In a down to the wire bargaining session, the Writers Guild of America negotiating committee reached agreement with the studios on a new three-year deal. This was unanimously approved by the governing boards of the WGA West and East and will go to the membership for likely ratification later this month. The pact averts what
Sherlock Holmes’s Sister Subject of Copyright Infringement Claim
A planned Netflix movie about Sherlock Holmes’s sister is the target of a lawsuit from the estate of Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of the legendary detective. The estate has asserted both copyright and trademark claims.
The estate will have to walk a narrow path to prevail on its copyright claims. All but the last
Performers Union Cuts Deal With Studios
The performers union, SAG-AFTRA, has reached a deal with the studios for a new three-year contract covering theatrical, television and new media production. The proposal will still need to be approved by the national board and the membership before taking effect.
The proposed contract is patterned on the agreement struck by the Directors Guild earlier
Agencies Move to Dismiss WGA’s Remaining Claims
Another blow was struck in the litigation between the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the top three talent agencies.
In April, the agencies prevailed in their motion to dismiss eight of the nine claims asserted against them by the WGA in the pending US District Court case. They have now moved to dismiss the
Copyright Office Says DMCA Is Too Pro-Tech
The US Copyright Office issued a lengthy report concluding that the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) has “tilted askew” in favor of tech companies. It called on Congress to make changes in the act that will favor copyright owners.
Background
Congress passed the DMCA in 1998. One goal of the Act was to accommodate the
Writer Guild Resumes Negotiations
After something of a war of words, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and Association of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) have resumed negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement. This agreement will cover writers for film, TV and digital productions.
Residuals for series and feature-length productions made for streaming services are expected
Writers Guild Makes Key Advances in Agency Wars
The full service agencies APA and Innovative Artists have signed the Writers Guild of America’s new agency franchise agreement. As a result, each will be free to resume representing writers but with some critical restrictions. (For background on the long-running battle between the WGA and the agencies, see our earlier posts here and here.)
Redbox, Disney Settle Download Code Litigation
App Store Purchasers Entitled to Bite at the Antitrust Apple, Says Supreme Court
The United States Supreme Court decided this week that purchasers of apps through the Apple App Store have standing under federal antitrust law to bring a class-action lawsuit against the tech giant.
The Sherman Antitrust Act makes it unlawful for any person to “monopolize, or attempt to monopolize, or combine or conspire with any other
Winter Is Coming: Writers and Agents Hunker Down for a Battle of Attrition
This is an update on my blog post regarding the face-off between the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the major talent agencies, through the Association of Talent Agencies (ATA).
To summarize–OMG!! 
The WGA issued an ultimatum requiring the agents to sign their Code of Conduct forswearing package commissions. This is the practice by which