Hollywood producers make new offer to writers

No details of the terms were released, and talks are set to resume Tuesday.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Hollywood studios presented a sweetened contract offer to striking film and TV writers Thursday, and negotiators requested a four-day recess to consider it, the producers’ organization said.

The talks will resume Tuesday, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers said in a statement.

There was no immediate comment from the Writers Guild of America. Talks had been held under a media blackout since Monday.

The producers said the new offer, dubbed the “New Economic Partnership,” included payments for work shown on the Internet, the key sticking points in the talks.

“The entire value of the New Economic Partnership will deliver more than $130 million in additional compensation above and beyond the more than $1.3 billion writers already receive each year,” the statement said.

The $130 million sum appeared to be an annual figure, but the brief statement did not clarify whether it was per year or over the three-year life of a proposed new contract. No details of the terms were released.

Meanwhile, protesting writers converged on NBC’s studios in suburban Burbank to rally against restarted production of the late-night show “Last Call With Carson Daly.”

Several people said Daly circled the Burbank lot before entering a gate with no pickets.

Adam Waring, who has written for the sitcom “Two and a Half Men,” said he and two other writers dashed around a corner to intercept Daly.

“We stood in front of his car, and he told his driver to keep going,” Waring said, adding that protesters had to move out of the way.

“Last Call” was the first late-night show to resume production since the strike began on Nov. 5. The walkout has also idled production on many scripted television series.

Daly has defended the move, saying he still supports the writers but did not want to see all 75 members of his staff and crew lose their jobs because of the work stoppage.

Protesters at NBC carried signs reading, “Carson Daly Please Don’t Cross” and “Carson Daly Please Support Us.”

Among them was Joe Medeiros, 56, head writer on the “Tonight Show with Jay Leno.” He said union members were disappointed with Daly’s break in solidarity.

“All the other late-night hosts are holding firm,” Medeiros said. “That’s what they need to do to solve this in a timely manner.”

A key issue in the contract dispute is compensation for work offered on the Web.