AFTRA, Broadcast Nets to Begin New CBA Negotiations Nov. 7

The American Federation of Television & Radio Artists, the union representing more than 70,000 performers, recording artists and broadcasters, says it will begin negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement with the broadcast nets and studios starting Nov. 7.

The current agreement expires Nov. 15, but will be extended through the duration of the negotiations on a day-to-day basis, said AFTRA.

They will be negotiating -- with producers -- the successor agreement to the National Code of Fair Practice for Network Television Broadcasting, which covers everything but scripted primetime on the broadcast nets, which is covered by a separate agreement.

That still means a boatload of primetime anyway, including Dancing With the Stars, Survivor, 20/20, Deal or No Deal, and American Idol, as well as late night, first-run syndicated dramas and talk shows, morning news shows, soaps, sports, game shows, and promos.

The negotiations will be held at the offices of the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers in Sherman Oaks.

John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.