Will there be a Hollywood ending? why the writers are on strike

Reasons to be Cheerful with Ed Miliband & Geoff Lloyd

Hello! This week’s topic has all the ingredients of a great blockbuster: a tale of the underdog standing up to powerful big business, people fighting for their livelihoods, and ensuring the robots don’t take over the world…but this isn’t fiction, it’s real life. The Hollywood writers’ strike has been going on for almost two months now, as the writers of some of our favourite shows have taken to the picket lines in the name of fair pay, better conditions and regulation on AI. We speak to Lisa Holdsworth about what the Writers Guild of America (WGA) is asking for, to WGA members and screenwriters Simon Beaufoy and Alice Nutter, and to Gavin Mueller about how AI could devalue the work of writers.

Plus: It's sports day season...how's Geoff going to navigate his parental duties this year?

Guests

Lisa Holdsworth, TV and Theatre Writer and Chair of the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain (@WorksWithWords / @TheWritersGuild)

Simon Beaufoy and Alice Nutter, Screenwriters and Members of the Writers Guild of America (@alicenut1)

Gavin Mueller, Assistant Professor of New Media and Digital Culture at The University of Amsterdam and author of Breaking Things at Work (@gavinmuellerphd)

More information

Learn about the WGA's strike action and what they're asking for including how to support writers

Find out about the Writers' Guild of Great Britain (WGGB)

BBC News: The Full Monty's striking writers picket Sheffield premier of Disney+ reboot

Order Gavin's book Breaking Things at Work

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