Letterman Strikes Deal With WGA, Returns With Writers

Not everyone in the business of hiring writers has a big stake in extending the strike and refusing to negotiate with the WGA. Viacom may want to pinch every penny it can get out of online revenues, but David Letterman’s World Wide Pants — which produces both the Letterman show and the Craig Ferguson show — would rather get back on the air. They have just signed an independent deal with the writers that will see those shows return to the air with their writing staffs next week.

While other late nite shows such as Jimmy Kimmel, Conan O’Brien, the Daily Show and Steven Colbert are going back on the air on January 2 as well, they will do so without their guild writers. The strategy was to have fewer sketches and more guests, but they’re in a bit of a bind because many actors will support the striking writers and refuse to appear. With a lot of movies set to open in January, that’s going to give Letterman the…er…leg up.

The AMPTP walked away from the table with writers last month and is refusing to negotiate, and just before Christmas Comedy Central announced it would force the reluctant Steven Colbert and Jon Stewart back on to their shows. Stewart and Colbert released a joint statement:

“We would like to return to work with our writers. If we cannot, we would like to express our ambivalence, but without our writers we are unable to express something as nuanced as ambivalence.”

Letterman sets a great precedent. You can sign the petition telling Comedy Central to get back to the negotiating table here.

(h/t Eli)

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