LOS ANGELES, Jan. 2 The striking Writers Guild of America West Wednesday reiterated its plans to picket Hollywood's Golden Globes awards ceremony this month.
The guild issued the statement shortly after Variety.com quoted the organizers of the Globes show as saying they were trying to secure a deal that would keep striking writers from picketing the ceremony.
"Dick Clark Productions is a struck company. As previously announced, the Writers Guild will be picketing the Golden Globe Awards," the WGAW said in a statement. "The WGA has great respect and admiration for the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, but we are engaged in a crucial struggle that will protect our income and intellectual property rights for generations to come. We will continue to do everything in our power to bring industry negotiations to a fair conclusion. In the meantime, we are grateful for the ongoing support of the Hollywood talent community."
Jorge Camara, president of the HFPA, which present the Globes, told Variety.com, "Much like the Screen Actors Guild Awards and Film Independent's Spirit Awards, we want to enter into an agreement with the WGA that will allow the entertainment industry to celebrate the outstanding work of creative individuals in addition to millions of fans nationwide."
Camara said talks with the WGA began a day after the guild made an independent deal with Worldwide Pants to get two late-night talk shows back on the air with their writers.
"We feel that the 'Late Show with David Letterman' agreement is very reasonable, and hope and expect the WGA will agree to the same terms," Camara said.
NBC said Monday it planned to broadcast the event Jan. 13, despite the strike, which began Nov. 5.
Copyright 2008 by UPI
