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‘TOP MODEL’ WRITERS POSE A STRIKE: Scribes make it official; CW says whatever…we’re still premiering Cycle 7 on 9/20.
*It’s official. Twelve writers for the Tyra Banks-hosted and produced reality series “America’s Next Top Model” have followed up on a promise to go on strike in response to the refusal of its new network, the upstart CW, to grant them a Writers Guild of America contract.
"We are the overwhelming majority of those in the story department on 'America's Next Top Model' who want to be represented by the WGA West," the writers said in a joint statement issued Friday in conjunction with their walkout. "While we are all very committed to this show, and we are proud of the work we do, we are taking a stand to get basic benefits and protections."
As previously reported, the writers are seeking the kind of health care and pension coverage, salary and working conditions protections afforded to other WGA-covered scripted series writers. They gave the CW and “Top Model” producer Ken Mok until July 19 to sign a WGA pact, but the network ignored the date, and instead asserted that the writers and the WGA should take the issue to the National Labor Relations Board so that the federal agency could then conduct an election -- a step that would take many months to complete.
The writers had expressed a willingness to not burn any bridges with the CW, which is made up of former networks UPN and WB, "but what we are asking for isn't unreasonable," the scribes said. "There is a double standard being applied, as our peers in dramatic television work under the protections of a WGA contract."
The CW said in response, "We expect these issues to be resolved in the near future, and the show remains on track for its Sept. 20 launch on the CW."
