For the second time this week there are signs that the bitter writers' strike in Hollywood may be coming to an end.

The New York Times is reporting that the writers have made a breakthrough in contract talks with producers on one of their key issues - being payments for content streamed over the internet. The newspaper reports that this could lead to a deal by both parties by the end of the week.

The WGA's 10,500 members have been on strike since November 5. Four days after their previous contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers or AMPTP.

Full Story at Reuters

Posted by Mike Laverdiere at 4:37 PM | Permalink

In an effort to fill there schedule during a prolonged WGA strike in Hollywood, US network CBS has bought the rights to Flashpoint, a Canadian series greenlit by CTV.

The series is a one-hour police drama about cops on highly skilled tactical team. It is currently in pre-production and set to begin production in April in Toronto.

CBS has picked up 13 episodes of the series, which will be the first Canadian TV series to air on both a Canadian and US network since Due South.

Full story in The Toronto Star

Posted by Mike Laverdiere at 2:04 PM | Permalink

When Search & Rescue goes to air on Global in March, the show's producers are hoping to draw an audience away from the US competition.

Executive producer and creator Raymond Storey says he was approached by the production company, Halifax Film, three and a half years ago with the concept - a drama about four members of the Coast Guard.

"They wanted a series that could go head-to-head with the U.S. competition, and they presented me with an article on the Coast Guard, which I knew nothing about," he says.

The $20 million primetime series has been shooting in Squamish since September and is being co-produced by Steve Hegyes and Shawn Williamson of Brightlight Pictures and Halifax Film's Charles Bishop and Michael Donovan.

Full Story at Playback Magazine

Posted by Mike Laverdiere at 2:00 PM | Permalink

Variety reports that Glen Morgan, best known for his work on "The X-Files," is departing NBC's new show, "Bionic Woman," effective immediately. The trade says "creative differences" are the cause of the departure.

David Eick remains in place as showrunner and will assume all responsibility for day-to-day production of the series, working with executive producer Jason Smilovic.

NBC issued a statement thanking Morgan for his contributions to establishing a template for "Bionic" and said it was looking forward to the show debuting later this month as scheduled.

Variety adds that insiders believe it's possible the show--which is now in production on its fifth episode--might take a break for a while in order to give the writers a chance to focus on refining the show's directions. "Grey's Anatomy" and "Brothers & Sisters" did the same thing and ended up becoming big hits.

Posted by Michael Seidelman at 11:49 PM | Permalink