Hollywood writers, producers open talks

LOS ANGELES, July 17 (UPI) -- Negotiations between the Writers Guild of America and Hollywood producers began with both sides criticizing each other's contract proposals.

WGA negotiators seek to double the compensation rate writers get from DVD sales, to provide union pay and benefits for writers working in reality television and on basic cable shows, and to propose higher pay rates when shows are downloaded from the Internet, the Los Angeles Times reported Tuesday.

Talks were expected to resume Wednesday.

The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers on its Web site said the guild's demands "would impose unreasonable costs and Draconian restrictions."

WGA officials countered they wanted "to ensure that writers keep up with the industry's growth."

After negotiations Monday, producers said it's too early to set pay rates across new media. Guild officials, however, said they feared members would be shortchanged as technologies transform the entertainment business.

Producers suggested a term of "experimentation," in which residuals -- fees received when television shows and movies are reused -- would be paid on digital downloads based on a long-standing home video formula while a study was conducted. As an alternative, the producers offered a more controversial proposal calling for overhauling the residuals system.