Striking Hollywood Writers and Studios Reach Agreement
Ask students: What were the demands of the striking writers? Why are writers and actors concerned about artificial intelligence?
Writers and the major studios reached a tentative deal after nearly five months of striking. Members of the Writers Guild of America have now voted to approve the deal, which includes pay increases to keep up with streaming and protections around the use of artificial intelligence. Geoff Bennett discussed the deal and the ongoing actors' strike with Janice Min of The Ankler.
For a transcript of this story, click here.
Discussion Questions
- Who has been on strike as described in this story?
- What were the demands of the striking writers?
- When did the strike begin?
- Why are writers and actors concerned about artificial intelligence?
- How might this agreement change the entertainment industry going forward?
Focus Questions
How do you think artificial intelligence might change the ways movies, shows, and other popular media is made? Do you think writers and actors are right to ask for protections, and if so what protections do you think would be appropriate?
Media Literacy: Why do you think the producers of this show only interviewed writers (and not studio representatives) about the deal?
Extension Activity
The writers strike is just one of many significant labor actions that have taken place this year. Read this article on CNN and as a class, discuss — why are so many strikes happening now? What are some common demands of the strikes?
Republished with permission from PBS NewsHour Classroom.
PBS NewsHour Classroom helps teachers and students identify the who, what, where and why-it-matters of the major national and international news stories. The site combines the best of NewsHour's reliable, trustworthy news program with lesson plans developed specifically for... See More
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