TV Industry in Chaos as Colbert, Kimmel and Fallon's Shows Shut Down Simultaneously
Thousands of unionized TV writers went on strike Tuesday after their demands for more money from television studios and streamers were not met.
Shows that air daily, including much of the late-night talk show lineup, will air reruns instead of their previously scheduled programming.
Deadline reported “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” will not air new episodes beginning Tuesday.
“Late Night with Seth Meyers” and “The Daily Show” also will be on hiatus until the strike ends, TV Insider reported.
“The Late Late Show with James Corden” aired its final episode a week ago and will not be affected.
Meanwhile, Fox News’ “Gutfeld!” — which consistently tops Kimmel and Fallon in the ratings — will air as normal.
The strike involves 9,000 writers with the Writers Guild of America who vowed to walk off the job if their demands for more money from the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers were not met by Monday.
The WGA was to begin picketing in both California and New York on Tuesday.
Speaking to Deadline, Meyers said he supported the writers.
“I love writing. I love writing for TV. I love writing this show. I love that we get to come in with an idea for what we want to do every day and we get to work on it all afternoon and then I have the pleasure of coming out here,” he said.
The NBC host added, “No one is entitled to a job in show business. But for those people who have a job, they are entitled to fair compensation. They are entitled to make a living. I think it’s a very reasonable demand that’s being set out by the guild. And I support those demands.”
Deadline reported executives at other late-night shows will take the side of the writers in what it called a unified response to their demands.
Shows that air weekly — including “Saturday Night Live,” “Real Time with Bill Maher” and “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” — will also pivot to airing reruns beginning this weekend.
The effects the strike will have on the rest of the TV industry will depend on how long it lasts.
Those who write scripted TV on shows from broadcast networks to streaming giants are also sitting on the sidelines.
The strike is the WGA’s first since 2007, when Hollywood was essentially shut down for 100 days.
The union said in a statement on its website that more than 97 percent of its members supported the decision to strike Tuesday.
“Our negotiation with the studios and streamers has failed to reach an agreement,” the WGA said.
It added, “Over the course of the negotiation, we explained how the companies’ business practices have slashed our compensation and residuals and undermined our working conditions.”
The union also accused studios and streamers of taking advantage of its members.
“They have taken so much from the very people, the writers, who have made them wealthy,” the WGA said.
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