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Arts and Entertainment

Reality Shows Have Writers Too

By Tony Pierce

Published Sep 20, 2006 11:00 PM

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by Kevin McCollister

It's unlikely you'll hear about it on the evening (network-controlled) news, but an estimated 800 people attended a rally this morning at the Pan Pacific Park to protest low wages and lack of health benefits for the writers of television's lucrative reality shows.

Organized by the Writers Guild of America in support of the striking writers of "America's Next Top Model", the rally also fired up the WGA writers, whose contract with the film and TV industry expires next year. Speakers included writer-director Phil Robinson and writer-creator Marc Cherry, who brought his entire writing staff of "Desperate Housewives."

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The rally was also attended by members of SAG, the DGA and IATSE.

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