Soldiers On The Street

"CBS has found a way to soldier on as the WGA hits the streets during the writers strike. It seems that the Eye Network realized that one of their bigger shows during the dog days of summer is a thrice-weekly reality show that requires no writers and they already have the set built. Don’t look now, but Big Brother is coming back sooner than planned!"



"As striking screenwriters continued attempts to close down film and TV production, television networks and media companies are calculating they can contain the damage so long as the strike doesn't last much beyond January.

The television networks are seen as the most vulnerable to a strike initially because they rely heavily on members of the Writers Guild of America for scripted programming. But a tight advertising market is expected to provide some cushion, with advertisers seemingly reluctant to make any rash moves at a time when advertising prices are so high.

If the strike runs for several months, the picture could change dramatically. "It could be a downward spiral for the networks if it drags on into the first quarter," says Steve Kalb, director of broadcast media at MediaHub, a unit of Interpublic Group's Mullen."