studios, and then, oh, my God, along come the tech companies in Netflix, Amazon and Apple and the fast, transformative things that came out of Covid. The result of which is you have a business that’s just completely upended.”

The immediate threat of a strike by the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) has been delayed, with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) and the SAG-AFTRA agreeing to extend the 2020 TV/Theatrical contracts as they continue negotiating a new contracts. 

The agreements, which were set to expire at 11:59 p.m. PT on June 30, will now expire on July 12, at 11:59 pm PT. 

The parties said that they will continue to negotiate under a mutually agreed upon media blackout and that they won’t comment to the media about the negotiations during the extension.

The union also said that the SAG-AFTRA National Board will meet on July 13, 2023 to assess whether a satisfactory deal has been reached and decide whether to declare a strike. “Membership will be advised immediately of the Board’s decision by email, on the union website, and through all union communications channels,” the union said. “Members should be prepared for the very real possibility that the National Board will declare a strike of the Codified Basic Agreement and Television Agreement effective as early as July 13, 2023.”

The negotiations are taking place at a time when the Writers Guild of America has already gone on strike, shutting many TV and film productions and forcing the major networks to shift their fall schedules. 

SAG-AFTRA has overwhelmingly voted to join the WGA in a strike if a new agreement can’t be reached. 

In early June the AMPTP, which represents the studios, negotiated an agreement with the Directors Guild of America.  

Actors union SAG-AFTRA voted overwhelmingly on Monday to strike against Hollywood studios if the union's new contract is not ratified by the time it expires on June 30.

The union, which has 160,000 members, voted 97.7% in favor of the strike and if an agreement isn't reached by the end of this month, they will join the Writers Guild of America (WGA) in an ongoing strike against Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers in a walked out that began May 2. The union will begin negotiations with the AMPTP  on Wednesday, June 7. 

This marks the first potential actors strike in more than four decades—the last one occurred in 1980 when the two unions (which merged in 2012 joined forces to strike against Hollywood studios in a walkout that lasted three months. 

That walkout, as well as the strike in 1987-88, revolved around residuals for home video and pay-TV. The current standoff between the writers and studios involves disagreements over work environments, AI and streaming. 

The announcement of the potential strike came on the same day that the Directors Guild of America announced a new agreement with AMPTP, which it reached over the weekend. WGA said that that new contract would have little to no effect on its walkout.

“The strike authorization votes have been tabulated and the membership joined their elected leadership and negotiating committee in favor of strength and solidarity,” said SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher. “I’m proud of all of you who voted as well as those who were vocally supportive, even if unable to vote. Everyone played a part in this achievement. Together we lock elbows and in unity we build a new contract that honors our contributions in this remarkable industry, reflects the new digital and streaming business model and brings ALL our concerns for protections and benefits into the now! Bravo SAG-AFTRA, we are in it to win it.”

AMPTP was more brief, saying that it is “approaching these negotiations with the goal of achieving a new agreement that is beneficial to SAG-AFTRA members and the industry overall.”

HOLLYWOOD, Calif.—Netflix announced today that the Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards will stream live on Netflix and its Youtube Channel globally starting in 2024 thanks to a new multi-year partnership between Netflix and the SAG Awards. 

SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland said: “We are thrilled to embark on this exciting new partnership with Netflix and we look forward to expanding the global audience for our show. As the only televised awards program exclusively honoring the performances of actors, whose work is admired by millions of fans, the SAG Awards are a unique and cherished part of the entertainment universe.”

Netflix Head of Global TV Bela Bajaria said: “The SAG Awards are beloved by the creative community and viewers alike, and now even more fans around the world will be able to celebrate these talented actors. As we begin to explore live streaming on Netflix, we look forward to partnering with SAG-AFTRA to elevate and expand this special ceremony as a global live event in 2024 and the years to come.” 

This year's 29th Annual SAG awards will be streamed live on Sunday, Feb. 26 at 8 p.m. ET on Netflix's YouTube Channel. The awards had been telecast on TNT and TBS for years. The ceremony will be presented by SAG-AFTRA with Screen Actors Guild Awards, LLC and executive produced by Jon Brockett and produced by Avalon Harbor Entertainment.

This article has been updated. 

LOS ANGELES—The SAG-AFTRA National Board has voted overwhelmingly to approve a successor agreement with Netflix. The contract will now be sent to the membership for ratification, with the National Board recommending a “yes” vote.

The agreement includes major improvements in options and exclusivity rules for series regulars, the union said. It creates a new “conflict-free window” of at least three months during each season, in which performers may accept a permitted appearance on another show or network without first confirming availability and potential scheduling with Netflix. 

The agreement also includes significant changes benefiting background performers, stunt coordinators and dubbing performers, and significantly expands SAG-AFTRA’s coverage of Spanish-language dubbing, the union said. 

SAG-AFTRA reached the groundbreaking first, direct union agreement covering Netflix programming in 2019. The agreement was set to expire June 30, but was extended through the conclusion of negotiations.

Bargaining on a successor contract began June 27 and continued intermittently through Aug. 2. The Netflix agreement applies to scripted, dramatic episodic and feature-length productions made by Netflix Studios, LLC.

“I was proud to chair these talks and to be in the room as it happened. I can confirm that we got a darn good deal! We advanced significant improvements to options and exclusivity terms, allowing actors with short pickups to have more freedom to work other jobs and ensuring shorter hold periods between pickups,” said SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher. 

“Testimony from our members offered compelling and convincing arguments in favor of unlocking the shackles the streaming platform had on actors,” Drescher added. “Everyone was represented and we won unprecedented favorable advancements. It took a long time, a great deal of pushing past their comfort zone and now that it’s all said and done, the committee and staff have a deal they feel most satisfied with.

“Journeymen actors, who are often squeezed in the middle, benefit the most under these new terms, and we also made great strides for background performers,” Drescher concluded.

“As the landscape of the industry has changed, streaming has become one of the most important areas of focus,” said national executive director and chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland. “Streaming is both the present and the future of entertainment, and this agreement reflects that reality. Our team fought hard for gains across the board, and members from background performers to series regulars will feel that benefit. I am particularly proud of our expansion of Spanish-language dubbing coverage, which results in equal pay for equal work regardless of the language used. It’s another huge step forward in our fight for equity, which is also symbolized by the addition of a holiday acknowledging Juneteenth.”

In addition to enhanced and strengthened options and exclusivity rules, the contract establishes a new Albuquerque Background Actor Zone within a 30-mile radius around Albuquerque City Hall. This represents the first new background zone in 24 years, the union said. 

For the first time under any agreement, stunt coordinators will be paid a fixed residual for the continued exhibition on Netflix of a high-budget streaming program produced under the Netflix Agreement.

In addition, the Netflix Dubbing Agreement has been expanded to include dubbing into Spanish. The terms for Spanish-language dubbing will match the terms that apply to English dubbing.

Significantly, Netflix and SAG-AFTRA have agreed that Netflix will join the multiemployer bargaining unit represented by the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). Future agreements with the streaming giant will be done concurrently with AMPTP negotiations.

Certain issues are covered by industry wide agreements with the AMPTP and will be addressed in upcoming negotiations, including wage rate (scale) increases and the streaming residuals structure, among others, the union said. 

SAG-AFTRA represents approximately 160,000 actors, announcers, broadcast journalists, dancers, DJs, news writers, news editors, program hosts, puppeteers, recording artists, singers, stunt performers, voiceover artists, influencers and other entertainment and media professionals.

LOS ANGELES—The off-air content staff members of NewsHour Productions, who produce the nightly news program PBS NewsHour, have been officially recognized as a bargaining unit of SAG-AFTRA. More than 70% of the program’s workers signed on to a petition to unionize.

“We are proud to welcome the talented professionals behind NewsHour,” said SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher. “The work they do to inform the people of our nation is vital to our democracy. As president of SAG-AFTRA, I am pleased that they are unionizing because I personally enjoy their refreshingly unbiased presentation of the news as a viewer. We believe that they — and every worker — should have a seat at the table when it comes to their working conditions.”

On-air NewsHour employees are already members of the union. They are now joined by the 69 reporters, producers, editors, production assistants and others who not only report and produce the show, but also create NewsHour’s expanding digital footprint and one-hour primetime documentaries.

“As the workers behind one of the most trusted news institutions in the country, our goal is to strengthen this pillar of American television news by creating a better, healthier and more transparent workplace,” the NewsHour content staff said in a statement. “We love our jobs and are truly driven by the NewsHour’s mission. We are glad that management chose to recognize our union and focus on the collective bargaining process that will ensure our voices are heard.”

SAG-AFTRA staff has been working with the NewsHour employees since March 2021. 

SAG-AFTRA already represents NPR and member stations KPBS in San Diego, KCRW in Santa Monica, KPCC/LAist (SCPR) in Pasadena, Marketplace, KQED in San Francisco, KUOW in Seattle, MPR News, YourClassical MPR, The Current, WBEZ (CPM) in Chicago, NHPR in Concord, WBUR in Boston, WNYC and Gothamist (NYPR) in New York City, WBGO in Newark, WHYY in Philadelphia, WBGO in Newark, WETA in Arlington, and WAMU & DCist in Washington, D.C., among others.

NEW YORK— Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) has announced that it has reached a tentative agreement with The Joint Policy Committee, LLC (JPC) representing the ad industry for successors to the existing television and audio commercials contracts.

The SAG-AFTRA National Board will meet and vote on the proposal on April 9. If they approve it, members will vote on the proposals.  

The contracts had expired on March 31 but were extended to allow negotiations to continue.

The union said that it was not released specific details of the tentative agreement prior to the board’s review.

Three years ago the union stated that the contracts cover about $1 billion in annual earnings.

LOS ANGELES—To quote Taylor Swift, SAG-AFRTA and Donald Trump are never ever getting back together. The SAG-AFTRA National Board passed a resolution on Feb. 6 that will deny Trump from potential re-admission into the union following his resignation.

Following the events of the Capitol insurrection and riots on Jan. 6, SAG-AFTRA cited then-President Trump for his actions promoting false election claims, attacks against the media (some of whom are SAG-AFTRA members) and allegedly inciting the rioters. They were planning to conduct a disciplinary hearing that could have resulted in penalties against Trump, including possible expulsion from the union.

Trump pre-empted any action by SAG-AFTRA, announcing his resignation on Feb. 4; to which the union simply said, “Thank you.”

The union went one step further, however, with this decision to bar Trump from potentially rejoining SAG-AFTRA in the future.

“Preventing Donald Trump from every rejoining SAG-AFTRA is more than a symbolic step,” said SAG-AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris. “It is a resounding statement that threatening or inciting harm against fellow members will not be tolerated. An attack against one is an attack against all.”

LOS ANGELES—Donald Trump, after having discipline charges filed against him by SAG-AFTRA for his role in the Capitol riots, has officially resigned from the organization. SAG-AFTRA responded in a brief statement:

“Thank you.”

Very brief.

Following the events of a mob of Trump supporters that stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 as part of an effort to overturn Joe Biden’s presidential election win, SAG-AFTRA’s National Board voted to find probable cause of a violation of SAG-AFTRA’s Constitution by then President Trump for inciting the rioters, which would have led to a hearing and possible penalties against Trump, including fines and possible expulsion.

During the attack on the Capitol, many broadcast journalists were intimidated and harassed by rioters. SAG-AFTRA includes members that are broadcast journalists.

“Donald Trump attacked the values that this union holds most sacred – democracy, truth, respect for our fellow Americans of all races and faiths, and the sanctity of the free press,” said Gabrielle Carteris, president of SAG-AFTRA. “There’s a straight line from his wanton disregard for the truth to the attacks on journalists perpetrated by his followers.”

In his official resignation letter, Trump touts his work in movies like “Home Alone 2,” “Zoolander” and “Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps” as well as TV shows “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air,” “Saturday Night Live” and “The Apprentice,” which he hosted. He also boasted that he “greatly helped the cable news television business (said to be a dying platform with not much time left until I got involved in politics).” 

He calls the disciplinary charges from SAG-AFTRA “free media attention to distract from your dismal record as a union.”

As evident by their response, the union isn’t too broken up about Trump’s exit.

LOS ANGELES—The return to production amid the ongoing presence of COVID-19 in Southern California has the support of SAG-AFTRA, the Producers Guild of America (PGA) and the Joint Policy Committee (JPC), as the three groups have agreed to lift their recommendation to pause production issued at the start of January.

When COVID-19 cases were surging in Los Angeles and other areas of Southern California, SAG-AFTRA, PGA and JPC, which represents commercial advertisers and advertising agencies, recommended a hold on independent production of TV, film and commercials, calling it an unsafe environment for in-person production.

Major studios also put a brief pause on production, but in many cases they returned in the middle of January. The trio of SAG-AFTRA, PGA and JPC will lift their recommended restrictions officially on Monday, Feb. 1.

“While commercial and independent production may return to Southern California at this time, the parties maintain that film and television productions must abide by the industry-issued COVID-safety protocols and will continue to monitor and consider orders or recommendations issued by the Public Health Department,” the groups said in a statement. “Additionally, SAG-AFTRA and the JPC will move forward with reviewing commercial productions to help ensure that safety on set is maintained for members and industry personnel.”

Those efforts for maintaining safe sets have their own issues, however. A report from BuzzFeed News details how those appointed to monitor COVID-safety protocols on set are often going unsupported.

For its part, PGA has issued its own safety guide, “COVID Safety Protocols for Producing Independent Productions.” The full guide can be found on PGA’s website. 

LOS ANGELES—SAG-AFTRA, an entertainment industry union whose members include broadcast journalists, offered its condemnation of the storming of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 by rioters and says that the concurrent attacks against members of the media during the riot were fueled by President Donald Trump and other members supporting baseless conspiracy theories.

SAG-AFTRA called the attack “an inevitable result of sustained misinformation campaigns that attempted to discredit journalists while weaving a counter-narrative based on falsehoods.”

During the riot, members of the media were charged, equipment was destroyed and graffiti was left of the door of the Capitol that read “Murder the Media.”

“The reckless rhetoric by some leaders—including many members of Congress who continued to perpetuate lies even after the attack—is damaging the fabric of our nation and costing lives,” SAG-AFTRA’s statement read.

In addition, the union condemned the displays of Confederate flags “and other symbols of white supremacy and hate” that appeared during the riot, calling them attempts to subjugate and terrorize people of color and certain faiths.

Fifteen people have so far been charged with crimes for their involvement in the riot, with the acting U.S. Attorney General Michael Sherwin saying they are looking at “all actors” involved in inciting the riot. 

LOS ANGELES—A deal has been struck between the unions representing casts and crews and major studios on the specific protocols that will be put in place for the TV and film industries to safely resume production during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Agreeing to the deal are the Directors Guild of America (DGA), International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) and the Basic Crafts and Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP).

The negotiations spent months developing science-based protocols designed to minimize the risk of transmission, with the unique environments of TV and film production in mind. Among the guiding principles, which were based on “The Safe Way Forward” report released by unions back in June, include testing regimens, safety protocols, a zone-based system and use of personal protective equipment (PPE).

PLUS: Staying Safe on Set

As part of the agreement, every member of the cast and crew will be tested before their first day of work and will then subsequently undergo a regular testing protocol during the production. Productions will use Lab-based PCR test or rapid PCR tests in conjunction with lab-based PCR; antigen and antibody tests are not acceptable.

The “zone” system outlined in the deal lays out barriers in which those on set can flow based on proximity to cast, level of testing, PPE and the extent to which physical distancing can be observed. 

Zone A includes performers—who are not able to utilize PPE or physical distancing when cameras are rolling—and those that come in close contact with performers; Zone A requires testing at least three times a week.

All other individuals in the production environment are required to utilize physical distancing and PPE at all times. They are broken into three different zones: Zone B includes those who work on set but not when performers are present without PPE and requires testing once a week; Zone C covers workers in production areas other than the set and must be tested at a minimum of once every two weeks; and Zone D covers remote workers associated with the production but not working in the production environment, and requires a test prior to their first day of employment.

The deal also stipulates that each production must have a designated COVID-19 compliance supervisor.

In the event that an employee has a positive test or shows other possible signs of COVID, they will receive 10 days of COVID-19 paid sick leave; the employee will be reinstated once they have been cleared to return to work. In addition, employees that are required to quarantine or isolate at the request of an employer, or as required by law, will receive quarantine pay.

“This agreement establishes sensible, science-based protocols that allow members to return to doing the work they love while managing risk,” said Gabrielle Carteris, president of SAG-AFTRA. “I am grateful to our sister unions, who pulled together during this extended crisis, as well as to the studios for collaborating on this important issue.”

Additional information on the guidelines can be found on the union websites. 

LOS ANGELES—The SAG-AFTRA Foundation has announced the creation of a COVID-19 Disaster Fund that will be available to eligible SAG-AFTRA members impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

With TV productions shutting down due to the coronavirus, SAG-AFTRA Foundation President Courtney B. Vance has said the organization has already had a spike in applications and calls for help. The Disaster Fund will cover members (who have paid dues through October 2019) that are in emergency financial crisis related to coronavirus by helping to pay expenses like rent, mortgage, utilities, medical bills and other essential needs.

“I am strongly asking leaders and members of the entertainment industry to donate to the Foundation so that performers and their families will be given the critical support they need,” said Vance.

Applications for the COVID-19 Disaster Fund can be completed online.

SAG-AFTRA has also announced that it has suspended its in-person programming until further notice, but is will place many of them online.

More information is available www.sagaftra.org.  

LOS ANGELES—SAG-AFTRA members last week voted to accept a new three-year contract with ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox that includes an 8.7 percent wage increase over the term of the contract for most program fees and improves funding of the AFTRA Retirement Fund.

"I am gratified by our members’ vote of approval for this agreement. SAG-AFTRA members working in this area will benefit from stronger protections and meaningful increases in wages and residuals rates,” said SAG-AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris, who served as chair of the Network Television Code Negotiating Committee.

Programs covered by the agreement include dramas in first-run syndication, morning new shows, talk shows, serials (soap operas), variety, reality, contest, sports and promotional announcements.

Negotiations with signatory producers began May 30, and a tentative agreement was struck June 9. Members voted online and via paper ballots. The new contract, which run through June 30, 2021, was approved with a vote of 93 percent in the affirmative, a SAG-AFTRA statement said.

The pay increase will be phased in with a 2.5 percent bump the first year, 3 percent the second and another 3 percent in the third year, it said.

The contract addresses other pay provisions, including a 4.1 percent wage jump for daytime serial performers over three years and a 4.6 percent pay boost for background actors.

Contributions to the AFTRA Retirement Fund will be increased with a first-year boost of 0.5 percent, and the AFTRA Industry Cooperative Fund with a 0.2 percent bump. There is also an option to divert 0.5 percent of second and third year wage increases to the AFTRA Retirement Fund, according to the statement.

The contract, officially known as the 2018 SAG-AFTRA National Code of Fair Practice for Network Television Broadcasting and commonly as the Network Television Code, includes many other provisions, such as:

• A three-hour reduction in included rehearsal hours for dancers on all programs that are five minutes or less and those over five to 15 minutes;

• A one-hour reduction in included rehearsal hours for singers on all but five-minute-or-less and over-five-to-15-minute programs;

• An overtime pay hike for certain group dances on award shows from $45 to $48 per hour; and

• An 11.5-percent increase in the stand-in and dance-ins rate from $26 to $29 per hour.

SAG-AFTRA represents approximately 160,000 actors, announcers, broadcast journalists, dancers, DJs, news writers, news editors, program hosts, puppeteers, recording artists, singers, stunt performers, voiceover artists and other entertainment and media professionals.

More information is available on the SAG-AFTRA website. 

LOS ANGELES & NEW YORK—At its recent bi-coastal meeting, the SAG-AFTRA National Board of Directors unanimously approved a Code of Conduct on Sexual Harassment to Advance Equity, which is part of a program to combat harassment and strive toward workplace equity called the Four Pillars of Change, according to an announcement.

“At its most basic, this code will—ultimately—help better define what harassment is and what members’ rights are in those situations,” SAG-AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris said in the release.

Carteris reported on “the work the union is doing to combat sexual harassment,” which includes meetings and collaboration with the Industry Commission on Sexual Harassment and Advancing Equality in the Workplace and SAG-AFTRA members affiliated with the #MeToo and Time’s Up movements.

She also described a recent trip to Washington, where she and White met with Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Calif.) and with Labor Secretary R. Alexander Acosta. Carteris also appeared with Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and others on an AFL-CIO panel on sexual harassment.

National Executive Director David White added, “These efforts...will accelerate our collective ability to make the improvements we are all looking to achieve." He also covered information about additional staff training for the organization’s Safer Set hotline.

The board then discussed the initiative and reviewed the legal definition of sexual harassment, prior to voting.

SAG-AFTRA represents actors, announcers, broadcast journalists, DJs, news writers, news editors, program hosts, recording artists, singers, voiceover artists and other entertainment and media professionals.