Directors Guild Deal With Studios Could Point Way To Writers Pact

According to the AMPTP, the deal with the directors establishes the precedent that "creative talent will now participate financially in every emerging area of new media" and "demonstrates beyond any doubt that our industry's producers are willing and able to work with the creators of entertainment content to establish fair and flexible rules for this fast-changing marketplace."

When it comes to ad-supported streaming of programming on the Internet, the DGA deal specifies that after an initial 17-day window for free promotional streaming, companies will pay 3 percent of the residual base for 26 weeks of streaming (about $600 for a network prime-time one-hour drama).

Continuing to stream a show for 26 weeks more will cost a company an additional 3 percent (for a total of $1,200 for one year's worth of streaming).

The DGA agreed to expand the initial 17-day window to 24 days for freshman series to help build an audience for the shows.

On electronic sell-through (paid downloads of movies and TV programs), the AMPTP has agreed to more than double the residual rate for television. The residuals for flicks will be upped by 80 percent.

"We knew that gaining jurisdiction over new-media production and winning fair compensation for the reuse of our work on the Internet were the key issues for setting a framework for the future, but we also had to secure real gains for our members in today's world," Cates said.

The DGA deal was struck after just six days of negotiations. In fairness, though, AMPTP President Nick Counter says negotiations were preceded by "weeks of tough and candid informal discussions."

"In the end, though, both parties were determined to focus on the core issues that are most important to all of us, and the result is an agreement that breaks important new ground for our entire industry," Counter concluded in his statement.

Which somehow sounds like another dig at the Writers Guild, but maybe we're just reading too much into it.

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In other writers' strike news, the Recording Academy, which is still waiting to hear whether the WGA will follow through on its threat to declare the Grammy Awards a "struck" show, yesterday issued a news release with word that Beyonc¿ and the Foo Fighters would participate in the Feb. 10 trophy show.

"The work of The Recording Academy is vital to the music industry, and we have every intention of being with the entire music community to celebrate the Grammys' 50th birthday in February," Beyonc¿'s manager/dad, Mathew Knowles, is quoted as saying in the news release. "Beyonc¿, as well as my other artists Solange and Trinitee 5:7, have been asked to participate and will do so. We have an incredible Beyonc¿ performance that will be announced soon," Knowles said.