Late-night TV shows go dark as writers strike for better pay
The first Hollywood strike in 15 years began Tuesday as the economic pressures of the streaming era prompted unionized TV and film writers to picket for better pay outside major studios, a work stoppage that is leading most late-night shows to air reruns.
NBCUniversal vows auditions for actors with disabilities
NBCUniversal said Friday that actors with disabilities will be included in auditions for all new productions, an agreement sought by the Ruderman Family Foundation, a disability rights advocate. (NBCUniversal via AP)LOS ANGELES โ Actors with disabilities will be included in auditions for each new film and television production at NBCUniversal, which becomes the second major media company to make such a commitment. As more people with disabilities are seen in roles, "it will have ramifications throughout society,โ Ruderman told The Associated Press. According to the most recent foundation report, only about 22% of characters with disabilities on network and streaming shows in 2018 were โauthentically portrayed by actors with disabilities.โ That's an improvement over 2016's finding that 5% of such TV roles went to actors with disabilities. Although the agreement with NBCUniversal doesn't establish hiring goals, Grubba said the value of getting a chance to audition shouldn't be undersold.
USGA transfers US media rights from Fox back to NBCUniversal
The USGA is transferring its U.S. media rights from Fox Sports to NBC, which returns the U.S. Open and U.S. Womens Open to NBC this year and for the final seven years of the Fox contract. Fox Sports also has contracts with the NFL, college football and Major League Baseball, which led Fox Sports to agree to NBCUniversal taking over the contract. Because of the shutdown, particularly the qualifying for USGA events, only four events are being played this year the U.S. Womens Amateur and U.S. Amateur in consecutive weeks in August, the U.S. Open in September and the U.S. Womens Open in Houston on Dec. 10-13. It also will have the FedEx Cup playoffs every other year when the new media rights deal with the PGA Tour begins, along with all majors on the LPGA Tour and PGA Tour Champions.