LOS ANGELES, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- NBC laid off the Los Angeles staffers on "Tonight Show with Jay Leno" when its host refused to pay them, citing solidarity with the ongoing writers' strike.
NBC laid off nearly 100 non-striking staffers on the "Tonight Show" following failed negotiations between media conglomerates and the writers guilds Friday.
Other late-night hosts, such as NBC's Conan O'Brien and CBS's David Letterman, agreed to continue paying staff members at least through the end of the year, the New York Daily News said Saturday.
Leno's spokesman said that while he would continue to honor the strike, he had offered bonuses to staffers this week totaling about $500,000.
The Writers Guild of America went on strike Nov. 5 protesting revenue generated from new media, closing down production on many prime-time series.
