Another strike in Tinseltown looms.

Hollywood’s two main actors’ unions are refusing to join forces for upcoming contract negotiations with studios and the outcome could be another strike-induced standstill, reminiscent of the recently resolved writer’s strike.

According to CBC.ca, the board of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) said Saturday that it had voted to cut ties with the Screen Actors Guild (SAG).

In the past, the unions have been less than friendly but always remained united in contract talks.

“For the past year SAG leadership in Hollywood has engaged in a relentless campaign of disinformation and disparagement,” AFTRA president Roberta Reardon stated in a news release.

SAG president Alan Rosenberg rebutted by saying the television guild’s “refusal now to bargain together with us and their last-second abandonment of the joint process is calculated [and] cynical.

“It may serve the interests of their institution, but not its members,”

SAG consists of 120,000 members of movie and television actors. AFTRA is 70,000-strong and represents actors, singers, announcers and journalists.

Both parties have agreed to start talks as the contract for actors expires at the end of June.

It’s been three months of picketing writers, re-runs and reality shows but all may be right in Hollywood again, according to the writer’s union.

The Writers Guild of America has come to a tentative deal with the studios that could potentially put an end to the strike and have everyone back to work by Monday.

“While this agreement is neither perfect nor perhaps all that we deserve for the countless hours of hard work and sacrifice, our strike has been a success,” the WGA said in a memo to members, CTV.ca reports.

The deal reportedly states that writers will now be paid a maximum rate of $1,200 US for streamed programs for two years. Then, by year three, the writers would get a percentage of the gross that the distributor makes.
If the deal is accepted, some shows could be back this week while other could take several weeks to hit the air.

“The feeling is relief and optimism and excitement,” Hilary Winston, a writer for the NBC sitcom “My Name Is Earl, said according to CTV.ca.
“I hope this deal made this three months worth it.”

Couch potatoes will either have to settle for Grey’s Anatomy episodes back when Isaiah Washington still had a job or tune into the many new game shows coming their way.

Fans were hoping the talks between reps from the striking Writers Guild and movie and television producers would result in some kind of deal and bring peace back to Hollywood. The Writers didn’t take the deal, Howie.

This pretty much puts an end to any possibility that the disagreement could be resolved before the New Year, E! News reports.

Most shows have already gone into reruns while others are holding on to new episodes for dear life since the ongoing squabble over online and DVD residuals materialized.

The choices for small screen entertainment are dwindling.

Producers blame the writer’s union’s “pursuit of radical demands” for the deadlock while the writers say that they have yet to be offered the “fair deal”, they initially asked for, according to E! News.

No matter who’s fault it is, prepare yourselves for an onslaught of reality TV and game shows. American Idol will return in January to save television. Here’s hoping Simon Cowell sports a cape.

Hollywood writers have decided to put down their pens and power down their keyboards. Film and TV writers are prepared to go on strike Monday for the first time in 20 years.

Writers Guild of America board members voted unanimously Friday to begin the strike at 3:01 a.m. Eastern Standard Time unless studios offered a more profitable deal, essentially entitling them to a bigger cut from video sales and shows sold or streamed over the Web.

“The studios made it clear that they would rather shut down this town than reach a fair and reasonable deal,” said Patric Verrone, president of the Writers Guild of America West.

As a result, millions of TV viewers are expected to turn to the internet to fill their entertainment needs. The writer’s strike is expected to stop all TV production, except for reality shows, and force TV networks to air nothing but reruns.

But viewers can expect their favourite scripted comedies and dramas to continue at least through the November sweeps.

Beyond that, quiz and game shows, as well as reality series, will dominate, since they don’t require union writers.

It will be business as usual for news programs, since their writers are not part of the Guild.