Negotiators for the Writers Guild of America return to the bargaining table today, after talks with producers broke off last month. The writers' contract expires on May 1, and so far they've been unable to win concessions on pay and help with health care costs. So, they've been threatening to go on strike.
Vanity Fair's Rebecca Keegan says the WGA has also been employing a somewhat unique strategy, contacting shareholders of big media companies. The writers argue that if they are forced to strike, it will be bad for the media companies, and bad for the people who own stock in them.
Keegan also tells Take Two about a trend underway to rethink gender-based entertainment awards. The Grammys eliminated categories like Best Male Vocal in 2011, and now the Emmys is also thinking of eliminating the distinction between actor and actress. Keegan thinks the Oscars will have to grapple with this sooner or later, but she notes that since women have only about one-third of all speaking parts in film, eliminating categories like best actress might actually mean less recognition for women.