Fans of primetime television may have to put their viewing habits on pause.
Dan Spencer (junior-mathematics), who is an avid follower of The Office, said he was shocked after hearing that the program will be suspended indefinitely.
"It's awful," Spencer said. "I can't believe it got canceled."
Trading in typewriters for signs, the Writer's Guild of America (WGA) has been on strike for five days, picketing the streets of Los Angeles until contract deals come to a close.
The controversy began on Oct. 31, the last day of the writers' contracts. Now, they are working to gain compensation for the new territory being explored in media: the Internet.
The Associated Press said, so far, at least seven sitcoms, including The Office, Desperate Housewives and 24, have stopped production in response to the strike.
As of press time yesterday, 24, the popular serial-drama which airs on the FOX network, was the most recent to be canceled.
Zachary Shourds, president of the Penn State Student Film Organization, said the strike is, in part, because of the writers adjusting to the idea of putting television programming on the Web.
"Things in the industry have changed, and they're just trying to
adapt to that," Shourds (junior-philosophy) said. "The effects will be different for everyone, depending on what they watch [on TV]."
As of yesterday, screenwriters were required to turn in their unfinished projects by today, so union officials could make sure they don't secretly work for other studios while on strike, according to Reuters' Web site.
COMM 100 (Mass Media & Society) professor Matt McAllister is aware of the strike and has discussed the events with his students.
"The stakes are big as the revenue streams are shifting," McAllister said. "A deal has to be struck about payment with new media, but Internet downloads are not the only new media on the horizon."
David Hawman (sophomore-microbiology) said he is also upset about the cancellation of The Office.
"I think, for big shows, people will be angry until the networks make a decision," he said.
Many stars have been supporting the writers on strike. Actor Robin Williams was even seen participating in the march with writers yesterday, according to the AP.
"Chances are, [celebrities] are either, A. members of the guild, B. friends with members of the guild or C. they just want the writers to like them," McAllister said.
The film industry will feel the results of the strike as well. Any screenplay already written will continue, but unfinished movie scripts will be put on hold until a compromise is met, McAllister said.
"Film has a lot longer production cycle," he said. "If this happens for a long time, they'll be tempted to make movies with old scripts; probably some crummy ones."
The last time a strike like this happened was in 1988. Writers were on strike for 22 weeks, delaying the launch of that year's fall season premieres and costing the TV industry an estimated $500 million loss in revenue, the AP reported.
"During the last strike, the TV industry learned some bad lessons," McAllister said. "That's a part of the reason for so many reality shows."
According to the AP, a 2001 study commissioned by then-Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan showed that a writers' strike lasting several months would put 130,000 people out of work.
Shourds said he thinks "Hollywood should realize there is a chance to find the best solution."
