As America’s problems with inflation increase, many individuals are getting left behind economically. Even though the cost of living is skyrocketing, wages have remained largely unchanged for the past several years. This, along with the fact that new technologies are constantly being developed, means that more American workers are unable to afford the American dream we’ve been taught to pursue. This has never been more apparent than in the writing industry, with their demonstrations over the summer.
In May of 2023, tensions reached a breaking point in the entertainment industry when the Writers Guild of America decided to strike against the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). This strike partially came about due to some recent developments in both technology and culture, but ultimately the WGA went on strike simply because writers felt they were no longer getting paid enough to live comfortably. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many households abandoned cable television in favor of using streaming services such as Netflix and Disney+. The pandemic also caused widespread layoffs for writers as many projects were canceled to save money on pieces that had the potential to flop.
This eventually caused an overabundance of writers looking for work and accepting low-paying contracts and job offers. This shift benefited the producers who were creating shows and movies, however, as they could sell their products to a more lucrative market. This caused a disparity in the amount of revenue generated and the amount the writers were being paid, compared to previous years.
Another change that has occurred since the beginning of the pandemic was the rise of artificial intelligence. AI text generators have exploded in their capability to produce coherent and enticing pieces of writing. Theoretically, this would allow a well enough designed AI to create an enrapturing story that would be just as entertaining as any script a writer could create. In addition, the AI could create a script in a matter of seconds instead of the weeks it would take a human to produce.
These two main shifts provided a perfect storm for the Writers Guild to take drastic actions and ensure that writers would be paid a fair, agreed-upon amount. It would also guarantee that the people behind current TV series and movies wouldn’t be phased out in favor of text generators like ChatGPT.
The strike officially began on May 2, 2023, with the Screen Actors Guild joining on July 14, 2023. The WGA strike prohibits any members from working on any projects related to the AMPTP with the SAG strike offering similar limitations. The Writers Guild of America reached a tentative agreement with the AMPTP and their strike officially ended on September 27, 2023. The strike organized by the Screen Actors Guild is still ongoing, with talks of resuming negotiations between SAG and the AMPTP on Monday, October 2, 2023.
