Late-night TV shows like The Tonight Show and The Daily Show have gone into reruns as the unionized screenwriters, represented by the Writers Guild of America, have gone on strike over compensation in the streaming era. This is the first writer’s strike in 15 years and has affected more than 11,500 film and television writers. The strike has caused all major late-night shows, which rely on writers for monologues and jokes, to halt production. The strike could have a cascading effect on TV and film productions, but it has been widely forecast for months due to the industry’s changing economics. More writers are being paid minimum rates, while the use of mini-writers rooms has soared. The guild is seeking more compensation on the front-end of deals as more back-end payments, such as international licensing and syndication, have been phased out by streaming.
