February 11, 2009 3:35 PM
- Text
WGA May Strike Grammys, OKs NAACP Awards
(AP)
The striking Hollywood writers guild likely will bar its members from working on next month's Grammys telecast, a union spokesman said Tuesday.
Grammy organizers have yet to ask for a waiver allowing writers to work on the show - and if requested, "it is unlikely to be granted," Writers Guild of America spokesman Gregg Mitchell said.
The Recording Academy said it did not have an immediate comment.
Meanwhile, the guild said it would allow its members to work on the NAACP Image Awards and would not picket the Feb. 14 show at the Shrine Auditorium.
The Image Awards honor those who promote diversity in the arts. Awards in 44 categories, including movies, TV and literature, will be presented in the ceremony broadcast live on Fox.
"Because of the historic role the NAACP has played in struggles like ours, we think this decision is appropriate to jointly achieve our goals," guild leader Patric Verrone said at a news conference.
Actors were advised by their union to stay away from the ceremony, prompting Globes organizers to replace the normally glitzy telecast with a scaled-down news conference lacking stars, glamour and ad revenue.
Next month's Academy Awards could face the same fate.
The writers guild said it had not yet decided whether to picket the Feb. 10 Grammys ceremony, set to air live on CBS.
Screen Actors Guild spokeswoman Pamela Greenwalt said her union's members "have been unwilling to cross a picket line and we anticipate that solidarity will continue."
In a separate development, four major studios have canceled dozens of writers' contracts in a possible concession that the current television season cannot be saved, the Los Angeles Times reported.
The deals were terminated by 20th Century Fox Television, CBS Paramount Network Television, NBC Universal and Warner Bros.
Grammy organizers have yet to ask for a waiver allowing writers to work on the show - and if requested, "it is unlikely to be granted," Writers Guild of America spokesman Gregg Mitchell said.
The Recording Academy said it did not have an immediate comment.
Meanwhile, the guild said it would allow its members to work on the NAACP Image Awards and would not picket the Feb. 14 show at the Shrine Auditorium.
The Image Awards honor those who promote diversity in the arts. Awards in 44 categories, including movies, TV and literature, will be presented in the ceremony broadcast live on Fox.
"Because of the historic role the NAACP has played in struggles like ours, we think this decision is appropriate to jointly achieve our goals," guild leader Patric Verrone said at a news conference.
The writers guild refused to grant a waiver for last weekend's Golden Globe awards and threatened to picket that event.
Photos: Singers Who Act
Actors were advised by their union to stay away from the ceremony, prompting Globes organizers to replace the normally glitzy telecast with a scaled-down news conference lacking stars, glamour and ad revenue.
Next month's Academy Awards could face the same fate.
The writers guild said it had not yet decided whether to picket the Feb. 10 Grammys ceremony, set to air live on CBS.
Screen Actors Guild spokeswoman Pamela Greenwalt said her union's members "have been unwilling to cross a picket line and we anticipate that solidarity will continue."
In a separate development, four major studios have canceled dozens of writers' contracts in a possible concession that the current television season cannot be saved, the Los Angeles Times reported.
The deals were terminated by 20th Century Fox Television, CBS Paramount Network Television, NBC Universal and Warner Bros.
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