WGAE and NBC News Studios Reach Agreement on Coverage for Production of Nonfiction Programming

NEW YORK, NY (August 13, 2020) – The Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) and NBC News Studios have reached agreement on Guild coverage of programs produced by the  recently-established unit.  

The terms of the collective bargaining agreement originally covering freelance and run-of-show producers, associate producers, and casting producers at the company’s Peacock Productions unit will apply to employees in these job classifications working on similar nonfiction programs produced by NBC News Studios for television and certain online platforms (e.g., SVOD and iAVOD).  (Peacock Productions was shuttered in March of 2020.)

“We are pleased that this important nonfiction programming will be covered by our collective bargaining agreement,” said Lowell Peterson, Executive Director of the Writers Guild of America, East. “This will ensure that the freelance and run-of-show producers, associate producers, and casting producers will enjoy union-negotiated pay minimums and other workplace protections, and will participate in a portable health benefits plan like their colleagues at other nonfiction shops.”

The WGAE now represents nearly 7,000 writers in film, television, and news (broadcast and digital). In addition to NBC News Studios, the WGAE has collective bargaining agreements with nonfiction television entities Vox Entertainment, Viceland, Lion Television, and Sharp Entertainment and represents writer-producers at ITV’s Kirkstall Road Enterprises and Leftfield Pictures.

ABOUT THE WRITERS GUILD OF AMERICA, EAST
The Writers Guild of America, East, AFL-CIO (WGAE) is a labor union representing writers in film, television, news and new media. The Guild negotiates and administers contracts that protect the creative and economic rights of its members; conducts programs, seminars and events on issues of interest to writers; and presents writers’ views to various bodies of government. For more information on the Writers Guild of America, East, visit wgaeast.org.

###