AMPTP addresses mini rooms, AI and data transparency in latest offer to WGA

Writers and actors on strike in Hollywood

The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP)’s latest offer to the Writers Guild of America (WGA) has included improvements on multiple contentious issues including the use of mini rooms, AI and transparency around viewership data, sparking fresh optimism that the US writers’ strike could be resolved within a month.

According to a report from Bloomberg, the new proposals, presented on Friday, would mean US studios share viewing data with writers that would allow them to ascertain the popularity of their shows. However, as the offer stands, compensation would not be tied to the performance of a particular show.

Many sections of the industry have been critical of streamers’ reluctance to share viewership data, arguing that it makes it difficult to gauge the value of a certain piece of content. Currently, Netflix is the only streamer that publicly discloses viewership of its top-performing titles, based on how many hours of the show or movie have been watched in total each week. Last month, in its first-quarter earnings report, Netflix called on SVoD rivals to be “more transparent” with viewership data.

The AMPTP, which represents the US studios in labour negotiations, has also put forth a new proposal on the use of AI. In prior phases of negotiations, the AMPTP had agreed that AI would not be considered as a writer in the context of audiovisual work. However, the WGA said that this did not go far enough and did not offer TV scribes sufficient protection against having the role in the creation process diminished or marginalised. The updated AMPTP proposal reportedly goes further in placing guardrails around the use of AI.

In addition, the AMPTP reportedly put forward an offer regarding minimum staffing requirements for writers’ rooms. Under the proposal, reported by Variety, the showrunner would be given more power to choose the size of the writers’ room.

After more than 100 days on strike, the WGA and AMPTP resumed negotiations on Friday. For a time, it looked like the two sides might not get back to the bargaining table for at least another month, but the return to negotiating is creating very cautious optimism that discussions might be headed in the right direction.

Reps for the two sides are expected to reconvene today as the WGA gives its response to the AMPTP’s latest proposal.

After last Friday’s meeting, the WGA told its members that it would “evaluate their offer and, after deliberation, go back to them with the WGA’s response next week.”