Negotiations pressure writers to come to a compromise

The writers strike might be coming to an end. Thursday night, the Directors Guild of America reached a tentative three-year agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. The agreement deals with compensating directors when their work is displayed on the Internet. \nBut what does that mean for the strike in general? \n“It’s putting pressure on writers to settle because they are working with some people,” said Michael Diamond, alumnus and trainee lit agent at United Talent Agency in Hollywood. \nDiamond said the directors settled on their terms. \nRonald Wainscott, a professor of theatre and drama, said he thought writers and the Alliance will have to compromise in the end.\n“The writers are sticking by their guns,” he said. “I don’t think they’re completely right, but management is at least in part to blame for this.”\nWainscott said he thought neither side was right, but that the strike was justified. He cited the actors strike in 1917, saying he thought arts strikes since then had been justified. \n“I’m always in sympathy for workers, because I tend to lean that way,” he said.\nBut when will the strike be over? TV viewers are missing their favorite dramas and scripted talk shows like “The Daily Show” and “The Colbert Report.”\nWainscott said he doesn’t watch very much TV, so he won’t miss the shows if they are further delayed by the writers’ negotiations.\n“If they go away, they go away,” he said. “I’ve got plenty of DVDs to watch.”