The fat lady is singing for all scripted television shows. It's over for now.
Curly Twiford (C) of the TV and Motion Pictures Animal Trainers Association talks to a union member carrying a life-size cutout of deceased actor John Wayne prior to a march organized by the Writers Guild of America in Los Angeles, California, USA, 20 November 2007. Members were joined by a number of other unions including the Screen Actors Guild and the Teamsters in a march down Hollywood Blvd. The march commemorates the third week of the writers strike which was called when negotiations broke down over revenue derived from 'new media' which includes the internet and mobile phone sales. EPA/SEAN MASTERSON
Variety reports that the writers strike has officially killed scripted TV production in Los Angeles.
All but five of the 52 series in active production before the walkout began last month have now gone dark, and all but one of those shows will wrap next week, according to permitting agency Film LA.
Films are a different story, with a reported 45% gain over the same period last year since the strike began on Nov. 5, according to Film LA claims Variety.
The agency said Thursday that all 17 half-hour primetime sitcoms are already out of production.
Variety claims that for one-hour shows, CBS' "CSI: Miami" was expected to close down Thursday, while ABC's "Dirty Sexy Money" and "Boston Legal" will probably go dark after today.
ABC's midseason entry "Eli Stone" will wrap next week; another one of the net's midseason dramas, "October Road," will shoot until mid-January.
Film LA estimated every TV drama episode scheduled but not produced means a loss of $2.75 million in direct production spending based on an average crew of 300 people directly employed in production.
On Thursday, Film LA reported that four permits were taken out -- all for reality shows.
"What's really surprising is how much TV activity we would have had before the strike and how little there is now," said agency chief Steve MacDonald to Variety.
USA
Your Talkback on this Story