Non-fiction TV Writers And Producers Win Right To Join Union

[Omaha Steve]

1/11/2011

For the first time since reality television became regular content a union has won the right to organize writers and producers. Jesse Russell reports.

Being non-union is no longer a fantasy for 100 writers and producers of reality televisions shows from Atlas Media and ITV Studios. The Writers Guild of America-East has been in a long ongoing battle to win the right to represent reality television show writers. Reality television is still a new industry and show production companies have been hesitant to label the writers the same way they would label writers for fiction shows. Unions seeking to organize such workers have argued that the producers and writers of these shows essentially create a narrative out of sometimes thousands of hours of footage. The guild will now enter negotiations with Atlas. ITV is appealing the election results. The next target for the guild is Lion TV which has 85 writers. Lion TV produces the mid-afternoon hit show “Cash Cab.”

Correction: This story originally referred to "non-fiction" television writers as "reality" television writers.